The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-06-02
ORE REgUrr of the Cadet Wbittaker

OEE RESULT of the Cadet Whitaker
affair is a pretty clear demonstration
OF the fact that white cadets viii not
associate with o0lored cadets on terms
of equality. Laws canros make it
otherwise, however strict they may
be. No law was violated 10 the treat
mens of Whitaker. We assume, of
course. that ne cut bis own ears and
perpretrated the "outrage upon
himself, as declared 10 tha court OF
inquiry. Bat while no statute was
broken, the negro was constantly
made to feel that he was not the
equal of his fellow students in any
thing save the possession of authority
to be instructed at West Point. He
was OsIacised socially, being lett
without companions at play or study.
When compelled by the rules of tie
Institution to associate with him, as
at drills and Rotations, the other ca
diets made it point to get as far from
his person as possible. They spoke
to him only when it was absolutely
necessary to do so, and then in an
offensive and aneering manner. The
ssudy of sll seemed to be how best to
ignore the colOred cadet, and still
keep within the rules of the acad-
envy. II any additional evidence
were needed to prove the utter fool
ishness Of attempting by legislation
to raise the negro to the social level
OF the white, this West Point investi-
CATION should supply the deficiency.
Tue task is impossible of accomplish
ment. Were there only q particular
class Of persons-political or social
who were averse to receiving the
negro on terms of equality. there
might be a hope OF early overcoming
the prejudice, because, if any coz
siderable number OF people we're TO
welcome the black as q peer, others
would soon fall into line, and the
barrier be swept away. Blu! the
Tepuguance towards the race comes
from all grades and classes of society.
The ignorant navvies feel Themselves
more or less degraded by assooiating
On terms OF equality with negroes
no matter if the latter are superior il
education, INTEL ability and
wealth to the former. It is simply
a race prejudice, aud is as firmly fxeC
10 the breast of the Caucasian to-day
as it was twenty years sgo. though i
may net be so pronounced. Poll
ticians should cease their attempts
to bring the two peoples together, be-
cause it cannot be done without de-
grading one and elevating the other,
and this feat Is beyond the powers o
lawmakers to perform, nor could il
benefit either race to place them upor
a social equality. Bring the blach
up to the plane occupied BY the white
and he at once feels "out of his ele
ment," and becomes g nuisance snC
boo1; and degrade tie white to the
social level of the negro and he is los
indeed, disgrace to his race and II
the black man. II it is necessary t.
have colored soldiers and colored off
GERS to command them, let the lattel
be educated N a school established
end maintained for the purpose. D,
not make them miserable and humi
late them by forcing them into thu
company of whites who will do NJ
, better than treat them with sEeerini
contempt. Nor is it right to compe
the white cadets to submit to associa
tons that they would reject With
scorp we're they their own masters o.
under the control Of their parents.
Whitaker will doubtless be diemisseC
from thu academy, and his going on
should olcae the door OF the insiilu
ton upon negro cadets.