Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-20
NOT A PARTY ISSUE
Southern Voters Urged to Take
Up Brownsville Matter.
COL. o. CROSBY'S APPEAL
Urges That Rights of the Negro Be
Protected.
DUTY DEVOLVING ON SOUTH
Declares That Great Injustice Has
Been Done, But That Taft Is Dis
posed to Act Fairly.
DUTY DEvOLv1NG ON SOUTH


colored soldiers who were discharged
| from the army by President Roosevelt s
Brownsville order comes from Col Oscar
| T. Crosby of Warrenton. Va, formerly
prominently identified with the business
interests of this city. and still regarded
as "a Washington man." Col. Crosby
believes that the protection of the rights
of the colored people Is particularly the
duty of the white men of the southern
states
Great Wrong Done.
1T is now generally believed" he said
in discussing the matter today. by a ma
jority of those who have followed the
public prints in the case. that great
wrong was done to faithful men through
the Presidents we'll known impetuosity
His motives need not be questioned.
am inclined to think they were honest
i.e that he would have shown equal in
Justice toward a white battalion. AS to
that no matter-the real matter now Is to
correct the wrong. leaving Mr.. Roosevelt
to settle scores with his own conscience
The point l desire to make is that the
burden of this correction should be pecul-
iarly felt and Systematically undertaken
by southern white men. This assumes
belief that injustice has been done TO
those whom it should be our special prov
nce to protect. As compared with my
brethren Of the south generally. l nave
but little claim to any inside knowledge
leading to the belief which now animates
me.
Perhaps some advantage may be en-
joyed by me in obtaining expert opinion
due to the fact that as former officer
of the army. l have learned from friends
still in the service opinions which they
could not freely give to the press.
graduated at West Point in 1882. and
resigned my commission in 1887.
"A ma jority of those whom have con-
sulted-whether northern or southern
agree with the View that the President
was not justified in his hasty act. II
seems to me. however. that expert teStl-
mony. in the sense above used. IS not
important. The official and unofficial re-
cords of the case read with reasonable
knowledge of human nature. carry con-
viction to my mind quite independently OF
the insight given by my short experience
in the army or by my conversations WIN
friends who have served longer. Let me
abbreviate this part of my appeal by
stating that / address those who feel
strongly as I do. that an injustice has
been demonstrated and those who feel
that an injustice may have been done.
and hence that the case should be re-
viewed. OF course l do not use the
word review in the Pickwickian sense,
which will be involved by applying 1t
to the administration bill of relief
Duty of the South.
THE point wish to emphasize Is that
we of the south. who must take, and have
taken. the responsibility for questioning
the negro's political maturity, should also
take the responsibility of protecting him
when attacked in his fundamental rights.
We know that had the Brownsville bat
talon been white, the reasonable doubt
as to the guilt of the majority of its
ho host
defenders throughout the land. If the
battalion had been specially recruited In
a particular section of our country-as IN
New England-then the representatives In
Congress from that section would have
sprung to the defense-yes-even against
the idol Roosevelt Now the southern
congressman are peculiarly the protectors
of the negro race. The eight millions of
negroes are still counted In liking the
number of southern members, all of
whom are white. The negro-I mean the
black mass found in the south-has no
other direct representation in our great
parliament than such as may be given
by southern senators and representatives.
Is it not therefore to be regretted that
their defense was left to Senator Foraker?
l, for one do regret 1t And, again. as to
Senator Foraker's motives: let us drop
that inquiry also They may be politi-
cal. as many of my southern friends holly
declare when explaining their unwilling
ness to follow his lead. l care nothing
champion the cause of the oppressed.
Southern Voters Urged to Act.
II therefore urge that southern white
voters should press this question upon
every southern candidate for congress
sional honors. Let the negro feel that
even in his political weakness he has
the armor of white intelligence to de-
fend him against outside aggression. If
we take away his vote. declaring that it
is a dangerous weapon in his hands, let
our own votes be used for his protection.
Is not that a square deal? 1 so urge
1t upon the conscience of my fellow
citizens. Even the extremists may re-
member that whether or not they think
the negro should be in the army, he was
there-rightfully there. faithfully there
and he was unjustly expelled In re-
spect TO Senator Foraker's proposition to
force this issue into the presidential cam
paign do not follow him. Keenly as
| feel about 1t, the question does not
seem to me one on which a national cleo
ton should turn. If we can get strong
southern congressional pressure at work
after March 1. 1909. the wrong will be
righted. The candidacy of Mr.. Taft and
the acknowledged influence of Mr.. Roose-
velt-these two facts bear especially
against the wisdom of putting the Issue
forward in the platform. Mr.. Taft acted
under orders. He seems to have opposed
he bowed to his superior. He might have
split with his friend and superior on this
rock He did not l believe he was and
Is sincere in thinking. as many millions
do that Mr. Roosevelt's virtues so far
outweigh his faults as to make of him
the ideal man for the day: Whether we
agree with this view or not land do nOD
1t remains that the resignation of Mr.
Taft or of Mr.. Root at any time during
the past two years would have been
public calamity. Aside from the eminent
service performed by both. the conserva-
tive element. which was shocked by Mr.
he was quite lost to reason had these
two men, in particular. left his Cabinet
Not a Party Issue.
so far as the record goes. and in spite
of the above relations between the Presi-
dent and Mr.. Taft. it seems to me the lat
ter is not precluded from gracefully bow
ing to congressional reparation in 1909 of
the Rooseveltian wrong of 1906. Mean
while he cannot pledge himself on this
particular matter without complcating
and jeopardizing the entire issue of the
campaign This would hold true of any
other candidate of either party. though the
personal embarrassment might be less l
again appeal. therefore. to the white men
issue among themselves. This may be
done In the solid south without making 1t
a party issue. A southern delegation, in
sisting upon justice to the negro, will not
fail to secure it-after March l.. A. ID"
LOOKS TO DEMOCRATS