The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-12-22
RI.i'n|IT 70 orS' TROOPS
President Holly Defends Action ii
Discharging Negro Soldiers.
SYMPATHY is OUT OF PLACE

Mir. Roosevelt Declares a 6lacker Act
Never Stained Annals Of Army, and
Regrets Death Penalty Cannot 3
inflicted on the Murderers.
Washington. Dec. 20.-m n messago
tingling with indignation President
Roosevelt laid bare the reasons for his
having ordered the discharge of the
three companies of the 25th infantry
(colored) after the murderOus raid
upon Brownsville. Texas.
The presentation OF the facts was
made in response to resolution intro
duced by Senator Penrose on the first
day of the present session. The Penn
sylvanian demanded the full particu-
lars OF the affair and he got them
Senator Foraker backed up his col
league with similar resolution. eN-
cept that il was addressed t. Secrc-
tary Taft
The presidents stand. as shown by
his reply to these two resolutions. is I
that he was not only acting we'll with +
in his constitutional rights. but that II
was his duty to strip the uniform Of a
United States soldier from those whom
he describes as murderers. assassinS.
towards and the comrades OF murder
ers.
The president vigorously upholds the
officers who made the report upoh
which executive action was taken. Tie
scouts the suggestion that sectional
feeling entered even for a moment in
to the findings of the board. and dis
misses the destinations as unworthy
Had the crimes. the commission oil
which. he says, there is no doubt. been
committed by white troops. precisely
the same treatment would have been
accorded Had the real murderer'
been discovered they would have
been punished with death. which he
regrets he is unable to see inflicted in
this case. for. he declares. blaokcr
act never stained the annals of the
United States army.
The president has gone carefully
and infinitely into the acts which Led
up to the Brownsville murders as well
as the crimes themselves. He points
out the criminal completely OF the non
commissioned officers and shows that
they must have known who the actual
assassins were For this reason h.
adds sympathy for those who by a
conspiracy Of silence" shielded their
murderous fellow soldiers is out OF
place and and unnecessary.
Mr.. Roosevelt then says the dis
missed soldiers We're treated too len
iently and quotes a number OF prece-
dents for the action taken. He then
continues
1t is of the utmost importance 10
ali our people that We shall deal with
each man on his merits as a man. and
not deal with him merely as member
OF given race: that We shall judge
each man by his conduct and not his
color. This is important for the white
man. and it is far more important for
the colored man.
More evil and sinister counsel
never was given To any people than
given to colored men by those adVis
ers. whether black or white who, bv
apology and conformation encourage
conduct such as that OF the three com
panies in question.
III the colored man elect to stand
by criminals of their own race be-
cause they are of their own race. they
assuredly lay up for themselves the
most dreadful day of reckoning.
Every far sighted friend Of the col /
ored race in It's efforts to strive on
ward aud upward should teach first. |
as the most important lesson alike TO |
the white man and the black. the duty |
OF treating the individual man strictly |
on his worth as he shows it Any con !
dnct by colored people which'tends to |
substitute for this rule the rule OF |
standing by and shielding an evil doer T.
because he is member OF their race
means the inevitable degradation of |
the colored race. 1t may and probably |
does mean damage to the white race. !
but it means ruin to the black race.
Throughout my term Of service in |
the presidency | have acted on the |
principle thus advocated In the north. |
as in the south have appointed col |
ored men OF high character to office. |
utterly disregarding the protests OF
those who would have kept them out |
of Office because they were colored |
men. SO far as was in my power !
have sought to secure for the cOlOred |
people all their rights under the law.
! have done ali could to secure them |
equal school training when young, |
equal opportunity to earn their live
lihoOd and achieve their happiness
when old.
81 have striven to break up peOnage; |
| have upheld the hands of those who,
like Judge Jones and Judge Speer.
have warred against this peonage. be- |
cause | would hold myself unfit to be |
president II did not feel the same |
revolt at wrong done TO cOlored man |
as | feel at wrong done a white man.
Il have condemned in unstinted
terms the crime of lynching perpetrat-
ed by white men and should take in
slant advantage of any opportunity |
whereby | could bring TO justice a mob |
of lynchers.
"In precisely the same spirit have
now acted with reference to these col |
ored men who have been guilty OF |
black and dastardly crime. In one |
policy. as In the other. do not claim
AS favor, but | challenge as right.
the support of every citizen of this
country. whatever his color, provided
only he has in him the spirit OF genu-
inc and far sighted patriotism"
Secretary Taft quotes precedents
for the dismissal of the men and chai'
L. x.n~t1 don