Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
FRAZIER SUPPORTS PRESIDENT
OPPOSES BILLS FOR RE-ENLIST.
MENT OF NEGRO TROOPS.
Says Roosevelt Did Right-Disap-
proves Measures Which Treat
Race as Ward of Nation.

No bill pending in the Senate for the
re-enlistment of the coloredsol d1ers dis
charged as result of the Brownsville
affair meets with the approval of Sem
ator Frazier of Tennessee, who spoke
TODAY for the democrats on the military
affairs committee. Senator Warmers
bill, clothing the President with the
power and Senator Foraker's bill, max
ing an independent tribunal the judge
of the right of each soldier to re-enlist,
are equally wrong in the opinion of Mr..
Frazier. He spoke as southerner
having intimate knowledge of the col
ored race.
Opposed to Treatment as Ward.
whenever" declared Mr.. Frazier,
ANY question arises affecting the ne
gro, there are certain people, including
the negro himself, who seem to think
he should be dealt with in an exception
al and unusual way; that he is 10 re
trea ted as the ward of the nation, and
must be the constant object OF Its care
and solicitude No greater wrong can
be done the negro, and no greater in
Jury can be inflicted upon the country
as a whole, than to impress upon the
negro such false and erroneous teach.
ings.
"Those who have been instrumental
in placing the entire negro population
of the country in the attitude of de-
Tending the criminals of their race be-
cause they were of their race, have as
sumed grave responsibility, indeed.
They have inflicted lasting injury
upon the country, and upon the negro
himself.
IF those people in every section of
the country who are especially solici-
tous for the negro's welfare would, by
act and word, teach the negro that he
is to be shown no exceptional cOnSid-
Grafton, but must stand or fall on mis-
conduct and merit alone, they would
render him incalculable benefit, and the
| country lasting service"
Says President Did Right.
Analyzing the testimony taken in vari-
GUS investigations, Mr.. Frazier said there
was no question as to the guilt of the
soldiers of the 25th Regiment. He justi-
fed the President in his discharge of the
entire body of troops because of the i'm
possibility of fixing the guilt upon par
ticular soldiers.
Speaking of the incentive of the soldiers
for the commitment of the crime, he said
mo one not familiar with the real
character Of the negro race knows or can
fully appreciate the intensity of feeling
with which he resents any apparent dis
elimination against him on account Of
his race and color This is strikingly
illustrated In the intense opposition of the
| negro to those laws in effect in some
states providing for the separation of the
races in railway coaches, even where the
accommodations are equal and exactly
alike.
1T was admitted by many of the
soldiers in their testimony that this sub
| ject together with the subject of other
| indignities which they claimed had been
| inflicted upon some of them, We're fire.
auent matters of discussion in the bar
racks of the soldiers
Their restriction in the saloons OF
| Brownsville, Mr. Frazier said gave ample
| incentive for the resentment that was
! shown among them against the people of
| the town.