The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-08-18
AN EXPERIMENT THAT FAILED.

We fear that the negro troops, and
especially those which have colored
men as commissioned officers, must
be set down as failure. Properly
commanded and disciplined, the ne
gro makes fair soldier. He will
fight. He has endurance. He is
sufficiently courageous. But the eX-
perience of the past few months has
shown us that the negro officer is i'm
possible under any circumstances,
and that the negro soldiers are. as a
rule, discordant with our scheme of
society and civilization. 1t is useless
to ignore facts. This is white
mans country. and the whites are
not willing and cannot be compelled
to accept the negro on equal terms in
any relation of life. White soldiers
will not salute negro officers. neither
will they associate with enlisted men
of color. We have tried the expert
ment and it has failed. Whether the
negroes have been too jealous and
too swift in asserting their imagined
rights, we do not pretend to say.
1t is characteristic Of them to do so,
and the chances all are that they
have given free rein to their predi-
lections. But however they may be-
the record of conflict, of resentment,
of turbulence, and of agitation has
been so universal and SO ugly that
we cannot shut our eyes to it's siGnfi-
icance.
There is another untOward aspect.
too 1t appears that, although the
regular officers have hitherto had no
great trouble with their colored
troops, the breaking out of war and
the consequent introduction of alb
normal conditions have led to many
alarming and unwelcome revelations
1t seems difficult if not impossible to
make the negro understand that he
is amenable to the civil law. to rid
them of the idea that the policeman
is his natural enemy. to awaken in
him a sense of obligation to any
authority other than that of the mill
tary establishment. | may be said
for it is true, that soldiers on liberty,
whether white or black, are prone to
disturbance Of the public peace. but
the fact remains that while white
offenders are always arrested with
out trouble by the civil police or by
the provost guard, the negro is in
variably protected by his fellows.
even to the point of violence. From
Chattanooga, New Orleans. Tampa
wherever colored troops have been
encampcd, whether regulars or vol
unteers-we have the melancholy,
the overwhelming proof. Within the
past week colored troops have, on
two occasions, broken into Florida
jailS. intimidated the sheriff. and
rescued criminals belonging to their
respective regiments. Indeed, it is
of record that they have frequently
assaulted the police. both in Tennes-
see and Florida. for the purpose of
rescuing negro criminals belonging,
not to the army. but to the local
population. In word. the best
friends of the negro have been dis
couraged by the revelations of the
past few months. and have been
forced to the conclusion that they
are forcing the negro's social evo-
luton with unwiSe energy.
The underlying cause of the negro 5
attitude toward organized society is
not far to seek. but it would make
too long story at this time
Enough to say that it is far less his
fault than would seem at a hastv
glance, and that for the present we
need deal only with the fact-Wash
inrtNu Post