The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-04-06
THE NORTH OBJECTS.
Appointing Negroes to Office Good
Only for the South.

Appointing Negroes to Office Good
Only for the South.
| Atlanta Constitution.
The Constitution notes with sur-
prise that many ofits brethren of the
Northern press do not accept the
presidential appointment OF a negro
to the post of internal revenue col
lector in the New York city district
with that large charity and equanim-
ity OF spirit that was to be expected
OF them. When the South has cried
out against appointments of the
same color to high federal office in
| this section, our friends of the North
have tasked us with being super-sen-
sitive on the color line, and childishly
wrought up over political course
of action that was readily justifiable
on the ''door of hope hypothesis.
The Crum case, SO recently notori-
Gus, has filed columns of editorial
advice to the South to keep cool
under the collar and allow the presi-
dent to give the worthy negro one
little chance for his political life. The
South took it's medicine, in this in
stance. with tolerahle good grace,
though under protest, hoping that
the appointive power would desist
further infections of the kind through
an awakened moral consciousness
and an increased knowledge of local
conditions and perception of the JUS
tice OF public sentiment in the South.
| After the Crum case had become a
| closed incident, it now seems that the
president evinces q disposition to
give the North a little geographical
rotation il. negro appointments by
naming Charles W. Anderson, ,colored,
to the internal revenue collectorship
of New York. 1t would not be exact
ly truthful to say that we were un-
! prepared for the storm of indignant
protests that has assailed the unsen-
sitive ears Of the president from Kali
amazoo to Passamaquoddy.
We select from among the ava
lanche of such the following wall from
the esteemed Chicago Journal, the
Oldest Republicanpaper in the Windy
City:
''It would seem to a casual observer of
current affairs that among the 1000 900
male residents OF Greater New York Pres
| ident Roosevelt might have found one
white man competent to discharge the
duties OF internal revenue collector.
The president has appointed Charles
| ". Anderson, a negro, to the Office.
! 1t is not claimed that Anderson has any
special qualifications for the place. He
is something Of race track gambler, in
fact For several years he found employ
ment collecting the 5 per cent. tax that
New York exacts from racing assOcia-
tions and during that time became fa-
miliar figure in the betting ring.
There are some Offices that negroes may
fill without offense to the public, but GER
tainly such an important post as collect
or of internal revenue for the district of
Greater New York is not one Of them.
Probably 90 per cent OF the business men
who have dealings with the internal rev.
and very properly object, to being brought
into contact with black official.
The president is privileged to choose his
own associates II he elects to entertain
Booker Washington at his private table,
the public really has no reason for COM
plaint But the public can properly pro-
test If he forces business men to transact
their affairs with the government with
negro officials"
The Anderson appointment is mis-
take No. l of the new administration.
Now, isn't that unkind and incOn-
siderate! All the argument that was
advanced by the responsible, repre-
sentative citizenship of Charleston to
try to dissuade President Roosevelt
from foisting the Crum upon that
port as its collector is employed by
our righteously wroth Chicago con-
temporary. 100 per cent. Of the
business men" of Charleston ''who
have business dealings with the" col
lector ofthat port care whites. They"
did "object, and very properly object
to being brought into contact with a
black official" We might employ the
Chicago Journals literal language
further, applying it to the sentiment
of the people OF Charleston and OF
the South toward the appointment
of Crum, but the expression we have
quoted will suffice.
The shoe pinches on the other foot,
and naturally enough. Caucasian
sentiment is Caucasian sentiment,
and it is not divided by an imaginary
sectional line. The principle of white
supremacy is not Southern preju-
dice; it is race instinct. Mr.. Roose-
welt may think he can afford to ig-
more this virtuous instinct in the
mass of his fellow countrymen, but we
do not think he can morally do so, if
he can do it with political impunity.
1t is q black chicken that will come
home to rOOst.
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