The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-12
Federal Positions WI|I Soon
 Be Vacant In Mississippi
REPUBLICANS COME FIRST
Representative Garners Bill to Abolish Negro Regiments Does Not Accom- pllsh Purpose For Which lt
 Was Drawn.
By PATTERSON sTEALEY.

By PATTERSON sTEALEY. Washington, December 11.--(Speciai.)- The terms of several federal appointees in Mississippi are expiring, and there is a scramble on, participated in by both democrats and republicans. The Presi- dent has been told that there are not enough respectable republicans in the state to i'll the best offices, and there are democrats galore willing to take the places. In the northern judicial district of the state the terms of both the mar shal and United States attorney have expired, and in the southern district the same condition prevails.
 L. B. Mosely, republican national com- mittseman of the state, has been in town for several days trying to get these nomi- nations arranged He was at the White House today and with him was State Senator Charles Ingalls, democrat, of Natohez. MT. Ingalls doesn't mind having it known that he would like to be United States attorney of the southern district in place of R. c. Lee. who has held the place 12 years.
 | Representative Spight, democrat, of the :, Second Mississippi district, introduced te the President another young democrat i who will take office from republican | adminstration. He is l.. M. Adams of Ackerman, and he wants to be United States attorney of the northern district.
 William D, Frazer. ths inc,zrbent, has had ,Ae place only four years. is a re- publican and will probably be reappoint- ed Adams has the indorsement of John Sharp Williams, Senator McI-auren and | other democrats
 These Mississippi appointments. as we'll as those ir a number of other southern states, are giving the President less trouble than Is experienced by Postmaster General Hitchcock, who has the assort- ing to do before the President makes the nominations. MT. Hitchcock has not shown much disposition to give democrats office where he could find good repub- licans. ano the aspirations of democrats will not bo successful in as many in- stances as supposed
 The Calhoun Statue.
 The austere and dignified figure of John c. Calhoun, in cold marble, has been placed in Statuary hall at the capital It Is South Carolina's latest contribution. Calhoun is shown as the stern Roman that he was when defending what he thought right. Although he was known to be a lovable man in private life, he was always dignihed when in public. This characteristic is shown in the marble by the sculptor. F. W. RuckstuhI of New York.
 On the front of the pedestal, by the side of Calhoun's figure. is a palmetto tree, symbolic of South Carolina and of | states rights. On the other side Is & Roman fasces, symbolizing the union of l the states. These are regarded as par ticularly appropriate to the statue, be- cause it is well known that Calhoun was staunoh defender of both states rights and the union, according to the constitution.
 '1 have represented him in the costume of the period of 1S40-5-with his long cloak loosely thrown over his shoulders in a positive attitude."- explains the sculptor, with his right hand on the constitution of the United States, as if saying, The constitution must be obeyed in order that states rights and the union must be preserved"
 l Gamers Army elIi.
 It is stated that the bill of Repre- sentative Garner. designed to eliminate negroes from the army. does not ao- complish the purpose for which 1t is drawn.
 MT. Garner desires to abolish the four rsgimsnts--two of cavalry and two of infantry-which are composed of negro soldiers In his effort to do this he provides in the bill for the repeal of sections l. l04 and HOS of the revised statutes. The former reads:
 ''The enlisted men of two regiments of cavalry shall be oolored men, The other section reads: 'The inlisted men of two regiments of infantry shall be colored men."
 The war department authorities say that If this bill were enacted 1t would | make no difference in the situation, for 1t would stu be possible for the Sec retary of War and the. President un- der the constitution to order these or | any other four regiments made up en- tirely of negroes. Mr. Garnsr's bill would only repeal the compulsory provi- sions in the existing law. There must, by virtue of these two sections, be at | least two regiments of cavalry ana two of infantry composed of negro soldiers, but there could be other regiments of l the same composition.
 This Is by no means new proposition l Some two or three years ago Represent | ative Sayden of Texas introduced bill l which was more scientifically worded and which would really have accom- plished the purpose MT. Garner seeks in the bill he introduced this week But nothing came of the Slayden measure, as was inevitable of proposition h. volving the color line in the army. There is difference of opinion among officers as to the wisdom Of enlisting negroes. Officers do not always like to serve with negroes. although they are for the most part obedient and can be easily trained. They enjoy the life and to the negro soldier the army offers career while in the case of a white man as Senator Proctor once remarked, Tit is too often 2 refuge.''