New-York tribune., 1906-12-07
SENATE ASKS FACTS.
AROTyT NEGRO SOLDIERS.
Roth the PenroSe and Foraker Reso-
LutionS adopted.
rrrnn the Trihune Rureau. ]


washington Dec 6.-The Senate adopted to-
6av both the Penrose and Foraker resolutions
calling for information regarding the dismissal
of Negro troops of the 2jth Infantry because of
the trouble at Brownsville. Tex. Senator For
aker. who urged the adoption of his resolution.
which not only directs the Secretary OF War
70 furnish all documents, but to show how the
action OF the President compatible with
certain specified statutes appeared in the role
of a critic Of the Executive. pronouncing the
evidence which led TO the dismissal OF the men
to be unsatisfactory. insufficient and fimsy."
Senators Penrose Lodge and Carter favored
the resolution offered by Mr.. Penrose, which re-
quests the President to furnish such information
"as is not incompatible with the public inter
ests' TO the Senate.
Senator Foraker clearly indicated his belief
that the troops were not guilty OF the shooting,
and Senator Culberson called his attention to
the first report of Major Penrose, commanding
officer at Brownsville who reported that he was
convinced that his guilty Of the out
rage. The assertion OF Major Blocksom, the
first inspector to visit the scene of the outrage
made in one of his first reports. that at least
three Of the bullets which penetrated the houses
Of citizens of Brownsville must have been fired
from the balconies Of two Of the ba-rack build
ings, appears to have escaped all who have thus
far discussed the subject. as does also the testi
mony of Of the soldiers that he found the
gunrack broken open when he responded to the
order TO fall tn
DEBATE ON TWO LINES.
The resolutions were adopted after debate of
two hours, and there was no rolIcaH The de-
bate developed along two distinct lines. one as
to the propriety of asking the President for the
information or Of directing the Secretary OF
War furnish he +her frdu
by a few Senators in comment the merits
of the case.
Mr.. Spooner, who opened the discussion took
the ground that in matters where Congress had
an absolute right 10 information in the posses
sion Of the Executive. it had always been Gus
tomary to direct a Cabinet officer 10 furnish It.
In matters where IL had not this right and in
which there was some doubt about the advis-
ability of publicity Congress usually made a
request upon the President. with the under
standing that the information should be fur
nished If not incompatible with the public
interest This view supported also by Mr..
Foraker. while Mr.. Lodge quoted precedents 10
the contrary
Mr.. Carter observed that 'Tt had been alleged
and not denied" that the troops in question had
Foraker 10 his feet with emphatic disclaimer
This allegation had keen denied. he said. and
much evidence adduced to support the denial
We'll" continued Mr. Carter 'it has been al
legged and not denied that there was disturb
ance participated in by the troops"
That. too. has been denied asserted Mr.
Foraker.
Well" again began Mr. Carter. 'ft has been
alleged and not denied that there disturb
ance."
Mr.. Tillman interrupted to say he had read in
the morning papers IAN alleged report from
the Secretary of War in which that official had
alleged" there disturbance and that ten
or twenty Of the troops had shot up the town
Of brownsville. Texas"
CALLS EVIDENCE FL1MsY.
Mr.. Foraker here produced a printed copy of
testimony in the case which he had obtained
at the War Department. extracts of which he
read to show, he said, that II was "unsats-
factory, incomplete and of a fimsy character"
and that mo jury in Christendom would con-
vict under tt"
Mr.. Culberson took the opposite view of the
testimony, but both agreed that with the "un-
satisfactory Information at hand IT was useless
10 discuss the case
Mr.. Carter finally finished his argument in
support of calling on the President for the in.
formation. Mr.. Penrose said he had introduced
his resolutions in the interest of a large Negro
constituency in PENNSYLVANIA. and had sd-
had been by the President, and he regarded il
as a matter Of courtesy to ask him for the in
formation.
MIR Foraker read at length the testimony
furnished by the War Department He said it
appeared that murder misprison of felony and
perjury had been committed by some one-three
crimes. for the punishment of any one Of which
the Constitution secured to every man the right
Of trial before punishment. He did not regard
II from the point Of view of race question The
right Of the President TO dismiss a man from
the army was also involved If he could dismiss
man he could dismiss a company. a regiment,
whole army. Mr. Foraker admitted. at the
suggestion of Mr. Warren. that the President
under the law had the right 10 increase de-
crease the army within certain maximum and
Wi, ,f,,,,,vv