The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1943-04-28
BILL WOULD ABOLISH
OFFICE RECORDER OF DEEDS

|E DEEUO
never been andy charge Of mis-
management or loss of public con
fidenee. The office has exceeded
the required standard OF publ,
service and has met the approva
Of ~ Presidents under whom Ne
Erp Recorders served.
In breaking ground for the
new Recorders Building in 1910
this fine record and recommend
President Roosevelt pointed to
Il as pattern for other Govern
ment offices to emulate.
When President Garfield ap-
pointed Frederick Douglass re-
eorder of deeds OF the District of
Columbia and Senator B. K,
Bruce Register of the Treasury
In 1881 he recognized these dis
tinguished colored citizens be-
cause of their standing and worth
and service to the Nation and to
the Republican Partp. It was not
a part of his purpose to have
these places forever thereafter
earmarked as reservations for the
colored race under succeeding ad-
ministrations.
When Grover Cleveland sue
ceeded to the Presidency in 1885
he first appointed James c. Mat
thews. of Albany, N. Y. and then
William Monroe Trotter of Boston
Mass. both Negro Democrats, to
the position for which Frederick
Douglass had paved the way.
Since that time II has become ira
ditional with both political par
ties TO assign ;. colored man to
this lucrative and important post.
Negro politicians throughout
the Nation aspire to the recorder
ship of deeds as their peculiar
racial patronage. Both the Repub-
liean and the Democratic aPrties
have come to look upon this Of
fee as the position In the Federal
service for satisfying the ambition
of Negro politicians.
From time to time there has
been repeated effort to deprive
the Negro even of this small
crumb of official comfort. The To-
cal District Commissioners have
insisted that, as the function of
this office is purely local, the APP
pointment of the recorder should
come under their jurisdiction. The
pending Griffenhagen bill for the
of the District gov
eminent advocates the city man
agement plan, which would, of
course, abolish the national char
acter of this Office and limit Ii
to its pcrely local function.
against all such attempts Negro |
North and South,
and Republican alike.
have registered an emphatic pro-
test on the ground that the race
would thus be eliminated from the |
highest responsible posi- ton
Federal Government.
which falls to their lot under the |
The Recordership of Dee, VI
the only independent bureau o.
The Government which remains |
under Negro handling and con-
troll. 1t is the only assignment |
which is appointed by the Presi-
dent and confirmable by the Sen
ate and is directly responsible |
to the President, with no higher
control. The Record
er appoints his own personnel and |
handles his own pay roll, and has |
full charge of the management of
his office.
The Negro press, pulpit. and
leaders in public life of all polit-
ical parties are now memorable |
ing Congress and the President to
defeat the pending organization
bill and to keep this office under
Negro management which has pre-
vailed for the last so years.
In demanding the continuance
of this office as a racial reserva-
ton, the Negro advocates may
seem to be illogical and incon-
sistent. OF all men. the Negro ia.
sists upon the conduct of pubi4t
affairs without distinction or dis
elimination on account of race
or color or previous condition.
Race prejudice, hwever, does not
conform to the formulas of logic,
the standards of ethics, nor the
creed of democracy. The treat
ment which the Negro receives in
church, in schools, in industry.