Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-14
RACE ISSUE IN ARMY AND NAVY.
Promises to Become Troublesome In
Next Few Years.

ton letter to the Brooklyn Eagle, prom
ises to become live and troublesome
issue in the army and navy during the
next few years. Negro officers In the
army who have heretofore been isola-
ted with colored troops. are about to
be promoted to positions where 1t Will
not be practicable to further separate
them from white officers and enlisted
men. The annexation Of Hawaii and
Porto Rico, with the subsequent ap-
pointment Of naval cadets from those
territories, will bring dark skinned
boys to the naval academy, which up
to this time has been most successful
in excluding Negroes.
This matter has been discussed OF
late by leading officers in both services
and also by officials of the war and
navy departments. Some concern has
been expressed by them as to what the
outcome will be. The feeling against
Negroes in the military service Is de-
cidedly stronger in the navy than IN
the army. Possibly this comes from
the fact that after graduation from the
academy naval officers are thrown Into
more intimate personal relations with
each other than are officers OF the
army. Life on warship brings all Of
ficers into pretty close contact and 1t
is likely that this thought Is RESPONSE
BILE for the deep-seated prejudice that
has always prevailed against Negro
cadets at Annapolis.
It is a matter Of record that while
many Negro youths have been desig-
mated for appointment to the naval
academy, very few have succeeded IN
passing the entrance examination. Oc-
casionally, however, one puts up so
creditable an examination that 1t Is
impossible, even by a stretch of the
prejudiced mind Of the examiner, not
to pass him. History has yet to re-
port the graduation from Annapolis OF
colored cadet. For one reason or an
other they were either dropped or pre-
ferred the quiet of life at home to the
rigors of existence in the academy
with a lot of uncongenial whites.
Now the question Of the reception at
Annapolis Of a boy Of off color Is to
come up again. Ellis Landon, native
Hawaiian, was appointed few months
ago by Delegate Wilcox as cadet to
Annapolis. He passed the examination
for entrance and is now en- route for
San Francisco. Much curiosity exists
at the navy department regarding his
complexion and other facial features,
but as one officer said: None Of us
know whether he is white or green
A great deal depends on this apparent
ly trifing matter.
The question Of the kind Of reception
natives of Porto Rico are to receive at
Annapolis has been postponed for a
few more months by the failure Of all
candidates from the island thus far to
pass the examination. When provis-
ion was made for the appointment Of
naval cadets from Porto Rico 1t was
stipulated that the candidates should
be natives Of that island. Commission
er Dagatau, Porto Rico's representative
in the United States, is, authorized to
make the appointments. ;. He picked out
couple of likely Porto Ricans, one
Of whom journeyed to Alaska to take
the examination. He failed to pass
and, as the alternate did not show up,
the matter will go over to the next ex-
animation. Porto Rico's candidates
for appointments at West Point have
also fallen by the wayside, so that the
island has no representative either in
the army or navy. Hawaii has one
representative at West Point and one
at Annapolis, but both are the sons
of Americans. The law does not re-
quire appointees from Hawaii to be
natives.
All told there are now eight colored
officers in the army. Four are chap
lains and are hardly classed with COM
missioned officers. With one or two
exceptions all are comparatively re-
cent appointees. The four colored
chaplains are assigned to regiments
composed Of men Of their own race.
There Is one colored paymaster In the
army. He was appointed as volun-
teer by President Mckinley and at the
close Of the war with Spain was given
a commission as paymaster in the reg
ular army.
Within the past couple Of years two
Negroes won shoulder straps by COM
ing up for examination from the
ranks. They are now lieutenants and
one is in the 10th and the other In the
oath infantry, both colored organiza-
tions. Well up in the list Of captains
is Charles Young, colored. He Is the
only Negro graduate from West Point
now in the army. There have been
others-two, but neither is now in the
service. One named Flipper had a
rough time Of it from the time he pre-
sented himself at West Point. He was
exceedingly unpopular with the other
cadets and was the recipient OF some
rough hazing. He got his commission,
however but almost Immediately fell
into trouble and was court -martialed
and dismissed from the army. The
other was named Alexander and from
all accounts was superior Negro. he
was universally liked by his brother
officers and died after a few years or
creditable service.
Captain Young was born In Ken
lucky and was appointed to West
Point from Ohio. During the Spanish