Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-29

fo "a UiAeoiF LcSScctt1s are OOt
tolerated in times of peace under
the plea FOR the good of the ser
vice"
In none OF the cases cited do we
find single instance where the SOL
diers were called criminals aud MUIR
derers. neither do we find where any
of them were debarred from the
privilege of re-enlistment or from
being appointed to Office in the civ
il branch of the government. Pres
ident Roosevelt says:
More evil and sinister counsel
never was given to any people than
| That given TO colored men oy those
/ advisers, whether black or white
who, by apology and conformation
encourage conduct such as tnat Of
the three companies in question.
We might well add that more
evil and sinister counsel never was
given any people than that given to
white men by those advisers, wheth-
er white or black. who enunciated
the pernicious doctrine that 10 is
better that twenty innocent colored
soldiess should be punished than that
one guilty soldier should escape.
II upsets one of the fundamental
principles of the legal part Of Anglo
Saxon civilization and sets a prece-
dent which If followed to its logical
conclusion would substitute anarchy
for our forms of law President
Roosevelt continues.
IF the colored men elect 10 stand
by criminals of their own race be-
cause they are of their own race.
they assuredly lay up for them
selves the most dreadful day of reck
oning. Every farsi GIFTED friend of
the colored race in its efforts to
strive onward and upward should
teach first. as the most important
| lesson. alike TO the white man and
the black. the duty OF treating the
individual man strictly on his worth
as he shows IL. ANY conduct by col
oreu people which tends TO substf-
tute for this rule. the rule OF stand
ing by and shielding an evil doer be-
cause he is a member OF their race
means the inevitable degradation Of
the cOlored race. IL may and pro-
badly does mean damage 90 the
white race. but it means ruin 10 the
black race"
The foremost statesman I'm this
country reads us O lecture FOR which
i'm a measure az least we are sincere
ly thankful On the other hand we
note that his practices are out of
tune with his preaching for had he
treated the individual members of
Companies b. G. and u according to
their worth as men. this controversy
would not have arisen and he would
Doe at peace with this part of the
world
We trust that ne will believe MS
when we iterate and reiterate that
our sympathies are with the nine
teen innocent men and that they do
not go out TO the twentieth guilty
one. The latter has q right TO q
hearing though according TO our
| forms of law and the attempt even
by the President of the United
States 20 prejudice his case before
be even has a legal trial Isl contrary
% one of the fundamental tenets of
the Constitution of the United States
which guarantees To every man
fair and impartial trial by a jury of
his peers as well as being direct af-
front TO that equally as forciole de-
claration that every one is presumed
innocent until ne is proven guilty"
The South or al least some OF its
citizens have been very successful I'm
followine am exactly opposite course
from that advised boy the Chief Exec
utive OF the nation. SO true is this
that he now appears as the cham
pion OF the poor, defenseless Tex
ans. and at his side we find standing
the chieftain of the Texas Rangers
In some parts OF that section of
the country. a Negro has no more
show than "a bob-taned mule in
iiy-time" and his life is no more val
ued than is that OF a coyote or
~ tAAA A' AA'tAs nut AACn WI ANOOHG-
welt doesn't know all OF this.
The distinguished occupant of tne
White House concludes this remark
able message as follows:
"In one policy, as in the other. I
do not claim as a favor but / chal-
lenge as right the support of ev-
cry citizen OF this country, whatever
his color, provided only he has in
him the spirit of genuine and far
sighted patriotism"
This language is spectacular as
well as impressive and TO it we eau
httingly reply that in the one poll
cy of securing our rights we do not
claim as a favor. but we demand as
a right the fundamental guarantee
A that tho co1Tfar1s Of EDrnpoufac II n