The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-07-09

The recent agitation over the ques-
ton of Negro supervisors or enumer-
ators to be appointed in the South 70
serve during the taking of the next
census is a question which arose as a
natural sequence and is said to be ag-
itated by few Office seekers, encour-
aged, of course, by some Washington
correspondents and freely used by q
majority of the southern daily papers.
But that this, it is said will all fail
short of it's mark according to advice
and information gained from reliable
sources, is the opinion of a promi-
nent bushes man when asked what
he thought of it. A careful canvass,
however, shows that it would seem
that if no Negro enumerators were to
go in white peoples homes it would
only be fair not to allow white enum-
orators in Negroes homes, for it can
be argued and, in fact, it is openly
stated that white men, whether enum-
orators, bill collectors, or the like,
show less respect to Negro homes
than is becoming men boasting OF
their supposed intelligence and stand
ing. 1t can hardly be reported on any
occasion where Negro would go into
white home with his hat on; but
one can see almost any day white col.
lectors standing up in the homes of
Negroes, who are paying these men
their earnings, with their hats on and
invariably with a cigar in their
mouths. 1t is said that very often
too that they become so familiar
that they address the women of the
house by their given name. But the
prime object of the recent dispatch
from Washington about Negro enum-
orators as far as can be learned APP
pears to have been an attempt to put
William H. Taft in the Negotiating
column But those who are living in
the South and many others who know
it are too well versed with conditions
to believe for one instant that the best
people of this section are stopping
to worry over so frivolous a matter.
They declare that census enumera-
TT is of no more Importance than any
other government employe, be the
enumerator white or black, caucasian
or jew, german or irish, the South
will give him full information and
only accord him a station as is be-
coming his position. 1t has devel-
oped in several instances that instead
of Negro government officials being
obnoxious they are preferable. Ac
cording to the statement of some
white DeODle their depOrtment and de-
meanor are more courteous in every
way than many of their white cola
borers. Using the language of
prominent white business man he
said. Take for example Negro mail
carriers, special delivery men, guag-
ers and government clerks, like those
in the postal or railway service, one
always gets more consideration and a
better days work than by putting in
a white employee to fill the same posi-
ton" For instance, he said, that "a
Negroes appointment to such posi-
tions capable of filling them credita.
bly, would be selected from the best
schools and colleges of the South,
thereby not only possessing a good
moral record but enviable educational
qualifications" It is true that a
white man, whose ambitions run no
higher than a census enumeration,
which position of itself is only tempo
rary, could not be expected to come
from the best schools, hence it would
entail a hardship upon the govern