Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-04
ROOSEVELT AND TlLLMAN.

At present tie colored population is
considerably agitated over the action
of two men. One is Senator Tillman
and the other is President Roosevelt
Zone is spared no more in their de-
nunciation than the other. Their dis
course would indicate that the two
were in the same class.
Tillman has talked to northern au-
diences about the niger" for several
years, and there was no particular
reason why his discourse in Chicago
should receive any particular attention
but it did. This was caused by the
accompanying circumstances. 1t was
published that threats upon his life
had been uttered; that the society
under whose auspices he was to speak
had offered considerable amount of
upon call from a delegation of colored
side at the gathering.
All of these things gave notoriety
to the event, and gave Tillman the
advertising that he enjoys. Under
these circumstances it was to be ex-
pected that the South Carolina sena-
tor would do his "best" in the discus
sion of the race question. The colored
people of Chicago listened to his dis
course in an orderly manner, no at
tempt being made to modest the speak
er in any manner If his coming had
been totally ignored by them no ex-
traordinary Importance would have
been attached to his appearance Til
man would not be Tillman If he did
not rant and rave and foam in his talk
of the black man, and If he did not
tell what the south would do to the
northern people If they tried to do
certain things that they never have
and do not now propose doing. 1t was
nothing new. Thousands of people
have heard the same things and the
same oaths from Tillman's lips. The
colored people Of Chicago by appear
Ing in his audience as law abiding
people came out of the episode with
more credit than did Tillman.
What, now, has Roosevelt done to
merit the cr4ucism of the colored peo-
pie? He discharged a number of SOL
diers from a colored regiment in
Texas. He did not discharge them be-
cause they were colored. Other col
ored men will take their places. He
discharged them. because, after full
Investigation, and after an exhaustive
hearing of both sides. he decided that
they ought to be discharged from the
government service on account of the
events in and following the Browns
vile riot.
He has cast no reflections upon the
race. He has said nothing about the
efficiency or deficiency of colored men
as soldiers. He simply gave an order
and refused to change unless an addi-
tional showing could be made by those
who had interested themselves upon
behalf of the soldiers.
1t would seem that it would have
been better if the colored people had
not given such prominence to the af-
fair. Few people attached great i'm
portance to the order until the agita-
ton was begun and the condemnation
OF the President heard. Probably few
knew whether the soldiers were col
ored or white, and less of them cared.
There is a standard Of army discipline
that must be maintained and the dis
charge of few soldiers may occupy a
certain amount of space in the public
prints for day, but ordinarily 1t ex-
cites no great amount Of attention. In
this case the stigma is on the indivi-
duals and not upon the race
1t seems but a short time ago since
Roosevelt was the objec of criticism
Of the southern people because he
dined with a black man. That does
not look like any race prejudice exist
ed within him. This has been a mat
ter of duty, not personal likes and dis
likes. The President knows what
army discipline should be, and he
knows what the Presidents duty is.
He has enforced one and exercised
the other to the best of his ability.
Agitation and denunciation will not
help the cause of the race.