The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-09
NEGRO SOLDIERS AT SOUTHERN
POSTS.

POSTS.
We have seen no comments approx
ing Gen. Barry's recommendation that
negroes be enlisted and stationed at
sea coast army posts between Virginia
and New Orleans. and it is doubtful
If there will be any. AS we pointed
out a day or two ago, the feeling in
the army is against increasing the
number of negroes in the military serv-
ice. There are now four regiments of
them, and, beyond keeping the ranks
of these regiments full, the enlist
ment of negroes is discouraged.
Gen. Barry gave as the main reA-
son for his recommendation the diff
ficulty of getting the men at the fore
going post to re-enlist. But is not
that difficulty experienced at other
posts where heavy artillery compa-
MES are stationed? We are inform
ed 1t is, and the reason is that SOL
diers like change, to go to different
parts of the country. The infantry SOL
diers are moved from station to sta
ton, and, hence, the percentage of
this branch of the service that re-en-
lists is much larger than in the ar
tillery branch. In the latter branch
the soldiers are kept at one post. In
some instances they dislike their Of
ficers. but it is more often the case
that they get tired of their location,
and, hence, at the end of their terms
they refuse to re-enlist. Very often
they do re-enlist, however, If they have
been out of the service for awhile
Not long ago quite large squad of
newly enlisted men were taken to Fort
Screven. 1t was soon discovered that
number of them had already serv-
ed in the artillery, some one and others
two terms. They had become tired
of the post at which they had been
stationed, and had refused to re-en-
list at the expiration of their terms.
After a period out of the army, how
ever, they concluded to return to the
service. and selected Fort Screven AS
the place at which they would like
to be stationed.
Recently a number of men were dis
charged at Fort Screven, they hav-
ing served their full terms. They
didn't re-enlist because they wanted to
see other parts of the country. They
told the recruiting officer in this city
they would enter the service again if
the government would send them to
certain post on the Pacific coast, and
the government acceded to their
wishes in the matter. At the end of
their term of enlistment 1t is probable
they will be willing ito return for a
term at Fort Screven.
If the object to be gained by Gen,
Barry's recommendation is to secure
soldiers who will re-enlist. term after
term, then let the plan of moving the
soldiers from one post to another be
tried, just as is done in the case of
soldiers I'm the infantry branch OF the
service. If that is done there will
be no more complaints of the lack of re-
enlistments at the posts on the South
ern coast than there is at the posts
in the interior, where infantry regi-
ments are stationed.
The garrisoning OF the Southern
ports with negro soldiers is not to be
thought Of. 1t would be a source Of
trouble, and a great deal of trouble.
And the trouble wouldn't be confined
to the territory Immediately adjacent
to the posts. The effort now is TO
adjust the race question as soon as
possible. The adoption of Gen. Bar
RVS recommendation would make that
question more complicated.