The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-01-11
THE PRESIDENT AND NEGRO
TROOPS.

1he announcement that II has
been determined by the President
to send all the negro troops com
posing part of the regular army
to the Philippine Islands, for serv-
ice there, can but add to the acute
phase of the issue already exist
ing between the Executive and
that branch of the Republican
party in Congress championed by
Senator Foraker. In b alb
stract, the movement has much to
commend it. One regiment of
this class of troops has been sery-
ing in the archipelago for the past
year, and the official reports of
its service there represent that
they have proven, in all respects,
efficient and diligent in the dis
charge of their duties. Two con.
ditions are favorable to such eff
ficiency. In the first place, the
natives, while not of African type,
are of a colored race, and there is
none of that tendeny to racial an
tagonism that would exist were
they brought in such contact with
a white race. Being a part of the
American military force intrusted
with the duty of keeping good or.
der in the islands, they are held
under good military discipline
and made to realize their duty and
superiority to the native element.
These conditions of discipline and
active service tend to impress the
the troops with a sense of re.
sponsibility and self respect, and
as a result, to elevate them both
as individuals and soldiers. In
the second place, they are re.
moved from the baneful influence
of that political radicalism which
is such constant stimulous to
troops of the same color, in home
service, to depart from the rules
of military discipline, by the ex
hibition of such racial excesses as
have occurred recently among
negro troops stationed at various
posts at home.
But, despite the arguments by
which the President and his friends
may seek to justify the policy thus
inaugurated, il needs no prescience
to foretell that the adoption of
this policy will greatly intensity
the antagonism already developed
against President Roosevelt on
account of his discharge without
honor, Of the battalion of negro
troops for their action at Browns.
Vile.
The feeling against him, within
his own party, as voiced by Sen
ator Foraker, is unmistakable in
its intensity and earnestness. In
the debate which took place just
before the recess the position ia
ken by the Ohio Senator was not
only antagonistic, upon the lines
IF military and civic law, but
lad all the semblance of politi-
cal issue, with an appeal, if not a
demand, to the members of his
party to rebuke the President for
lis action. That it had visible |.
effect was evident to anyone who
'ead the full debate, no political
lily of the President venturing to
axe issue with him, Senator
lodge, who took part in the open
ng of the debate as apparently
he champion of the President,
under the stinging rebuke
# criticism and abandoning the
ield.
The attitude which the case has
since that debate is that
be President need not look to his
,arty adherents in the Senate for
indication from t he attack of
foraker. Senator Spooner is the :
My one from whom such friendly
ervice could have been expected,
ut the indications are that the
ssue has been made so sharp, that
or any defense of the President
ecourse will have to be had to
be Democratic side of the Senate.
his, however, would only be
Iayino into the hands of the Ohio