Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-19
Our @Jim Crow" Government

The Springfield Republican, a strong
supporter of the Wilson administra-
tion, sharply criticizes the Presidents
attitude towards the negro. 1t char
interview in which the President as
serts that the chairman of the colored
delegation lost his temper as sinis-
ter development. 1t says:
Segregation in Treasury and Postoffice
departments was never practiced in
Gratis who now preside there came into
office. In President Cleveland's time
there were Southern Democrats holding
the posts of Secretary of the Treasury
not venture TO infliet their views con-
corning racial caste upon the American
people. 1t has remained for the Wilson
Administration to do this. The Presi-
of segregation under advisement, now
unqualifedly justifies the separation of
Government employees on the basis OF
color. 1t is distressing and sisister de-
yelopment
The Hartford Courant (Rep.) says:
1t is odd, when you come to think Of it
that President Wilson did not recall the
began to be moved for the submerged
s. per cent" of the people of Mexico. In
two states, at least, Mississippi and
South Carolina, the negroes are actually
in the majority. The figures. according
to the census of 1910, are 1918 whites
and 1908, 4S7 blacks for Mississippi, and
$40, 162 whites and 835, S43 blacks for South
Carolina.
But the Democratic New York
World declares that the President
cannot escape the responsibility for a
small. mean and petty discrimina-
ton" Here is the Worlds displeasure
in words
the delegation, however deplorable, are
no justification of the policy of Jim-Crow
government which certain members of
the cabinet have established in their de-
knows, insolent conduct is not confined
to the members of any particular race.
The President should have foreseen
this unfortunate issue when Mr.. McAdoo
color-line theories into Democratic gov
eminent. Mr.. Wilson told the committee
that there had been no discrimination In
the comforts and surroundings OF the ne
been informed by officials that the segre-
cation had been started to avoid friction
between the races and not with the OBJ
ject of injuring the negroes. The Presi-
dent failed to explain, nevertheless, why
no such rule had been considered neces-
sary until Mr.. Burleson and Mr.. McAdoo
got Ito the cabinet.
The President thinks that this is not
political question, but he IL wrong. Any
thing that is unjust, discriminating ana
un-American in government Is certain to
be a political question. Servants OF the
United States Government are SER
wants of the United States government.
regardless of race or color. For several
years a negro has been Collector OF IN
ternal Revenue in New York He never
employees Of his department to prevent
"friction''; vet he would have had quite
as much right to do SO as Mr.. McAdoo
had to segregate the negro employees
of the Treasury in Washington.
While the Democrats OF the country
have been trying to solve certain great
problems of Government. a few south
ern members of the cabinet have been
allowed to exploit their petty local preJu-
dice at the expense of the partys repu-
tation for exact justice.
Whether the President thinks 80 or not,
the segregation rule was promulgated
as deliberate discrimination against ne
gro employees.
Worse still, it is a small. mean. petty
discrimination, and Mr.. Wilson ought TO
have set his heel upon this presumptu-
Gus Jim-Crow government the moment II
was established He ought to set his
heel upon II now. 1t is reproach TO MS
Administration and to the great poiitl-
cal principles which he represents