The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-25

Colorea Troops VIII Ftxhs nraveiy
n Liberty IL the 1ssuc.

Chicago Tribune.
X seems certain that Il any fighting on
land IS 20 be done between this esuniry
and Spain the coiored reg menss hsieasSsx
to the unsfsd States regular army are
sikf.y 20 be among the frs In action
Though eoiored soldiers have rendered
conspicuous service in all Of Cur wars ex-
espf the Mexican war. the employment OF
coioSed men as soldiers has always been
more or less Of a problem. Certain il is
that this is the first time In our country
when the availability OF eoaored men as
se4t.ers has hesn prominently considered
and recognized amorg the preliminary
preparations for war. The fact Is that
the negro az A soldier is no longer an ex-
pertinent. In tbs revolutionary war, IN
the war OF ISL. ard more especially la the
late war Of the rebellion. the negro esiab-
iished his character as a agating soldier.
In the earlier wars Of our country, as wei
as in the war Of the rebellion. the goysra-
ment was very cautious. and hesitatea
about recognizing the negro as capable of
military daring and discipline. In the last
war the question was discussed and fought
over for two years before the government
could persuade itsSir To trust the negroes
fighting qualities. What change in pub
iie sentiment today. la the present con-
/ hict with Spain. in which much viii DIS
pend upon the result of the first engage
Inen,s the government does not hesitate
70 hatrust these results TO the loyalty and
bravery Of its black regiments.
IL seems 20 be decided that il an invad-
ing army Ii TO be sent 70 Cuba the four
negro regiments of the regular army will
form the vanguard of the invasion. The
Ninth cavalry. now AT Fort Robinson, Me-
braska. the Tenth cavalry. at Fort ASSN
niboine. Montana. the Twenty-fourth in
faniry, at Fort Douglas. Utah, and the
Iwsnty-fifth infantry, at Fort Missoula,
Montana. are all ready for marching or
ders and are now moving eastward. These
ara regarded as excellent regiments. The
Ninth cavalry has distinguished itself in
the Indian wars. For some rfason there
has never been organized colored regi-
ment OF artillery. An effort is being made
10 include such an organization in the
present congressional plans for charging
tho United States regular army.
There are four eoiored chaplains. who
also rank as captains. and one commits
stoned officer, Lieut.. Young, connected
with these regiments. Lieut. Young is
now detailed as an Instructor at WILDER
force college, Ohio. Ii has always been
necessary for a colored man 10 he good
deas OF hero to go 10 West Point and
endure the annoyances Of prejudica thai
dominates this institution. The treatment
OF the Inflated Whitaker. the first colored
man TO enter West Point. has deferred
many an ambitious colored youth from
entering the United States military SER
vice. Stiil, the prejudice at West Point
against negro students IS mild compared
with that at Annapolis 1t is also stated
that there are no colored men employed in
the United States marine service except IA
menials
The principal reason assigned for send
ing the cosored regiments to Cuba is that
they can better endure the heat and resist
the fevers than the white soldiers. This
seems 10 be more Of a supposition or sen
t-ment than an established fact.
The four regiments Of colored troops
mentioned are made up mostly OF North
ern eolored men, with perhaps one excep-
ton, and there Is nothing TO show that
Northern colored men are less susceptible
TO the ravages of fever than any other
kind of Northern men. The fact Is. col
ored people from the northern part of the
United States have not been able to en-
dure the climate of Hayti or Africa. They
have proved TO he as easy victims of the
fevers of these places as any one else.
Some years ago Bishop Ho.ly attempted
to colombo about 80 Massachusetts, coiorAd
men on some choice lands In Africa, hut
over :wo-thirds of the number speedily
succumbed to the feyers and died. Very
few of the hundreds of American negroes
who have emigrated 10 Liberia have been
able TO live in that climate The fatal
effect OF the climatic influence Is about the
only thing that has prevented n more ex-
tensiye emigration of colored people from
this country to Africa. Nevertheless. II 3
a popular notion that the eo.ored race IL
always superior In its endurance OF a hot
and miasnic region. Gers. Hunter Bus-
Ter and Phelps. who were among the first
commanders TO enlist colored soldiers in
the South during our late war declared
that the coiored mems power Of endurance
was greater than that OF the white SOL
diers. This was undoubtedly true as be-
tween the nat.ve-born Southern negro and
the Northern-born white man.