Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-16
STOP AGITATION
OF CRUM MAT TER
ATLANTA INDEPENDENT SAYS
APPOINTMENT OF NEGROES TO
FEDERAL OFFICES ONLY IN
CREASES RACE PREJUDICE.

In it's Saturday issue the Atlanta indie
pendent, a negro paper edited by B. j.
Davis, comes out squarely against fur
Their agitation of the Crum episode in
congress and declares that the appoint
ment of negroes to federal offices in tho
south is not help but decided hinder
ance to the best interests of the colored
race.
OF all that has been said or written on
the Crum matter nothing is more notable
than this editorial 1t is a new light OF
common-sense and real patriotism thrown
from rather an unexpected angle on the
question of negro Office holding. 1t ac-
cepts Mr.. Taft's position that in the south
federal appointments should be made
with view of showing this section that
the administration has genuine regard
for it. The position is an advanced one
from the standpoint Of the Independent
and shows that this journal has the real
welfare of the colored people at heart.
The editorial follows In full:
Is the Principle Worth the Cost?
The Independent loves the race, and is
satisfied with its racial distinction. We
are willing to go any reasonable length,
or make any sane sacrifice to preserve
intact our manhood rights, but there is
such philosophy as paying too dear for
your whistle.
There is as much wisdom in recognizing
an actual condition, and fitting yourself
in your immediate environs, as there is in
recognizing a cardinal principle of JUS
tice and fighting for its triumph. 1t is
obvious, and we do not feel that the prop
osition will admit of controversy, that the
race and the country have had enough OF
the "Crum episode" and is now being
gagged with an overdose Of principle Cd.
1t matters not whether Senator Tillman
is right or wrong, or whether a funda-
mental principle involving the manhood
rights of the race Is at Issue, the EFFORT
has been overdone and the white man
has some rights in the premises in COM
mon with his colored neighbor, that de-
serve consideration, and 1t is high time
that the president. the Crums and the
principle" defenders were recognizing
the actual conditions and looking the
facts is the face. 1t is manly to stand up
and fight for principle when victory will
be real, but recklessness to lose your life
in a futile effort to achieve victory that
in the end will only be realized in theory.
II the fealty of the party to its negro
members is involved in the "CrTm cpl
sode," the party has proved its sincerity
beyond cavil and ought to be relieved of
further embarrassment. If the principle
involving the right of the negro to par
ticipate in government affairs In common
with every other element of population,
was up for settlement, the issue has been
constructively settled in our favor by DR..
Crum's long tenure of service in the very
position involved and the country ought
to be given a rest. The negro and the
Republican party are hard up against the
south's intense race prejudice, and we
had as well meet the issue squarely, and
admit that there Is enough merit in the
southern white mans contention to give
the question the most humane and rea-
sonable consideration. The effort of the
Republican party to thrust the negro
office holder on the south, against it's ex-
pressed will, has not availed either the
party or the negro anything, and 1t is
about time to change our policy and treat
the white mans prejudice from another
angle The effort has not stopped with
intensifying the white mans prejudice
against the race. but its persistency has
lessened the negro's usefulness and OPP
portunities in every other field of human
endeavor among the people he must prove
his worth to, or by his failure demon
strate that he was at his best as a slave
II the party finally succeeds in forcing
DR. Crum again upon the SO per cent OF
the people who transact business with the
office, against their expressed Will, what
will the race get out Of it save the mere
federal place? For an Isolated JOB, we
invite the displeasure of the people who
control everything of value in the com
munity and intensity their preJudlce
against us in every other line of business.
And, in spite of this great cost, we do not
convert our neighbors into the belief that
a negro has the right to hold public Of
fee. But we fix him more firmly in the
opinion that the race constitutes a char
acter that ought to be regarded as a
menace to the perpetuity of representative
government.
AS a constructive and conciliatory poll
CIV. without abdicating any right conferred
by the federal constitution, the Indepen-
dent does not advise the appointment of a
negro. or any other individual to any
office in the south to which such negro
or individual could not be elected by the
vote of the people whom he is to serve.
We believe the people who are to have
the business with the office, ought to be
consulted as to the character, ability and
acceptability of the servant. We believe
this sentiment is in harmony with theory
of no Just government without the con-
sent of the governed.
The principle involving the right of the
black man to hold Office can be preserv-
ed inviolate without destroying every
other helpful element of his existence,
both in the economic and industrial equa-
ton of our national life. The principle
ought to be exercised in those communi-
ties where its practice meets the least OPP
position.
The white man, taken as part, or as
a whole, in our national life or in the
south, constitutes in a most eminent
degree the brains, wealth and charac-