Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-08

where a prisoner was arraigned.
tried and hanged within the space
Of two hours. II the prisoner had
any witnesses in his favor. ne could
not produce them.
He leaves the impression uDon
the country that rape is crime
that is primarily accredited to toe
Negro race. a conclusion as mis-
leading as il is erroneous. TaeI
same crime was alleged against the
allied armies when they went to
the defense of the legations at Pc
kin, China. White men are just as
lustful as black men and vice versa
and we think we see a probable I'M
intentional attempt to do us an in
jury.
His references 20 the colored
people as individuals grated narshlyI
upon our ears. following as they do
his utterances concerning the re-
cent dishonorable discharge Of
Companies b. c. and D Of the Twen
U-nfth Infantry. Here is what he
says.
Moreover. where any crime
committed by a member OF one race
is avenged in such fashion that it'll
seems as If not the individual. but
the whole race, is attacked. the re-
suit is 20 eXasperat9 TO the high
est degree race feeling There is
but one safe rule in dealing with
black men as with white men. 10 is
the same rule that must De applied
in dealing with rich men and poor
men. that is, TO treat eachl man
whatever his color. his creed. or his
social position. with cycn-nanded
Justice on mis- real worth as a man
White people owe 80 quite as much
Co themselves as 20 tine colored race
Co treat wei tho colored man who
shows by his life that he deserves
such treat ment. for it s. surely tae|
highest wisdom 90 cucourae I'm the
coiorcd race an those individuals
VINO or honest. Industrious. lava
biding and who therefore make
good and safe neighbors and cite
liens
Reward or punish tho individual
ON his merits as am individual Evil
win surely come in the end % bota
races if we substitute for this just
rule the habit OF treating an the
members OF the race. good and bad
.alikc. There is no question Of
social equality or negro domina-
tion involved. only the question OF
.relentlessly Furnishing bad men. and
of securing Co the eood man the
right 90 his life. liberty. and thC
pursuit of his happiness as his own
qualities OF heart. head. and hand
enable him 20 achieve &C..
Did President Roosevelt do tnis
i'm tho cases of the colored troops2
Did he encourage in the colorcd
race am who are honest. Industrious
ana law-abiding2 Did he reward
or punish the individual ON ais
merits as ans Individual? DID re
punish the good and bad alike. or
did ne mobilize include the whole
three companies innocent with the
guilty. or an innocent as the case
may Dee in his blanket order. dis
missing these colorcd troops from
the sorvicc2
Here is an extract from that IA
nous Czar-like conviction 10y om-
cial order;
I recommend that orders Doe is-
| sucr az soon as practicable dis
charging without honor every man
in Companies b. G.. and ID of tho
ITwonty-ffth Infantry serving at
Fort Brown. Texas ON the night OF
August 18th. 1906 and forever de-
barring them from re-onlisting in
| the army or navy OF the United
States as well as from employment
in any civil capacity under the
government.
This was drastic enough for it
included even the colored soldiers,
who were on furlough nj the time
that the affair took place. He cor
rected this blunder. however, by
taking them back or rather suspend
ing the order in their cases. That
he knew that he was not Furnishing
individuals according 10 their mer-
its as individuals is evident. for he
admitted that he was Furnishing
men who not only did not commit
the offense. but who did not know
who did commit II. Here is the
language:
'Tn making this recommendation,
/ recognize the fact that number
OF men. who have no direct knOwl-
edge as TO the identity of the men OF
I the Twenty-ffth Infantry, who &C
tually fired the shots on the night
of the 18th of August. 1906 viii
incur this extreme penalty"
This seems to settle the case AMI
places the President OF the United
States in the embarrassing predica-