Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-12-19
MESSAGE ON THE
BROWNVILLE RIOT
President Defends His Action
in DismiSSine COIOred
Troops From Service
TAFT UPHOLDS EXECUTIVE

BY Our own Wire, Publishers Press.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 19-President
Roosevelt sent to Congress to-day a
message on the Brownsville affair. In
it he expresses pleasure at the oppor-
tunity to lay before Congress facts as
to the murderous conduct OF certain
members Of the three companies Of the
rwenty-hfth Infantry and as to the
conspiracy by which many OF the other
members OF these companies saved the
criminals from justice. to the disgrace
Of the United States uniform.
He ably defends his action In dis
charging the companies from the SER
vice.
Accompanying the message Is LETT
ter from Secretary Taft. transmitting
the data requested by the War Depart
ment and commenting ON the alleged
New Evidence submitted to the Sec
retary by The Constitution League OF
the United States"
Says the Setrctary
IT have examined the new evidence
with care, and do not hnd that there
Is anything contained in it whiC1
should lead 10 a different conclusion OF
fact from that stated in my annual re-
port. The afhdavits contain in SUBJ
stance the same details % completely
or knowledge by the enlisted men that
were made 90 the inspecting officers.
together with evidence 20 show that
there was an opportunity for persons
not In tho latialion 90 disguise them-
selves in the castof uniforms OF the
enlisted men. and TO secure empty
cartridge shells and throw them on the
streets OF the town. The suggestion
that a body Of men. sharing tho hostil-
ity of the people OF the town. should
dress themselves in the cast-om cloth-
ing Of the colored soldiers should visit
the army turget range some 10 or 20
miles from the post for the purpose Of
obtaining used cartridge shells and
lclp and chen go through the town nr-
Ing from 100 20 100 shells into houses
whore women and children were likely
to be killed. should actually kin ON,
man and attack the police Of the towI
and nearly Kill its Lieutenant, and
should then sprinkle the cartridge
shells and lips on the streets OF thi
town. all merely for the purpose o.
making a case Of murder and rio
against the eplored troops and OF thll
securing thctr removal in the intcrcs
OF the towns people whose lives hat
been thus taken or endangered, Is s'
grotesque I'm its improbability and ab.
surdlty as hardly to cah FOR discussion
I or comment"
The Secretary upholds vigorously this
right OF The President "to dischorg'
without honor" any soldier whose ser
b vce has not been honest and faithful
] citing the statutes governing ats
charges and the various previous rul
. ings Of the War Department in llkl
q instances.
7 Answering Senator Foraker's arsr
- ment that The President had no righ
to issue the order in question, because
II he had, ne might with equal righ
dishand -he entire army, Secretar'
Taft says:
There Is clear distinction betweei
disbanding a company, a battalion. O
regiment. and the discharge o
certain OF its members. This ordc
named the persons who were dlscharg
ed. and aid not embrace all member
: Of the three companies. Immcdiatei,
, upon the discharge Of these men al
, order was ISSUED filing up the thrc
, companies by transfer from the othe
companies Of the regiment, so that tn
, entity and service of the companie
are continued n the army. and doubt
less by proper recruiting, will soon b
brought up to the usual number 4
each company"