Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-15
Good Record of Colored Troops.

sooner Sacrlnce the cur than lose the bet
ter dog, which you prize"
Good Record of Colored Troops.
Secretary Root is reported to be highly
incensed over the alleged utteranee The
generals comparison is regarded by off,
Gals as most unfortunate. and will be GER
tain to raise a storm of indignation not
only among the colored people of the coun-
try. but officers of the army generally
who regard the four regiments of colored
soldiers that have formed part of the mill
tary establishment since 1866 as among
the most efficient and best disciplined in the
army The 9th and 10th Cavalry and oath
and 25th Infantry have records for gal
lantry in the field. and for efficiency and
for hard service on the frontier that make
them rank with the best of the white regi-
ments. Many of the colored soldiers have
been continuously in the service for long
periods, and perhaps they have a larger
number of non-commissioned officers wear
ing chevrons indicating fifteen to twenty
nVe years of honorable service than any of
the other regiments. The two cavalry regi-
mentS were in Cuba during the war with
Spain. and both won distinction
All four regiments have served in the
fhlllppihes In the affair at Wounded
Knee with hostile Indians several years
ago the 9th Cavalry took a most consDicu-
GUS part and by their timely arrival after
an all-night forced march rescued the 7th
cavalry from probable humiliation In
view of the excellent services of these col
ored regiments and their high standing for
ehciency and for discipline army officers
could not understand why General Baldwin
should speak of them in the manner report
ed from Denver
1t was said that if it should appear that
ne had been correctly reported it is not i'm
probable that the President would feel
called upon to discipline General Baldwin.
and perhaps order his immediate retirement
from active service. as was done in the
case of Gen. Jacob H. Smith.
Gen. Baldwin's Career.
General Baldwin entered the military
service as second lieutenant of a Michigan
regiment in September, 1861, and served
until the close of the civil war, reaching
the grade of captain. In February. 1865.
he was appointed second lieutenant in the
18th Regular Infantry, and has served with
That arm continuously since, passing
through all the grades to that of colonel.
which he reached July 90, 1901. June q
1902, he was appointed brigadier general.
He recently returned from the Philip
pines. where he was for about two wears
and was assigned to the command Of the
Department Of Colorado. of which he has
just taken charge
General Baldwin will reach the retiring
age July 90. 1906. He may reach that list.
however, at much earlier date.
Says He Was Misguided.
DENVER, Colo, April 15.-General
Frank D. Baldwin. commander of the De-
partment of the Colorado, who has been
asked by the War Department at Wash
ington to explain interview in this city
recently in which he was quoted as speak
ing disparagtngly of the negro as a SOL
der, says that his statements were mis-
understood In an interview printed in
the News today, the general Is credited
with the following statement:
1.-The inference from the interview in
question by which 1 am made to appear
as disregarding the lives of the negro and
Filipino soldiers is ridiculous, as my past
record will sustain. AS to the portion
of the interview relative to the Filipino
and negro soldier being disparaging, was
entirely misquoted. for the wording was
of the harshest character. What I in
tended to say was to express an entirely
opposite sentiment to my feelings re-
garding the Filipino and negro soldier.
81 class both second only to the
American soldier, and / would venture any
military enterprise with either one of those
nationalities. l consider the Filipino as
susceptible to the highest state OF disci-
pline and that when brought TO the test
he would make magnificent fighting ma
terial i would trust my chances for sue
cess and my reputation alone with the
Filipino or the negro soldier"