Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-05-15
A New Attack OF NegrophObia.

In the Senate last Monday Mr.. Alli-
son, of Iowa, Introduced resolution
authorizing-o rather compelling-the
President to appoint two colored cadets
to West Point every year. Under the
law as it now stands there are ten sea
diets at large as they are called, and
these appointments are usually and very
properly bestowed upon the sons of
army officers. No more than ten can
be in the academy at any one time, so
that a vacancy-by graduation, resig-
nation, expulsion or death must occur
before there can be an appointment.
At present, we believe, the list is full
and likely to remain SO for three years.
The Allison proposition is to increase
the number to twelve and oblige the
President to name two colored cadets
annually whether the list is full or not.
In other words, while there is no room
for white applicants until vacancies oc-
cur, the black applicants must be adj
mitted at once, vacancy or no vacancy.
Such a discrimination needs no COM
ment. 1t shows the violence of the
new attack of negrophobia from which
the Republican party is now suffering
and suggests the propriety of a Civil
Rights bill for the benefit of the unfor-
tunate white race.
But perhaps the most significant pc
culiarity of the change proposed by the
Senator from Iowa is the compulsion to
be applied to Mr.. Hayes. One would
suppose that a Republican President
might be trusted to attend to the demands
of his colored constituents without any
Legislative pressure; but Allison evi-
IDENTITY thinks otherwise, and therefore
makes his resolution mandatory. The
two colorcd cadets must be appointed.
Meanwhile the Republican members of
Congress may do as they please in this
matter, and thus far they have pleased
to let all colored applicants for cadet
ships severely alone. If we remember
rightly, Mr.. Moller, Democratic Rep
resentative from New York City, gave
had gained the prize in a competitive
examination; but in no single instance
| has Republican member from a North
ern State overcome 1.-THE prejudice of
caste" sufficiently to follow this Demo-
cratic example. 1t is hardly necessary
to say that in every Republican district
in the North there are colored youths
who would be- glad to go to West
| Point, and not a few of them would
! stand at least fair chance of success
fully undergoing the preliminary phys
ical and educational tests. But not
one has been afforded an eppor-
tunity. Republican members have
persistently ignored their claims
and left the whole colored community
s'out in the cold,n so far as cadetships
are concerned. Before rebuking- Mr..
Hayes for his sin of omission the Sena-
tor from Iowa might, with the utmost
propriety, have laid the lash upon the
backs of his Republican colleagues. But
the entire business from beginning to
end is simply characteristic bit of Re-
publican buncombe. Whittaker's ears
have taken the place of the bloody
shirt and are now being mustered into
service for the approaching campaign.
Republican demagogues, in Congress
and out, who would resent as an insult
any attempt on the part of a negro to
place himself on a social equality with
them. are denouncing the white cadets
at West Point for drawing the color
line; and Republican organs are actu
ally urging the abolition of that vener
able and invaluable institution for tn,
same reason. Fortunately, the peopl,
understand the contemplate game and
will deal with it as it deserves. Yves.
Point will live and flourish long after
the Republican party has rotted int
! oblivion.-jSt. Louis Republican.