Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-01
WILL HE DO ITO

Pres dent Roosevelt may nave no
race prejudice himself. but ne is
now surrounded 10y q coterie Of busy
bodies. who are furnishing him with
a FUN supply OF the virus that
brings about q most malignant at-
tack of Negro-phobia.
After noting the attitude of Pres
Idcnt Roosevelt ON the question of
Negro troops. we feel like saying.
"Let Ephraim alone. he SIS Joined TO
his idols"
The washington. ID C.. Post in les
issue OF Tuesday. November 27th
1906 says:
The subject above an others
which interests the public az This
time. So Gar ass the President is con-
cornol. is tine decision Doe viii final
1y mako in tho M charge of Tide
colorod troops of the Twenty-ifta
Infantry. Rarely has any action hy
rhc Chief Executive attracted anQ
.aeld such widespread attention. The
reason for 60 is found. OF course iu
thc question that lies behind the
more Executive attitude toward
Colorcd soldier Che deeper qucs-
rion as to whether tho President viii
oavo Che COURAGE Co rceCind his or
der 30 upon further inquiry Dee dis
covers that Injustice has been done.
The public is unable 90 pass
Judgment upon tnc order di-missing
che troops. for the reason that 90 is
not iu possession ot $40 che facts
u the case. But proceeding with
chc facts no hand. the public has
assumed. rightly or wrongly, that
rhc moral courage OF the President
fs about to Dee put to the test. Did
De exceed his authority when DE or
dercd that the soldiers should be
forever" dcbarrcd from employ
meut under the government DO
the facts show that the order was
given Hastily and that 20 works in-
Justice TO innocent mcn2 III SO,
viii the President rcscind the or
dor2 These questions are being
asked throughout the length and
breadth of the Union.
The Post has stated the whole case
lin "a nutshell" Regardless Of the
result OF the investigation. the an.
swer must be In the Affirmative. II
we grant every contention made by
the War Department and the citi-
sens of Brownsville. Texas so far as
she facts are concerned. IL must be
admitted by all fair-mindod people
that neither the President Of the
United States nor the Congress of
the United States has the power 70
punish either a civilian OF soldier
for an alleged criminal ofense with
| out due process of law.
Il is now and has always been re.
puguant 20 free institutions In all
civilized governments 10 punish the
innocent with the guilty. English
Jurisprudence stands pre-eminent in
this respect and the basic principle
I Of il is that better niuety-nine
guilty men should escape than that
one innocent man should be punish
led" Coupled with this is the
foundation stone of all legal proceed
lure as handed down by Blackstone
with the cordial approval of tn,
worlds greatest jurists who have
-'gone on before: Every man is
presumed innocent, until he is prov
len guilty"
He cannot therefore be proven
Illegally guilty until he has beer
convicted by due process Of law
These are the facts confronting TIT
War Department and one of tn,
greatest leaders the world has eve
known. If the latter can rise t.
the dignity of the occasion and NEE
1.-THE issue as stated by the Washing
ton Post. it will demonstrate tina
he has indeed the true elements o
1.-THE statesman for. he who con
Quereth himself is greater than "a
lwho taketh a city"