The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-31
CASE OF NEGRO SOLDIERS
Mir. Heflin Says He Welcomes oppor- tunity To Discuss Race Problem and Accuses MT. Hobson of
 Being on Wrong Side.

for the faith that is in me.
 "Mr. Hobson. congressman from the Sixth congressional district of Alabama, while speaking at Hamilton, in that dis trict a few days ago, D joint debate with his opponent, made a vicious and unwarranted attack upon me. If he had used arguement to show that my criticism of his vote to allow the negro soldiers to be reinstated in the army was not well founded, I would not have com- plained. I had said that his vote to restore the negro soldiers to service in the army did not reflect the feelings and sentiments of the intelligent and patriotic people of the south. and I stand by that statement.
 From the newspaper reports, MT. Hob son did not argue my proposition but contented himself by abusing colleague in Congress who was not present to reply to his islander, and accused me of being a demagogue, and said other offensive things about me. I am sorry that ne has gone into his district, where, since he Is a member of Congress from the same state, 1t is hardly proper for me to 20 and answer his attack, although l have been invited to do so by some of the best men in that district. However, I can. in all propriety, make reply in the district that l have the honor to represent and especially so since my po- sition on MT. Hobson's vote for the ne- gro soldiers is a question for discus sion in the Sixth congressional dlstrlct' and I welcome the opportunity to do so, and there is no more appropriate nlace in Alabama or in the country to discuss a. question involving the race nroblen than here in Tallapoosa county. If was on her soil at the battle Of the Horseshoe that southern men under Jack son solved the race question between the red man and the white man and estap- lished white supremacy. The descend on+s of inc white man who solved that other race problem will be called upon one of these days to solve the negro prop lem. and 1 declare to you that MT. Aop- son has struck a serious blow to the south's position on the race question when he votes to put negroes in the United States army, and he encouraged crime among the negro soldiers when he voted restore negro SOlulSlS h4O HUM A'NA dered a white man and terrorized white community in the south.
 ..These negro soldiers had been dls- charged and the President had said: They are as guilty dogs. But my friends. Senator F'oraker, republican from Ohio, was making the fight at the instance of the negroes to open the way for their re-enllstment. The national election was coming on. Foraker was out of touch with the administration ana the negro vote in Indiana, ohio, Penn- svlvania. Illinois and Kansas was needed for the republican ticket. The negro leaders tried to make the republicans De- lieye that the negro vote would De cast for the democratic ticket. It had US effect and in order to obtain the negro vote by many, agreed politicians, It Is be 1ieved by many, agreed to pass bill before Mir Roosevelts term expired to reinstate the negro soldiers. It was dear price to pay for the negro vote, especially after MT. Roosevelt had said this crime was the blackest in the his tory of the American army.
 ..Mr. Hobson alone of all the southern democrats cast his vote for the reinlist- ment of these negro soldiers.
 '.The facts in the Brownsville murder will convince any intelligent and patri-
  Hobsons vote is inexcusable and unpar- donable.
 'eVhat are some of the facts?
 ssThe War Department first intended sending this battalion of negro soldiers to some place in the north, but the peo- ple of the north objected and the au- thorities decided to send them to Browns- vile, Texas. Congressman Garner, who represents the district in which Browns vile is situated went to see General Oliver, Assistant Secretary of War, and told him that his people did not want the negro soldiers stationed there and General Oliver replied These soldiers are not wanted anywhere Over the pro- tests of the white people of Brownsville and the Texas senators and representa- lives in congress these negroes were sta- toned at Brownsville, Texas.
 'Is it any wonder that General Oliver said they were not wanted anywhere? When we know that when this same Twenty-ffth infantry was stationed at Ft. Meads, Dakota, in 1885 some one of these soldiers murdered a citizen; the citizens lynched him and in about three weeks 15 or 20 of these negro soldiers went and shot up the town of Sturgis, one and one half miles from Ft. Meade and murdered a citizen. They hurried back and got into their quarters before the matter was reported to the command ing officer, a white man, and they de- nied that they were guilty Just as they did in the Brownsville matter.
 "In June, 1899, this same regiment or battalion was stationed in Nevada while on their way to the Philippines. stopped at a town for supper, Winnemucca; the soldiers went to a saloon, shot the bar keeper and carried off quite a supply of whisky. Again they refused to tell on each other and escaped punishment.
 Again in October, 1899, at the San Car los Indian Agency in Arizona, 12 or 15 negro soldiers of this same battalion beat four peaceful Indians, beat them almost to death Some of them told of the crime and one or two were punished.
 These negro soldiers were then sent to a southern community, Fl Paso Tex. The people protested. The Secretary of War, now President Taft wrote Senator Gull person: Race prejudice between white and black seems to have become almost universal throughout the country and no matter where colored troops are sent there are always some who make Objec- tions to their coming.' This is a fact. The knowledge of this fact ought to be enough to convince the authorities that there should be no negroes In the army. These negro soldiers, some of them, took their guns and went to the county jail, where some of the other negro soldiers were confined for being drunk and dis orderly. These negro soldiers went to the jail about o'clock in the morning and tried to break into the jail to re- lease the prisoners and killed an officer of the county, a guard at the Jail.
 Again in 1ssS at Key West, Fla, these