New-York tribune., 1901-03-22

THE PASSING THRONG.

An officer of the regular army. in speaking yes
terday at the Grand Hotel of the appointment Of
negroes officers of the regular
NEGRO army. said: THE first negro to
ARMY rise from the ranks a commits
OFFICERS sion in the regular army will be
Benjamin o. Davis of the 9Th Cav
airy. Of the eighteen who took the recent
examinations at Fort Leavenworth. Davis was
third in excellence. and his average 81 per
cent This would seem qualify him to become
a valuable officer and gallant we'll. if his
record in the Spanish war is taken criterion
personally. doubt the wisdom of appointing negro
officers. not that they not capable OF making
efflcient officers. for of them unquestionably
bitterly resent the fact that a negro ranks above
them, and on this account will become insubor-
ot1cer in the service nova West Pointer named
Young, OF the class of Sand since his gradua-
wisdom 10 keep him attached one or another of
n5sdo sGnoos OF the country Nomnally he is
nents of the army. but his term of service with
since his graduation has been of the most meagre
QeSclplon ana this paucity of actual service with
ms regiment has been because the men resented
les OF course, will tell you differently. but it is
% almost entirely since he was graduated, No negro
Yonng Sss comandea 9TYa1 white men in our service
negro regiments. and it is the negroes themselves
VINO by their objections have rendered il advisab bic
10 Keep him on other service"
Perhaps IL may work out better in pavtss cas-
than in Ioung's. Davis is brave and gallant
man. with a proved reputation for
HATED BY courage, and of marked ability.
OWN RACE. do not think Il will however for
the trouble lies deeper than any
mere personal like or dislike. 1t the old feeling
OF master and man. The negro has it In intensified
degree, and he feels it bitterly when one of his
own race has the power to give him orders The
non-con- he does nos mind being OF his color but
When II comes TO shoulder straps. he wants the
"earer thereof to be bleached. To show YOU how
oeeP the feeling is let quote remark made TO
me ny an officer of the 9Th Cavalry the outbreak
OF the Spanish war. I hope TO God said he that
Young Will not be oack to the 9Th for If he is
ana the regiment goes .nto action he will surely
lose MS life in the first fight When his BODY IS
examined 1t will be found that the shot killed
nm entered through the back and the front
No criticism of YOung's courage was meant bv
TINS. but simply that his men would kill him
II they ever get the chance. so intense was the
1eelnS among the rank and file at having negro
ofhcer over them. The full span of a genera ton
and more has passed by since the negro was
ernancfpated but IL is yet soon to predict
What the future may hold in store for him. He
is not yet mentally up TO the Caucasian standard
or even within hailing distance of it. He has
graded IL can, perhaps, fairly he said that where
he has had the chance he has improved. There are
negroes of pre-eminent ability. Davis is unques-
tionably one OF these. But the circumstances
than offset the abilities he has The negro is be-
yond question the best of soldiers but so far as he
has gone his forte is in the ranks. and not among
the Officers. If he improves by the next genera
shoulders straps. but for the present cannot be-
lieVe IL to be So