Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-13
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1918.
Negroes On the Police Force.


At this time there is some perturbation,
political and otherwise, because ma
ioritv of the members Of the Police Com
mission have refused to consider appllca-
tions from Negroes for positions on the
rohce force OF our city. Republcan
politicians are especially aroused, and
Chairman Isaac w Bowers of the Re
publican City Committee Is most out
rageously incensed because majority
Of the members OF the Police Commission
have arrayed themselves against the ap-
pointment of Negroes as policemen.
That black man could make as gooda
nolice officer as white man is not sub
iect 10 question. The Negro, in his vari-
ous lines of competition against the
white man, has held his own. tie has
proved at least this fact: That Ne
gro with mental and physical capacity
on an equality with his white competitor,
is likely to hold his own to the end.
And vet it is q fact that wherever the
experiment has been tested, the appoint
rnent of Negroes as members of the police
force has not proved satisfactory II
has been tried in New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago and other large cities, bot al
vays with unsatisfactory results. II was
tested in Wilmington, years ago, and
proved failure.
II would be OF no avail now TO attempt
10 90 into the reasons for these results.
1t is sufficient to say that they came to the
surface. 1t is a manifest fact that the
appointment Of Negroes 10 positions on
the rolice force has seldom proved
success
But why Chairman Bowers and other
Pc.ubliczn politicians should work them
selyes into such state Of Indignation
over the bar raised against the appoint
rnent Of Negroes 10 the police force al this
late day Is very surprising. They now
loudly proclaim that there should be no
race discrimination IN appointment TO
public Office. Nor should there ee, 50 lar
as the plain letter Of the law is concerned
But ii is well to remember certain well
established facts. The Republican party
gave to the Negro his full political rights
in this country. 1t enacted legislation that
gave him, first, the privilege OF franchise
on full equality with ms white brethren
And in response to this extension Of
favor, the Negro voter, throughout the
country, wherever he was permitted to
freely exercise his privilege OF franchise
gave il freely and unreservedly TO the
Republican party. Especially wes this 50
in the State Of Delaware AZ every cleo
tion in the State OF Delaware since the
time the Negroes were gwen the privilege
of franchise now more than hall century
ago, the Negroes have been permitted to
vote as freely as white men. And tight
along, without question, they have re-
Iigiously voted the Republican ticket Re
gsrdless OF the issues at stake, without
consideration of the characters Of candl-
dates, every Negro voter in the State Of
Delaware, on election day, has given his
privilege Of suffrage umcscrvedly to the
Republican party. Ia q word, he has
voted the straight Republican ticket right
along.
What a valuable asset this Negro vote
has been 10 the Republican party of
Delaware NAV easily be calculated. 1t
meant so many votes-as high As $4,000
in recent wears for he Republican ticket
SIS nominated. The Republican party
managers. in making their estimates in d
campaign. could count upon 50 many
Negro votes as sure 20 be cast for then
tickets
But what hos the Republica party done
for the Negro voter in return Tor h,s long
term Of faithful service and regulation yot-
ing Of the Republican ticket? Has it
given him chance in the distribution of
political fayor>, in the ward 81 public
Offices? Never The Negro has been made
10 be content with an occasional appoint
racnt 10 q rnenial position in the public
service, and that is all Ete hae never
hcen considered as candidate Tor nomiu-
ation 10 thc various public positions to
which Uhite Republicans aspire, ~ party
nominations If any Negro Of character
and capacity shouid aspire to he uonliIia-
ton for any important office il the county
or municipal nomination, he would be
ignominioUsly defeated.
And now, Republican politicians are
making great pother over the fact that
8 MAJORITY of the members IF tie Police
Commission refuse 10 consider applica-
tions from Ncgoes 20 positions on tie
police force. Why did they not interest
themselves at time when Republican
party influences would have proved
potential in the Police Conmission and
then insisted upon the appointment Of
Negroes as policemen Oh, no IN those
times they had no consideration for the