The sun., 1904-11-24
PRESIDENTS
THE REPORT THAT THERE IS TO
be 4 CHANGE rs UNTRUE.
MIR. Roosevelt Regards His Attitu de Toward
the South as Absolutely Fair and That
to Change 1t Would he TO Admit That
He Had Been Wrong in the Past.

TO Change 1t Would he TO Admit That
He Had Been Wrong in the Past.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-The report that
the President intends to adopt new policy
in dealing with the South and the race ques-
ton, with the object Of overcoming the in
tense prejudice which is said to exist against
him on the part Of the white population
in that part Of the country has no founda-
ton in fact, In several little speeches de-
livered at Cabinet meetings and in con-
versation with individual members OF his
Cabinet and persons who are particularly
interested in bringing about a change in
the feeling Of the Southern people toward
him, Mr.. Roosevelt has made it clear that
he regards his attitude toward the South
as absolutely fair and that to adopt policy
of conciliatory difference would be to
admit that he had been wrong in the past.
His position is that he has given the
Southern States square deal and has
treated them with as much consideration
as he has shown for any and every other
part of the country.
The President, while not showing any
bitterness on the subject, has indicated
that he felt keenly the personal hostility
to him manifested by the people in the
Southern States. He attributes this bitter
ness to misrepresentation on the part Of
Democratic campaign orators and many
Democratic newspapers as to his appoint
ments to Federal Offices in the South. All
he asks is that the truth be told. He has
expressed confidence that II the Southern
people once realized how they had been
deceived they would understand that he
had rn,a hn tcct,
or to encourage the negro in opposition to
the white man, either politically or socially
or to show preference for negroes over
whites in appointments to office.
The President and his advisers realize
that it will be hard for many Southerners
to understand how he can claim to be a
friend of the South and justify his ap-
pointments Of negroes to Office. Mr.. Roose-
velt's position on this point lie very simple.
He holds that where he has to decide be-
tween two candidates a white man,
against whose character allegations have
been made, and the other negro, whose
charac acter has never been impeached-
he will appoint the negro, granting that
he has the ability to perform the work
required, and in all cases where both negroes
and whites are candidates he has been
guided by the comparative standing and
fitness of all the applicants from the view
point of integrity aud mentality
1t is contended in his behalf by those
who know his views that in instances where
he decided to appoint negroes to Office in
the South he frequently deferred to the
sentiment of the best whites. irrespective
Of party, to the extent OF letting them say
what offices these negroes should f1ll. A
Ii ,Nx1sy. hat -
the negro collector Of customs at Char
lesion, 3. {.
When the President was at Charleston
he told the leading men Of the town that
he wanted to give Dr.. Crum an office there,
but did not wish to offend the white portion
OF the community by appointing a negro
to place whose duties would be such that
his presence in il would be regarded as
extremely Objectionable. In the discussion
that followed it was indicated to the Presi-
dent that there were certain Offices TO
which a negro could not be appointed with
out giving great ofIercs, among them that OF
United Sta,e e. Marshal, whose duties would
bring him into contact almost solely with
white lawye's
According TO those who defend the Presi-
dents course in the Crum matter he was
told that the least Objectionable appoint
ment OF a negro that he could make would
be to the collectorship Of customs at Charles
ton, but, unfortunately, the Office was not
II,
Charleston collector died and the President
appointed DR.. Crum, believing, as he had
indicated to those with whom he has dis
cussed the case, that the people Of Charles
ton would find no reason to crticise his
action in view Of what had been said to him,
and the understanding reachei when he
visited that city. But the appointment
caused bitter feeling against Mr.. Roosevelt,
and is still cited as evidence of his alleged
enmity to the South.
Ii is possible to say with certainty that
the President will again send the nomna-
ton of DR.. Crum to the Senate when that
body meets next month. He holds that
DR.. Crum is decent. honorable man Of
ability and that he is deserving Of reoogni-
ton. In explanation Of the Presidents in
tention 10 stick to DR.. Cr,im to the last 1t is
maintained by those with whom he has
talked that his attitude is born of a sense
Of Justice and is not the result of any
bitterness or desire to be revenged for
the criticism to which he has been sub
jected on account of his support of DR..
Crum.
1t may be a surprising statement TO most
people but. according TO what Mr.. Roose-
welt has said, he has appointed more white
Democrats TO Federal Offices in he Southern
States than any Republican President
He has asserted that three-fourths Of the
Federal ofiiceholders in the Southern States
appointed by him are white Democrats
He has claimed with some pride that during
his administration. for the first time since
the civil war, there has not been single
defalcation among all the Federal Office
ho'irs u Mississippi. He has cited in
inc7s a. 'howine how nom partisan
h. hss Hreu r. making these appointments.
\ Wilson 1ited States District Attorney
(, Nj .-sir,i. is a gold Democrat, and
tlr Cut.d -tates Marshal for the same
s te Is 70 sl,nr Democrat.
lIe has n itained also that his judicial
az rontment in the South are not justly
~ iecl 10 tho criticism that partisa nship
hs been SD a. In the President s opinion
tn "a viii r. great chang in the feeling
to- ard hir' y Southern people IL the
ne paper y' New Orleans, Montgomery
an Nioks' G'y, for example, would print
lis & th ,deral officeholders in their
Sta appau ID by him, with n statement
tel'lr the rH,itics Of each and whether
he a. wLlg, or negro.
Tho Prnei It Is confident that with the
enc : Il n political campaign the truth
will IRA 'ial'v be told, and the South will
fno nat ho g been ever watchful OF it's
int lts thH, vhile giving the negro equal
oppc!'uniti 'or advance ment, he has
new souch, - raise the social issue, and
that an OK. nation Of all his acts with
refer no % ,h- South will prove the 'alsity
Of tte chs.gs which have been made
H.v,, t,. ba ,,np t,ol;tio;o m