The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-20

The Charleston News and Courier
hands out this retort courteous to
Yankee contemporary: "Our esteemed
contemporary. The New York Evening
Post. Is wrongs we think. in saying
sus enumerator.' That is not what the
Southern Consressmen have been tell
ing President Taft. They have only
| requested him, as we understand, not
| to appoint colored enumerators In the
! South. but there is plenty Of room for
lected on account of their color In the
North, where they would make more
money because the population is much
more dense in that part OF the country
than in this, and where presumably
they would not be unweicome to those
who would prefer them on account of
the color of their skin to white enum-
| orators"
We believe II has not yet been set
| tied whether colored enumerators will
be appointed in the South or not and
those who know Mr.. Taft do not
believe he will allow 1t done. 1t would
not only be ungenerous and unfair to
the Southern people, but would be a
most unwise and impolitic proceeding
II we could believe that the admins
tration wants to place the South In an
unfavorable light, and that in two
ways. we should feel no surprise at the
appointment of negro census takers. In
the nrst place It would show that the
South 10 not advancing In population
or resources as fast as has been claim
many OF the white people would not
trouble themselves to give the informa-
tion to negro enumerators that they
would give to white ones. In the next
place there might be trouble in some
portions OF the South IL negroes should
want to enter the homes to obtain In
formation. and such troubles would re-
feet on the South generally and be
taken advantage Of by Northern peo-
pie. The Baltimore Sun puts the mat
ter very moderately, but plainly, when
1t says:
The objection OF the South to negro
census enumerators ought to receive
serious consideration from President
lions in the South. from personal OBJ
servation. to, understand why the
Roi1tm Isa,to OF nesrs census takers SI,, IN
states where there Is no race problem,
and where public sentiment Is easily
reconciled to the negro in an oficial
y hA AA
nized, in the Presidents discretion,
when the distribution of the census bu-
reau,s patronage Is made. But In the
President viii fnd Convincing for linz
tting the appointment of enumerators
to white men. 1t Is not necessary to
set forth these reasons in detail, for
through the representations which have
gressmen and also BY his personal
states, Ct the tn: :.ssSa the
which presents no difficulties to the
President and 1t can be settled, with
proper o,1 regard i for public sentiment in
Of recognition in quarters in which
there is no objection to him as a CEN
sus enumerator.
The Pittsburg Sun puts the case
more plainly when 1t says:
It IL hard to tell which to grieve
most over, the undisguised determine
ton of the Republican party to use
the patronage of the census bureau to
pay political debts or the none too re-
mote contingency that In the South the
color line controversy may be aroused
tors to serve in districts where white
opposition to such course Is intense.
They are no friends of the negro who
thus keep alive race hatred. II the ne
gro must be recognised to keep him in
line for the G. o. p. let 1t be done in
the North, where puohc sentiment is
less intolerant. where the specter of
negro domination does not hover so
closely.
The Sun is eminently correct when
II says that those who counsel appoint
ment of negro enumerators in the
South are no friends to the colored
race down here. As a matter of fact,
they are the worst enemies the negro
can have, whether they are aware Of
1t or not It may be. however that the
Idea of such appointments originated
with those who either have political
debts to pay or have an eye to the flu
ture. The negro has in the main been
loyal to the Republican party, in the
ooutn as eIseWnere. Wnllo IL Is true
that their votes and influence have lit
tie weight in the South, the party lead
ers realize that il proper attention is
not paid to that element here 1t may
cause resentment in States and dis
trlcts where that vote Is Of import
ance to Republican success, and 1t must
be kept In mind that the G. o. p.
leaders always have an eye to the
polls. So possibly some of them think
that the appointment Of negroes to do
some of the census work in the South
will tickle the race up North and keep
the voters in line where they are most
needed.
Ana we agree with The Sun that II
1t Is really considered just and fair to
the negroes to give them part of this
work let 1t be done in the North where,
theoretically at least, there is no race
prejudice. In portions OF that section
they apparently have no knowledge of
the color line and a black man Is as
welcome as a white one, in the homes
as Elsewhere. II the census officials
really think 1t proper and fair to put
in some negro enumerators let it be
done where they will be welcome; not
where they will be decidedly the re-