The Cairo bulletin., 1906-12-20
DEFENDS ACTION
0UST|KC TROOPS
ROOSEVELT DECLARES IT WAS
HIS DUTY AND RIGHT TO
DISCHARGE NEGROES.
PETTY OFFICERS SCORED
For Failure to Give Evidence Against
Men Guilty Of "Mutiny and
Mlrder-- Brings Up the Race
Question.

Washington, u G., Dec l9- Fresi
dent Rooseyel's message dealing
with his action in dismissing three
compaaies Of negro troops furnished
the one topic Of interest in the sen,
ate today A lively debate followed
the reading OF the message as To what
should be done with it. Foraker
wanted ii sent to the military commit
tee with instruction 10 make further
investigations should the committee
deem it necessary, He said that in
reality much chat appeared to be tes-
timony was really not testimony, as
much of ii was not under oath. On
objection from Senator Clay, the sen
ate postponed action until tomorrow
The message was a lengthy one and
had the reports Of various olfieafs
ana investigating committees append
cd The first part of the message
is devoted TO a recital OF the facts
in the case Of The attack on Browns
vile, TeXas by negro soldiers from
Fort Brow9 as reported to him by sev,
cral army Officers sent there for the
purpose
Reply ng 70 the charge that he
evidence against the negroes was not
convincing the president says
No Doubt of Murders.
The effort TO confute this testi- |
mGny so tar has consisted in the aeser- |
tion or Implication that the towns
people shot one another In order to
discredit the sodiers-an absurdity I
too gross to need discussion, and un. 1
supported by a shred of evidence |
There is no question as to the murder +.
az the attempted murders; there is
no question that some OF The sJftffers I
were guilty thereof; there Is no ques
ti0n that many of their comrades /
privy to thu deed have combined TO
shelter the criminals from Justice.
These comrades OF the murdere.s. by
their oWl action, have rendered 4
necessary either to leave all the men,
including the murdererG, in the army,
or 10 turn them all out; and under
such circumstances there was no
alternative, a for the usefulness of The
army would be at an end were we
TO permit such en- outrage to be com
mitted with mpunity
Tn short the evidence proves con
cltsiyely that number of the sol
ders engaged in a deliberate and con
certed attac as cold blooded as II
was cowardly; the purpose being TO {
teIrorize the community, and to kill
or iniure men, women, and children !
in their homes and beds or on the
streets, a7d his at an hour Of the
n ght when concerted or effective re-
sis.an or defense was ont of the
question, and when detection by iden- ,
lGcailon Of the criminals in the :
United States uniform was well nigh y
impossible. So much for the original i.
crime A backer never staiced the o
annals of ore army.
The Crime of Silence.
IT has been supplemented by an
lther only less black, in The shape Of
4 successful conspiracy Of silence for
he purpose cf shielding those who
ook part in he original conspiracy
)f murder These soldiers were not /
school boys on a frolic They were
ull grown mel, in the uniform of he d
United States army. armed with dead p
y weapons. sworn to uphold the laws <
t the United States. and under every u
obligation Of oath and honor not Il
merely 10 refrain from criminalitv.
lut with he strrdiest rgor TO hunt
lown criminality; and the crime they
committed or conceived al was murder
They perverted the power put into c
heir hands 10 sustain the law into n
he mrsf deadly violation Of the law a
rhe non-commissioned officers are Il
responsible for the disc al
lime and good conduct Of the men: ti
hey are appointed to their positions o
or the very purpose Of preserving
his discipline ald good conduct. ami
4 detecting and securing the punish
nent # every enlisted man who does
that is wrong OF
Yet some Of the non-commiss o1ei rs
hicers and many of the men Of the a
hree companies in question have "
anded together in conspiracy to m
rotect the assassins and wOul-be as al
assins who have disgraced their uni u
Drm by fhe cOnduc; above related
Iany Of these non-commisFioned on -
err and men must have know. and y
D Of them may have known. c.rcum-
iances which would have led TO the
onviction Of those engaged in tae ~
assault They have st0lid- "
r and a. one man broken their oaths -
T enlistment and refused ~ help dis e
over tbe criminals.