The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-12-13
Negro Troops.
Farmville VA Herald.

Farmville Val Herald,
1t will be rel embered that negro
soldiers in Brownsville. Texas. made
a midnight assault upon the homes
OF women and children there, shot
through the windows, killed innocent
citizens, and terrorized the town. A
rigid investigation by army officers
revealed nothing. The negro troops
conspired to shield the guilty. with
the consequence that the guilty par
ties could not be detected.
The army officers investigating the
affair recommended that the troops
be dismissed from service. President
Roosevelt endorsed the finding of the
officers and dismissed the troops.
Had these been white troops, little
would have been said about the mat
ter. But because the troops were he
groes great howl went up from the
negroes throughout the country. and
from those few newspapers which
think that negro is superior to a
white man and should be given the
consideration due demi-god. What
President Roosevelt will finally do in
the matter no one knows, hot even
he. He is ruled almost absolutely by
his impulses, and these are subject To
change without notice.
The Baltimore Sun has Il remarka-
bly, clear comment on this Browns
vile affair. 1t says, in part:
After the Brownsville outrage had
been reported an investigation was or
dered and the facts of the murderous
riot were established. but the men i'm
mediately concerned in il could not be
discovered. They refused to disclose
themselves, and their associates made
themselves accomplices after the fact by
shielding them. These facts were all es-
tablished in a careful inquiry by army
officers. Theconcealment of negro crimi
nails by men of their own race is a noto-
riOus habit. \ negro cannot commit a
crime SO vile that negro homes will hot
be open to him ~ a refuge. After the
crimes committed by these negroes had
been established, after every member of
the three companies had made himself
party to the crime, what was the Presi-
dent to do? Retain them in the service
as an example OF fine discipline to be sent
around among the people to shoot and
terrorize and murder at will? Negroes
throughout the country and a good part
of the Northern press are now engaged
in the moral work of denouncing the
President for refusing To tolerate muir
derers and rioters in the army and
threatening him for his effort to main
tain discipline. Negroes are holding
meetings all over the land. threatening
and denouncing the President: hysterical
newspapers are shrieking in black type
for the right of free riot in the army The
dismissed negro soldiers are to be petted
and cared for by sympathetic friends as
a reward for shooting into the homes of
the people OF Brownsville.
The President is threatened that the
negro vote will go the Democrats. OF
that there is no danger, for the Demo-
Gratis are not anxious for them. and the
Republicans would have two white votes
for every negro vote they get rid Of.
There are threats that no more negroes
will enlist in the army. According to
recent statements on the subject there
are few sections in the country, North
or South. where negro troops are wei
coined, and il they cease to enlist, 1t
will, in the opinion of many persons, be
that much better for the army.