The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-24

There is no Place for Them Says Burl-
ington News.


Race prejudice has become evident
since the colored troopers have arrived
at Fort Ethan Allen and promises to
become more violent when the full regi-
ment arrives. White people have left
various restaurants when the eating
houses were invaded BY the colored CON
tingent and more serious trouble has
been had in Winooski, when some Of
the white troopers rounded up the col.
ored boys, put them in car and sent
them to che post People are now crying
for Jim Crow cars to be run between
here and Fort Ethan Allen.--From Burl.
ington Free Press, Saturday, July II.
We do not recall single instance in
Vermont iournalism--or indeed any
journalism-where an item has done so
much harm as the above item copied
from the Free Press OF this city If
it had been planned BY deliberate in
tent TO hurt Burlington and the state
Of Vermont the offence could not have
been done with more deadly success.
The newspapers all over the country
have taken il up, many Of them under
sensational headlines. One says "Old
Vermont Balks at Negroes another
has Jim Grow Cars Asked for Ia Yer.
mont" Negro Troopers Stir Race Feel
ing to Fever Pitch IN Burlington, VT"
Not a single one Of these sensational
headings are true.
Vermont never owned a slave and that
historic fact has not only enriched the
history Of Vermont and her freedom
loving ancestry, but it has made stan
dara by which the world has estimated
the state. During the anti-slavery
period Vermont stood In principle and
act with the great abolitionists and fur
nished many underground routes to free
dom. In the Civil war Vermont was, 70
the slave holders and the Southern con.
federaey. one Of the most offensive Of
al the states They viewed Vermont as
q rank abolitionist state, while those at
home considered il a. the home Of free
dom and equality. Vermont in an its
history has stood for democracy and the
rights Of man, no matter what The
color Of his skin. That Is surely what
the history Of Vermont tells the world.
IN all our history we have had little
to do with the negro The climate Of
Vermont has not appealed 10 him; and
there are few ernployments that are
congenial TO his activities or tempera-
ment We have not therefore had our
democracy, rights Of man, full equality
theory put to actual test The few men
and women OF negro blood in Vermont
SOS in the census Of l0O0--haye been
treated SO far as we have ever observed
on an equality with their general class
in refinment and intellectually. They
have mostly been Of the servant and
common laborer Glasses and as q rule
have not risen higher
It seems to us extremely unfortu.
nate indeed almost treason to The
state--that sueh an item should have
been printed ii the oldest daily in the
state Just as the flrst real test 81 our
equality Of man theory was about TO be
taken. In advance Of such a test It
places Vermont actually in the class
where the negro hating Southerners al.
ways have placed us, namely, as cant
ing hunibugs The negro troopers have
been coming in few at a TING for
many weeks, mostly non-commissioned
officers, SECURING quarters aud getting
ready for their soiourn here So far
as we have observed these young men
of dark skin think their bearing has
been wholly proper They look like
respectable men and behave fully AZ
we'll AZ any white officers of similar
rank that we have seen sinca our Mill
tary Post Yves bnilt. All that We can
hear about these colored soldiers of
Uncle Sam from their former rendezvous
is favorable and they are said to be the
best behaved troopers ii the army.
No Jim CrosV" cars are needed IN
Vermont This state is not going to
blot out the theory and its past history
of casualty at this late day The negro
troopers will be treated exactly ais weli
as they deserve by every real Vermont
down nothing TO color, birth
right or previous conditioB---and giving
the same recognition that we accord
to soldiers Of white skin in similar cir
The uniform Of our own
national government ought to settle
promptly all questions 81 equality. The
uniform wiil not stay long upon any
unworthy man. The negro soldiers while
here are our protectors and If they are
ever seriously needed 10 do that ser
vice we have no doubt that our lives
could be safely placed in their hands.
No good Vermont town will insult
negro soldier because Of his COLOR -Burl-
ington News