The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-30
-ETCHINGS FROM
CURRENT TOPICS

4 ne unnecessary eAclleIleHt lHSiuSht ~
the appointment of white officers for negro
troops is happily abating, and the rapid
tender of eolored companies to Governor
Johnston under the second call for volun-
teers has settled all doubts as to the posi-
tion taken by the better class of negroes
upon this question of enlistment. The war
now existent between this country and
Spain has to be fought to a finish, whether
long or short, and all classes of the people
are forced by those rights and privileges
appertaining to true citizenship to bear
their part of the burden of the conflict.
No grade can be exempt; no class free
from the obligation which come from a
participation in the conduct of the repub-
lie.
Every man who exercises the right of
franchise, who enjoys political suffrage,
assumes all the responsibilities of citizen
ship, whatever those responsibilities may
be. As there is no drawing of the color
line al the ballot box there can be no
claim of exemption from military duty, be-
cause of complexion or race, when the
state and national authorities call for vol
unteers.
In the present war there is every reason
that the negro should feel keener in-
terest in the outcome than the white
American citizen. The Cubans, for whose
benefit, whose freedom, the war is now
being waged are not unlike the southern
negro, minus the advantages which have
come to the latter through association and
education. The principles involved, strip
ped of all sentimental arguments, SAVIOR
strongly of those of that other period IN
American history unnecessary to recall
Just now but which forced upon the people
the acknowledgement that there Is every
reason that the sympathies of the colored
race should be thoroughly aroused ana
should become manifest by active service
on the field of battle
The unfortunate feeling engendered by
the decision of the national authorities at
Washington, that only white officers shall
have charge of colored troops, is becoming
less and less bitter every day, as the ne
groes realize that it is solely for their good
and the good of the army that such
military law, has been put into execution,
by the various state authorities. Without
the influence of unwise, indscreet political
leaders of their race, there would never
have been any serious trouble incident to
the differing of the negro companies.
After nearly thirty-five. years of tumul-
tuous, tempestuous political methods, the
bitter class of negroes, under the judiclous,
intelligent leadership of such remarkable
men of their race as Booker T. Washington,
David W. Parker and w. H. Council, the
negroes of Alabama are beginning to appre
ciate the great truth that their best, truest
friends are their white neighbors, and that
races is but the cause of delay in the pres
ent and ultimate progress of their people.
A certain degree of military knowledge
and military training Is essential to the
proper management and control of all mil
'ftary organizations, whether in camp or
upon the field of battle, and it would be
impossible to find in any community in Ala
bama negro who has had the advantages
of military education even in limited
way, and with this fact glaringly appar-
emit, the recent turmoil in certain Alabama
towns about the injustice being done to the
negro companies by the appointment of
white officers becomes merely political
instead of a patriotic agitation.
The negroes should go to the front and
go promptly. They are enjoying every po-
litica advantage enjoyed by the white men
of the country, and their patriotism should
find immediate expression by taking up
arms now that the call for volunteers has
come. In going to the front in a strange
foreign land, the negro should desire to
go under the same advantages as those of
the white troops and these advantages can
only come through the intelligent leadership
of white officers.
David W. Parker, editor of the Tusca-
loosa Chronicle, and a negro of whom
Alabama has every reason to be proud, Is
untiring in his efforts to improve the con-
diton of his race, He views public ques-
tons broadly, without the limiting preju-
dices which originate from ignorance and
q narrow brain, and he has the courage
of his convictions. In a recent letter to
the Centreville Press upon this subject, of
white officers for negro troops, he says,
among many other good things: Every
sensible man must realize that thirty-five
years of freedom. from slavery is too short
a time for race to produce statesmen
and warriors the equals of a race who
have been practically free since the crea-
ton of Adam and Eve. In this hour of
the nations peril and crisis, the colored
man that draws the color line by refusing
to volunteer under the competent leader
ship of white officers, is unworthy OF
American citizenship. Provided that gen
eral conditions are favorable, 1 favor col
ored officers for colored troops, but the
truth forces me to state that in all Ala
bama there is not a colored man of mill
tary education and practical war expe-
rience.
~'sWhite officers can better care for their
troops than colored. Their contact, asso-
citation and superior education gives them
the advantage. Frederick Douglass name
was presented to Lincoln and Stanton for
a commission in the late civil war, but
Lincoln and Stanton refused to make
Douglass an army officer. The negro has
done we'll, and will reach higher heights,
t. oft of r1C ttaar a1x