The Washington bee., 1911-02-25

O0h I<tJA Al w ' lin ~'AA-~N 4
Out of the great number Of
female clerks IN the District Gov
not one IS colOred. Some
few years ago there was but one
white female clerk; to-day there
are upward Of one hundred. They
have ceased appointing cOlored
men to anything in the District
Government, and. SO far as the
police department IS concerned,
here hasn't been Il colored man
appointed on the force since the
retirement of Mr.. West. Mr.. West,
although a Democrat, knew no
man by the color Of his skin.
When opposition came from the
police department to the appoint
ment Of coIored man on the
force while Mr.. West was Com
missioner, he would take the bull
bv the horns" and order his ap-
pointment. Mr.. West had no red
tape admission to see him. He
would admit to his office and to
his presence the poorest citizen
and listen to his complaint. When
Mr.. Rudolph was made commits
siOner. it was believed that IS was
his intention and desire to appoint
some colored men to representa-
tive places. He went so far as to
mention the names of a few col
ored men who were slated for jobs.
But just what has come over Mr..
Rudolph The Bee is unable to
state. The Bee never thought that
Mr.. Johnston intended to appoint
a negro; and 50 far as the Engi-
neer Commissioner is concerned. a
negro can 90 through the eye of
a needle sooner than he can be
to a clerkship in the
department OF be pro-
NOTED to a clerkship. There is a
meritorious negro in the engineer
departemnt now, who is just as
capable, and more so, than many
clerks, who ought to be promoted.
He does the work of a clerk, and
you want to know he isl
IS capable of giving YOU the infOr-
nation as the head of that depart |
nent. About as high as a negro
an 90 when he is appointed inI
he District Government is on the
elevator to the top floor and back
again. Just think of it-twenty |
thousand colored citizens in thisI
,ity who pay taxes on real and
personal property to the amount
If u to IS millions dollars worth |
If property, and only holdingI
.our clerkships; namely, David
Warner. Montague, Ralph Lang
;ton and Frank Cheeks. The Bee
ventures the assertion that if one
If these four should die or be dis |
,harged, "A white man would be
to succeed him. TheI
negroes Jared better under Demo
ratio rule in this particular
branch of the local Government. |
The Bee is not making any de |
tense for the negroes iii the local
Government. but for the ninety |
thousand negro citizens of Wash |
ngtOn. Montague and Warner
nave rendered good service to theI
Government, and they have been
here for a long time, and hun
lreds have been promoted over
hem. There Is not a negro clerk |
II the Health Department, Audit
rs Office, the Paymaster's Office,
md many other big offices in theI
Ocal Government. There are threeI
legroes i'll the Assessors Office,
me in the Tax Collectors Oflicel
Who has been there from the time
he memory Of man runneth not
0 the contrary" fully competent
o fill any position. If we had the
lective franchise in this city, con-
Iitions would be different. The
commissioners have the appoint
nent of persons to the several sub
'rdinate departments; but if theI
Inderstrapper don't want you
hat is, negrO-yOu cannot getI
n anywhere.
One-fourth, at least, of the en-
,loyes of the local Government
hould be negroes. Frank Lang
ton should have been promoted
when our good friend, Mr.. Adams,
vas made Assistant Assessor. just
Why he was not, The Bee is unablet
@ state. Mr.. Richards, the Asses
;or, is a good man, and The Bee
loesn't believe that he has anyl
.olor prejudice, Conditions will
:hange when we have a vote.