The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-20
SPLIT ON COLOR.
Trouble in Spanish-American
War Organization.
Negro Soldiers Have Been Ad-
mitted to Membership.
SHALL THEY STAY?
Commander Harvey in Favor of
Admitting Them.
Opposition Encountered Among
the Members Here.
MUST SOON BE SETTLED
Question to BE Finally Decided
by National Organization.
No New Post Now Being Organ
lied in Consequence.

AAOu IA OOASOQ uOHCOs
There is a snag in the smooth cur
rent of that new organization known
as the Spanish-American War Veter-
ans, and the local post, the Frank c.
Armstrong Post N. Ill, has struck the
snag square and fair.
1t is the snag Of race prejudice.
The Topeka organization of Spanish
war veterans has membership of
sixty, of which twelve are negroes,
former members of the Twenty-t third
Kansas regiment The fact that the
post has admitted negroes to member
ship has caused some of its members
and many soldiers of the war who We're
contemplating N embership, to become
violently opposed to the organization
There is a serious split, not only in the
local post, but in the organization
throughout the country.
The names of the colored men who
are members of the local post are
Captain William Reynolds, Sergeant
Major Theophilus Jones, Colonel James
Beck Sergeant Charles Birdwhistle,
Chief Musician George W. Jackson,
Sergeant Albert Martin and privates
James R. Martin, John Adams. Arthur
w. Anderson, VIM Vaughn. Allen A
Miller and Henry NJ. Spradley-
There are a number of applications
for membership on file by men who
were members of the Twenty third
Kansas which have not been acted
upon by the post. They are being held
up by the membership committee till
after the national encampment of the
organization. to be held in Buffalo from
September 9 to 13.
Colonel Wilder S. Metcalf, who is de-
partment commander for Kansas, is in
favor of admitting negroes on equal
terms with whites. In taking this posi-
ton, he stands squarely on the rules
and rituals of the society, as there is
nothing in those rules which can be
construed as debarring negroes from
mem bership.
Major A. NJ. Harvey, of this city com
mander of the local post is another of
the prominent officers of the Spanish
war who believes that the rules of the
organizat ton should be followed strictly
and that negroes should be admitted to
membership
The question of admitting negroes to
membership has assumed its most SER
tOus form in the southern states. While
in Topeka and northern states there is
not the slightest opposition to the
negro soldiers forming posts of their
own under the general control of the
organization, in the south, the aristo-
cratic cavaliers think that negroes
should be entirely disbarred from the
privileges of membership. In Tennes-
see, the department commander of the
state refused to sign an application for
a charter for negro post Consequent
lys the negro post could not become
member of the organization for the
rules provided that an application for
charter must be signed by the depart
ment commander
Almost all of the department com
manders in the southern states have
followed the lead of Tennessee, and
have refused to grant charters to negro
posts.
One of the members of the Topeka
post, who is fighting the admission of
negroes to membership said today: I'VE
are opposed to negroes because it
would forever A social
fea lures of the organization. It is all
right for the negroes to have an or
want them to be affiliated with US too
closely in social way, and I believe
that negroes, for the most part, do not
care to associate with Whites.n
Major A. M. Harvey said today: II
do not see any serious objection to ad-
hitting negroes to full membership in
the white societies. We have some good
active workers among our colored
members. AS far as social difficulties
are concerned. I do not look upon that
seriously. The organization will never
be a social organization, because 1t is
gathered from too many different
classes of society. Anybody who Was in
the war, If his character is not too bad,
can become a member. The organtza-
ton viii never be a social organiza-
ton
Adna G. Clarke, who is the state or
ganizer for Kansas has not been trying
~ 7~-@AA@@~
because of the race question which has
arisen. He will wait for some action
by the national encampment before he
proceeds with his work
The Topeka post, G. A r., admits
colored men to membership, in spite OF
the fact that the colored soldiers have
a post of their own, called Fort Pillow
post
The Frank c. Armstrong post has
some of the most distinguished men in
the Kansas service enrolled in its list
of mem bers- Quite number are from
out of town Soldiers who live IN a
town where no post has been organiz-
ed are permitted to join here. The |
names Of the white men who are mem
bers of the post are;
Wilder S Metcalf, Alexander NJ Har-
vey. Adna G. Clark, T. c. BiddIe e. z. |
Wilson. Jas. NJ. Todd, Otto B. Irelan. |
Jno w Glasgow, Isett D. Myers. Henry |
Shafer, Arthur D. Stump, Albert John /
son, Chas. Little. Jas. H. Gahne, G. l. !
Morrison, Sylvan Klein, Elmer E. Urie. |
Isaac X Mckinney, w. G.. Schwartz. /
Albert Marter, Charles Mcintosh, Joseph /
Joseph c. Spendlove, Sterling A. Kines. 1
Clarence E. Sharon, Geo H Helwig, /
F. A. Martin, Francis NJ PrIbble, R. /
DeBarroSVs. John c. Mcdonald. Losson /
B Whiteker William Romer Emory A.
Bailey. Roy S. Haynes. Clad Hamilton, |
Jas ". Kershner. Norman F. Ramsey,