The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-02
UP TO LEGISLATURE
OFFICERS THINK COLOR QUESTION
WILL REACH CAPITOL.
oBEAR'S RECOMMENDATION
WILL PROBABLY BE FAVORABLE
TO COLORED TROOPS.

Question Is Being Discussed in All
of the Leading Papers in the
State-Many Believe That Bill
VIII Be Framed and Presented to
Neat Legislature-COl. Scott Says
There's No Immediate Danger.
Governor Will Not Order White
and COIOred Troops Into Same
Camp.
The agitation concerning the dis
bandment of colored troops in Georgia
and other Southern states, which has
been given much prominence in many
Southern and Northern newspapers,
has occasioned much discussion among
military men in Savannah.
1t is not believed here that the COL
ored troops will be disbanded on the
recommendation of Col. Obear. Col.
Obear, when asked for an expression
of his opinion on this subject, declined
to talk, further than to say the troops
would only be disbanded in the event
they were found inefficient. What re-
commentator he would make. he said
he did not care at this time to say. That
question he said would be answered
in his report to the adjutant general.
While Col. Obear will not commit
himself, it is the opinion of
many of the officers that Col.
Obear's recommendation relative to the
colored companies will be favorab to
them The companies, with the possible
exception of the Georgia Artillery, they
say. are stronger now than they have
been for some time.
There are those who think that the
matter will be most proba ably and
most properly, determined in the Leg
islature. The question is a live one
and there is little doubt but that it
for consideration. If the agitation is
kept up there is little doubt that the
question will engage the attention of
the next Legislature.
No Immediate "Danger."
There is no immediate danger" as
the Southern militiaman terms it, in
the contact of til two races Accord
ing to Assistant Adjt. Gen. A. ].
Scott, in an interview accredited to
him, the Georgia troops need have no
fear of being associated with negro
troops when they go into camp next
year at the expense of the United
| States government, as provided by the
Dick bill.
For some time past there has been
great deal of discussion among the
military men of the state about what
the result would be if the negro troops
were camped alongside the Georgia
troops but Col Scott has stated that
the government under no circuln-
stances would place the negro troops
in the same camp with Southern
troops. He says that no negro troops
were associated with white troops
during the Spanish war, and he is
sure that now the government would
be more particular than ever.
Gov. TerreIPs Position.
Gov. Terrell has announced that he
would not order out the white troops
| of Georgia if they had to camp with
the negro troops, so the Georgians need
not have any fear on that line. While
1t is true that the negro soldiers in
Georgia will be as much entitled to
the privileges accorded other troops
| under the Dick bill, Gov. Terrell and
the officers are firm in the determina-
ton that they are not to occupy the
There are some negro officers who,
by virtue of their commissions out
rank many of the white officers, and if
they were in the same camp together
there would be no end of embarrass-
ment, and the Georgia white officers
would not under any circumstances
obey orders issued by negroes.
In Case of War.
1t will be seen, then, that there is
little likelihood of any trouble aris-
ing from the joint encampment of the
two races in time of peace. But in
the event of war, or should the troops
be called into service by the Presi-
dent, the eXigency would arise The
foes of this exigency point out the
Legislature as the hope of the white
troops. A bill to abolish the Georgia
State Troops, colored, they declare, is
the proper remedy.
Should the Georgia State Troops, COL
ored. be abolished, there would also
remain the Georgia State Troops. The
bills creating them were separate and
distinct. Should the first named
measure be repealed, there would be
nothing to prevent the formation of
colored troops under the law author
izing the formation of troops to be
known as the Georgia State Troops.
But, it is asked, would the Governor
in the face of the revocation of the
law creating the Georgia State Troops
colored, commission a colored company
formed under the law creating the
Georgia State Troops?