The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-15
WASHINGTON NEGROES
MUCH EXCITED OVER DTsBANDMENi
OF COLORED MILITIA.
The "Outrage" Denounced-Cause OF the
Order-senator Palmer and the Farmers
Iangston Wants to he United states Judge
CompIexion OF the Next Senate.

WASHINGTON. Mar. 14.-The colored pOpu-
la,ion Of Washington is very much agitated
over the disbanding Of the negro militia here.
Informal gatherings Of negroes have been
/ held AT their various places Of rendezvous
and this new Outrage was savagely de-
| nounced. A rather amusing sequel to the Off
/ cial order mastering ont the two colored bat
| talons has been developed. Under an act o.
| Congress the National Government eQuips the
National Guard of the District Of Columbia.
/ In pursuance Of the regulations, uniforms.
arms and equipments were ISSUED bY me
! quartermastcr's department 10 the colorrd
/ troops and the colonel OF the batiailoh WL7
| required TO receipt for everything is'ued. lie
was held accountable by the Government
| and his subordinate officers and men were
| held responsible 10 him. As very few OF me
colored troops responded 10 the order
| 10 turn over their arms and UNI
| forms, an Inspector was to-day or
dered 20 investigate He found that more
| than eighty uniforms had been deposited ID
yorious nayushops for small loans. and that
many Il the guns had been disposed Of TOR
prices far below their value. OF the uniforms
and arms that he succeeded in collecting
many are actually unfit for army use.
OBJECTIONS TO coLoEED TROOPS.
II is not denied az headquarters that there
! has been q systematic movement To Abolish
the coored element of the National Guard Tor
the reason that they have not been credlt
/ TO the organization. They have habltually
regarded the property of the Government tenn
porarilv entrusted to them as their own and
/ have used Il AZ such. Some of them have
worn portions of the uniforms as daily APP
parel. and others. AS Is stated have pawneh
the Government proportion such TRIVIAL loans
as pawnhrOkpr would advance.
] lfa ,lf mi ION If o. fT00Dg
/ garled. except by the negroes, as wise step.
/ f. will nfusc % better spirit into the organila-
! ton and renderi 1t more efficient
SENATOR PALMER AID THE FARMERS.
Since the election Of General Palmer 10 the
United States Senate from Illinois there has
| been an effort on the part Of some Of the
/ leaders of the Farmers Alliance 10 make u
appear that he made special pledges To the
representatives Of that order in the Leg,la-
! ture in order e. secure their votes ms
is not only denied by General Pal
mer's friends bat the claim Is finally
| pun at rest hv o Telegram received iioin
| General Palmer himself. prominent llli-
moi, Democrat and am old friend oi General
/ Palmer tcloguphcd him of the report I'M en-
culation. and inquired If he had made any
pledge or promise o. the farmer Legislators.
| General Palmer rcpli2d ters"ly TINT his only
| pledges We're made to thc popular Dcm'ciiuo
/ party. % which he owes ms election. and that
] z
be to that party.
LasGsroy AFTER 4 JUDGEsHIp
| Another Richmonder who might by reason
! of color be mistaken for OthellO has entered
the field as an ospirnt Tor judicial honors.
! John VI IangstOn. of Virginia, wants o. be
one Of the new United States Circuit judges.
! lie Is diligently working mp support and en-
dOrsements from the colored people. and pro-
poses 10 fairly deuge President Harrison
| with petitions from negroes. In as
sorting lis claim 10 recognition Tor so hish
an honor Langston pursues his usual
tactics. lie contends that the negro Is the
| equal IN all respects of the white citizen. ana
that he is entitled to representation upon tho
| United States bench that the rights OF ne
grOes a. 10 property. life and liberty. demand,
in order 10 their adequate protection mat
| thew should have a representative upon TINS
exalted bench and that he lLangston) IS the
! man above all others 10 thus protect their
rights. Naturally. he receives encouragement
from the negroes and IN all probability he
will GO 10 the President with formidable list
! of endOWments.
just a. present Mr.. Harrison is not worry
! ing himself over the selection Of these addl-
uoual circuit Judges Before he went on his
/ duck-shooting expedition be SAID that the Sc
! lection Of the proper men for these high po-
/ sitionS was % source of great embarrassment
and Worry 10 him. He lad then before him
the names of many Of the most eminent
]
/ 10 make the selection. Il Il scarcely probable
/ that the name of LangstOn Will suggest 70 hm
/ ready relief, SO far as one appointment Is con-
! ccrncd.
THE MKT SENATE.
Now that all the senatorial contests save
! those in California and Florida are settled,
/ the political complexion Of the next Senate
can be accurately stated. In the last Senate
| the Republicans. with the addition OF the
new States had fourteen majority, their
| number being 81 10 81 Democrats. Now
three Republicans have been succeeded 10y
/ pronounced Democrats Hi succeeds
/ Eyarts from New York Villas succeeds
! Spooncr from Wisconsin. and Palmer succeeds
! FarWell from Illinois. This makes dlller-
/ ence of six votes reducing the Republican
majority 10 eight. But the death of Senator
! Hearst costs the Democrats loss OF one, rs
! the California Legislature Is Republican.
| That would restore the Republican majority
| 10 ten. But Senators Peher of Kansas,
| and Kyle Of South Dakota. are
/ elected upon issues antagonlsuc 10 the Re
/ publicaus on the main question of
/ political importance that of tart reform
| iuaucurated bv Mr.. Cleveland. Counting
| them as sustaining the Democrats on this
| issue the Republicans Will have but six ma
/ IOrity IN the next Senate Senators Plumb.
| Paddock and Pcttgew, Republicans opposed
/ their party on the Mckinley bill. and II Is
| fact too patent 10 bc concealed that the sentl-
lllflf OF tflf NtNl II NEalil1i llEu IlNAtfAA'ls
/ Hence IL is clear that with very little Repub-
| lican aid the Senate. AZ the next session OF
/ Congress can Of least amend the Mckinley
act so rs 20 relieve 1t Of some OF rs most
Onerous features.
The vacancy caused by the death Of Senator
Wilson. Of Maryland. viii be filled by a DEM
ocrat before the next meeting of Congress,
and "a the Florida Legislature Is overwhelm-
ingly Democratic Mr.. Call will be succeeded
by Democrat. Senator lrby. Of South Caro-
lima. procaims himself o regular Democrat,
with all that the term implies. Senator Plumb,
of Kansas. has lately denounced the Mckinley
act as oppressive 10 the people and minated
that he would vote 10 amend II.
rHE Political HUB.
General and Senator Palmer Of Illinois IS
now formally entered IN the Presidential rare.
and though his boom may fade and fail under
the oycrshadowing influence Of the one
natural leader and candidate Of the party
CleYeland-it Will be a theme Of discussion
for some tine 20 come. As Boston Is SAID 10
be- the intellectual hub, If not Of the uni
verse. az least Of the United States the
National Capital NAV with equal or greater
proprlcty be termed the political hub. Great
political movements have their origin here
and naturally too. Washington Is the official
home of the chosen leaders Of political thought
and action. Congressman coming direct from
the people meet here IN the discharge OF their
official functions and II is here that the con-
ferences. caucuses and exchange Of opinions
which formulate great political movements
take place. This applies not only