The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-23
DISSATISFIED WITH TREATMENT
Brownsville Affair at Root of
 Trouble.
Kelly Miller, a Negro Professor of Howard University, Makes Fero- cious Attack on isooseveit
 and Secretary Taft.
BY A. J. STOPPER.

AA1u0 Uy pIouuineuC negroes or tnlS clty to prejudice their race generally against both President Roosevelt and
 Secretary Taft. It, of course, grows largely out of the affair at Browns
 ville which resulted in the summary discharge of those negro companies be-
 longing to the 18th Infantry. And
 what adds to the seeming injury they think has been inflicted upon the black warriors. an order was issued recently directing that the remaining negro companies of that regiment be sent to the Philippines. They embarked only the other day from San Francisco. much to their dislike so the story goes here. In this city two weekly news- papers are published by negroes.
 There is another in Philadelphia of greater pretensions. They are all red hot over this latest fling they claim has been made at their race and are asking in leaded columns why is it that the administration makes it a point to send companies of the 25th to those far-on islands when the records show that since we have possessed the. Phil- ippines the negro soldiers have done more than their share of service in the Orient? The scheme. 1t is pointed out. is to still further rub it on the darkeys, and all because they are not liked by the administration ,and are powerless to help themselves.
 Tn this District is located Howard University. devoted to the education of what Congress calls 'colored peo- ple." They certainly are "co1ored," for no less than a half dozen hues are represented in the student list, from the coal black to those who have only trace of white blood in their veins This institution is supported by the Government. One of the most promi- nent of the instructors Is Prof Kelly Miller. He is so worked up over the attitude of the administration towards his race that he has broken loose In the most ferocious attack that perhaps has ever been made upon President Roosevelt. The President he considers the worst enemy the negroes have in the United States today. In a two- column article that was prepared with great care and sent to all parts of the country the Professor endeavors to im- pess upon his people that If they do not strike back at the powers that be through the ballot box next fall at the Presidential election next year. they will prove to the world that they have no resentment. and will meekly submit to any treatment by the administra- tion.
 Professor Miller. in taking a whack at the referee system set up by Pres- ident Roosevelt. manifests clearly that he and the balance of the negroes of the Capital City do not think much politically of Alabama's most promI- nent negro citizen, for he says:
 "Dr. Booker T. Washington has been chosen as refereet at large and as the sole spokesman for the entire negro race. His selection was due to his po- liticaI activity or experience, for the whole tenor of his teaching has been to persuade his race to place less pro- portionar stress on politics and con- centrate it's energies upon things eco .fo aaT . his general prominence and the world wide esteem he was put in command of political forces, to the relegation of war-scarred veterans who had borne the heat and burden of the day. Othel- To naturally objects to his loss of oc- cupatton. Most of them have yielded. but only after they learned that the only road to official favor was the straight and narrow path that leads to Tuskegee.
 Should succeeding administrations follow Mir. Roosevelt's example in this 7 regard. the negro would remain in per- petual thraldom to an intermediary boss set up at the Ewhim or caprice of him who happens to be President.
 strangely enough, one of the most significant moves of the President af- fecting the political life of the negro has almost or wholly escaped atten- tion. He has shifted the centre of h. Hitherto the important Federal places accorded the negro have gone to per- sons below the Mason and Dixon line. 1 It would seem from present tendency that there are to be no more new negro appointees in the South but merely a continuance in ofice of those officials against whom local Democratic protest is not too loud and boisterous. In few years there will not be @ negro Federal official south of the Mason and Dixon line."
 A point that Is not only emphasized strongly by Professor Miller, but others of his race in their protest against the Roosevelt combination is that the present occupant of the White House Is unsrateful towards the negroes, Miller and the others in- sist that in 1898 Roosevelt could not possibly have been elected Governor of New York had it not been for the solid support given him by the negro voters of the Empire State. His majority in that memorable contest was 1 less than 1s.00o, and there are some thing like 10000 negro voters in New York. Miller also proclaims to the | world that in the battles in Cuba had | it not been for the negro troops Roose- | welt and his rough riders" would have | been cut to pieces. The black soldiers. | he asserts saved the day. and all | writers who described the fights give | them that credit.
 From what can be learned here these 1 negro leaders are afraid that the move ment to nominate MT. Roosevelt again | next year will grow, and that in spite of his declaration on the night of the last election that he would not be a candidate in 1908 an effort may be made to force another nomination upon him. And if it is not Roosevelt then Republican equally objectionable in the person of Secretary Taft, Is to be pushed to the front as the administra- tion candidate.
 Just what effect this agitation is going to have upon the negroes in the, Northern and Western States where the negro vote is a. factor both Republi- can and Democrats are unable at this writing to determine. Negroes are numerous in Ohio. All the reports from that State indicate that they are generally in sympathy with Senator Foraker and are against the candidacy of Secretary Taft for the Presidency. This is because of the Brownsville af- fair But whether or not they would bolt Taft in any considerable numbers next year in the event he Is the Re- publican nominee Is another thing, Most of the Republicans believe they would fall in line rather than see any Democrat win. Quite number of the Democrats are of the opinion they would be whipped knto line. Senator Martin. of Virginia is one Democrat.