Page:Boys Life of Booker T. Washington.djvu/130

114 President 'possible future appointments in the South."

Immediately following this conference with the President, there was a vacant judgeship in Alabama which gave the President an opportunity to carry out his ideas about Southern appointments. He called upon Washington for advice, and Washington, being unable to go himself at the time, sent his secretary, Emmett J. Scott, to Washington as his representative. Largely upon the recommendation of Washington, Judge George Jones, a Democrat, was appointed to this position. This was an event of great significance indeed, when a Republican President of the United States appointed a Southern Democrat to office. It was done in accordance with the ideas of both the President and Washington,—that only men of the highest fitness, regardless of color or party, should receive appointment.

From this time on, Washington was one of the President's chief advisers in Southern appointments.

President Roosevelt, of course, appointed many negroes also. He believed that, when negroes possessed the proper qualifications for offices, they should have a share in them. Washington did not try to get very many negroes appointed, but he did try to get the very best negro when one was