The Denver star., 1917-02-17

wealth, r. Learning. its skin. its cul-
ture merely, nor yet by It's efficiency,
= important AS these are. The real
test lies In the ability of average Amer
tcan c1hzens-of those who make and
who execute the laws, Of those who
have taken to themselves the great re-
sponsfbutty Of directing the affairs Of
government, Of those who have been
20 greatly blessed with wealth Gnd!
culture and infuence-to see, II they
love their country. that absolute and
exact Justice Is done to every man..
rich and poor, learned and unlearned..
white or black.
Democracy and Christianity are BE-
ing tested and tried an by dre, but I
firmly believe that democracy. that
Christianity, that America will stand
this test. After all the misunderstand-
in8A and friction, after all the bitter
ness and hatred. the sober thought Of
the educated Christian white man q
the south as well as that of the educat-
ID Christian Negro has come to the
serge of a period when good Will and
peace with honor and Justice to all
concerned and mutual understanding
seem more possible than ever.
Confederate Leader Aided N~oro.
"Such Incidents as the following have
been happenings ever since the war
between the states, but they don't al
ways flnd their way into public print:
A Negro was under Indictment for
murder. When the case was called in
the superior court 1t Is said that Gen
eral Toombs arose and said, Mr.. Clerk.
mark my name as counsel for the de-
fendant-' The states witnesses made
. plausible case against the accused
At last the time for the defense arriv-
ed General Toombs began: May it
please the court and you gentlemen Of
the jury. At the battle of Gettysburg.
when General Pickett's charge had
been repulsed, Confederate colonel,
severely wounded, was left on the field.
Tho Federals were raking the ground
with their batteries, and no soldier
dared to rescue his leader. At that
forward through the Confederate lines,
and In spite Of the lead and iron hail
he rushed to the wounded officer. He
took him In his arm tenderly and car
Red him back to safety. That colonel
was my brother. A hero who could do
that at Gettysburg cannot be a mur-
derer today. Stand up. Tom. and open
your shirt The Negro did as direct
ed, showing the scar Of the wound re-
| ceived in his heroic devotion. General
Toombs left the case with the southern
white men Of that jury. who immedi-
ately returned a verdict of not guilty.
Honor For . Negro Herr.
I'VE have not yet forgotten San Juan
! Hin, while the heroism of the black
and white troops during the Carrizal
tragedy is still fresh in our minds.
Colonel Henry Watterson in the Louis.
Vile CourierJournal thus describes
that fateful event:
The black man fought in the dead
!, " sha0baes side by side with the white
man. following always, fighting Away.
- his lieutenant fought.
"'And finally, when Adair, literally
shot to pieces, fell In his tracks, his
last command to his black trooper was
to leave him and save his life. Even
then the heroic Negro paused in the
midst Of that hell Of carnage for dnal
service to his officer.
"T thipk the name Of the black
trooper should be rescued from obscu.
! rity and written side by side with that
| Of his ofncer. II Henry Adair bad sur
vived this modern Alamo he would
have seen to 1t that this Negro should
have been bracketed with him in the
heroic annals Of the antray. As Henry
Adair did not live to do 1t, We should
see that this justice Is done
II am glad to say that the name OF
that colored trooper has been rescued
from obscurity.' 1t ID Peter Bigstan
The two incidents just cited give evi
dence that the spirit Of kindness be-
tween white men and black men which
We are accustomed to think Of as e1
isting mainly before and during the
war is Just as genuine and true today
as 1t was then. All 1t needs Is a
chance for manifestation. There are
Negroes every where as true to the
white race as they are to themselves
and there are white men who are Just
a. true and loyal to the Negro race.
"AI Vsu Know 10 Humanity"
"The idea which was crudely ex
/ pressed by a Carnegie hero student
now at Tuskegee institute who at the
risk of his own life in Waco. Tex.
saved the life Of little white girl from
an onrushing automobile, Is the idea
which will bind races and nations to
gether in peace and good will. Wher
asked whether he would have prefer
red to save q black child rather than q
white child he replied: You don't stoI
to think when an innocent human life
| is at stake whether you are helping d
! white person or black person. Al
you know II that 1t is human being
ut is that spirit which General Arm
strong and DIR. Frissell, through Hamp
1 ,x-v>.