Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-11-30
THE NEGRO BATTALION

the accused battalion cOuQ nave Oeet
summoned, and could have shielded him
self from testifying only by claiming his
constitutional right to refuse to give tes-
timony that might incriminate him. Had
NC other purpose been served by this or
derly procedure, 1t would have permitted
every innocent suspect to give an account
OF himself and to show that he had no
connection with the disorder under inves-
tigation. The president would thus have
been saved from the infliction of disgrace
upon the many innocent az we'll as upon
the few guilty. He has preferred to take
final action in conformity with tho ex
parte report Of his inspector general who
had at his command none OF the means
recognized by military any more than by
civil law AZ essential to the judicial as
certainn,ent OF truth.
3. AS q question Of policy. The presi-
dents order In this case was 80 unprece-
dented. SO radical. and SO sweeping. that
it was a foregone conclusion that men
whose attention had been arrested by It
should at once begin to look about for ex-
plantations. 1t Is not good that American
citizens should be driven to make search
for the motives Of their president In his
official acts. 1t Is very bad. But In this
case 1t was necessary and inevitable.
When a politician, such as we may with
out disrespect say that the president Is,
does an act which, on the face of It. Is
unjust and In the manner of 1t Irregular.
the beholders are simply compelled TO
make a search for motives. 1t Is not their
fault If they conclude that the order dis
missing without honor whole battal-
ion Of colored troops would not have been
issued the circumstances In all other re-
spects being the same against battalion
OF white troops 1t is the case itself
which suggests that the president has
concluded that the colored vote is now
negligible compared with the southern
white vote 1t is evidently In vain to tell
men of the African race that the presi-
dents action Is simply one OF the. prod
ucts of his we'll known impulsiveness and
that he would have done the same thing
that he did do had the offending battal-
ion been composed Of whites. They will
not believe It They will continue to be-
lieve that the presidents "cruel and un-
usual treatment OF this black battalion
is the presidents roundabout and belated
apology to, the southern whites for his
entertainment in the White house OF
distinguished man of color. That was the
sentiment that actuated meeting Of COL
ored preachers in New York this week.
one Of them said, very nobly, that It is
not social recognition that they asked
OF the white man, but equity and Justice,
and that the president had done them
wrong in granting that and denying this.
Even IL this deep-rooted sentiment does
the president an injustice, he cannot COM
plain. He is himself responsible. The de-
fiant message which he has sent TO the
republican committee Of this county by
no means takes the tone whle be-
hooyes him in sucl, case to tai N re-
mains to be seen what action he take
In view Of the loyal and friendlA cuon
~ his own secretary OF war, which Is in
eject an urgent and monitory invitation
to him to reconsider. It ls clear that. IN
his haste to punish comparatively few
Offenders by Furnishing the whole body Of
which they form minor part. he has OK
ceeded his constitutional powers. outraged
the opinion Of the army q large. ana
shocked the popular sense Of justice. -
70 not a attitude Of obstinacy and Do
nance which bscosnss any man IN such =
conjunctuyS. d \