The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-10-24
own haaa have never had a more
striking o4knple. ~ IA

A threat he's come to light that the
democratSRtN make q desperate ef-
fort at the coming Congress to abol-
fsh the four Solored regiments now in
the Cntte1&ssStates Army establish
ment, The men said to be concerned
In the dirty business are led by one
Hefiin, OF Alabama, who thinks the
Negro o0EhtSto be banished from the
face OF thaeerth. They are working
on the basia that the people OF this
country dosnCt want colored soldiers
stationed In any Of their communi-
ties. and though the &colored regiA
ments are now in the Philippines, the
oath will be home soon, in It's turn,
and the others must return in a few
years, when the problem will become
most acute one. 1t lis further
claimed thatno officers care to COM
mand Negro troops, and that the re-
tention of Negro soldiers In any rank
in the army; causes constant friction
from within and without. Privates
do not like their fellow enlisted men
and outbreaks are frequent among
them. These are some Of the f1imsy
arguments the gang of political pi-
rates from the South will put up to
the Goth Congress, and they claim
that they will have northern strength
in support Of their position because
Of the unwelcome assignment Of the
oath to New York state and the gen.
eral anti-colored sentiment that has
developed In the Pacific States, SUPER
induced by their troubles with the
Chinese, Japanese. Hindus. and other
tinted foreigners. 1t is said that the
policy Of the democrats to abolish
the Negro regiments will be met by
solid opposition on the part of col
ored leaders, whether they are Of the
administration party or not. The
claim that theTWar Department Is not
borne out by. the recent action of
Secretary Taft in promoting color
ed chaplain to the rank OF Major, or
tary Oliver that the Negro soldier is
better, If anything, than the average
white one. He declares that among
the colored soldiers there are fewer
assertions. more re-enlistments and
better discipline than among the men
of the white regiments, Discussing
the subject with some warmth, Gen.
Oliver added: 81 take no stock in
the talk that the Negro soldier Is
cause of trouble. If ordinary treat
| ment is given the colored soldiers.
such as accorded the whites-no
more, no lesS-I am sure there will
be no disorder anywhere the colored
regiments maybe stationed. I some
times wonder that they behave as
we'll as they do, under certain cir
cvmstances.".r:..
| In this, Acting Secretary oliver but
voices the. conviction of Secretary
Taft and other officers in control Of
the Army. With, their hearty sup
port, the action of, the Helm crowd
will avail nothing, and the colored
regiments will remain Congress will
never consent tOsSheir disarmament.
1t is hoped by the conservative ele-
ment of the coloredg citizens of Wash
ington that the bitter controversies
now, raging in the colored public
sch ools can be adjusted satisfactorily
without bringing the charges and
counter charges to the attention Of
Congress. 1t is, felt by the friends
;'of both factions bAbg the constant ap-
pearance of the Negro schools in the
trouble zone is75 not helping the
cause of education, nor sustaining
the claim Of the race that 1t is ca
ipable OF self-government. Cannot
Messrs. Chase and Bruce settle their
difficulties by the modern plan Of ar
bitration, rather than resort to the
old-fashioned and often mutually
damaging processes Of war?
R. w. THOMPSON.