The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-12-21
THE NEGROES
SAVED HIM
Senator Foraker Attacks the
Presidents Sentence.
SCORES THE DlSMISSA
Roosevelt In Diseharsins Col
ored Soldiers Had Not SUI.
Iicient Evidence.

WASHINGTON. Dec. "a 81 Senator
Foratcr occupied the attention OF the
senate In It's last session before the
holiday recess In an extended criticism
OF the basis Of President Rooseyelt's
action IN discharglng the negro troops
~ the Twcn,y.hflh infantry on nc.
count of tile Brownsville raid.
lie was replied TO by Senator Lodge.
while Senator Scott sustained the de.
mand OF the ohio senator for full In.
yesligatlon Of the matter by the senate
military committee. A resolution d.
recting such AN investigation was In
troduccd by Senator Foraker aud Is
before the senate for action at It's next
meeting.
When the Foraker resolution, which
calls for AN Investigation Of the prcsi-
dents discharge OF the negro troops.
was taken up senator Foraker spoke
In lts support
lie began with the broad declaration
that "the president mIsconccivcd his
constitutional power when he discharg-
ed the troops. aud he also mlSron.
cciyed the testimony on which his ac-
ton was based"
lie asserted that the presidents con.
stIiutional power was simply 10 COM
mand the army and navy n command.
or In chief while 10 congress the CON
stitution gave power 20 raise armies
aud 90 make rules and regulations for
It's government.
The regulations prescribed that no
man could be- summarily discharged
without right 10 be tried. and the
articles Of war. he argued, prescribe
infinitely how these trials are 20 be
conducted.
All punlshments should be In accord
ance with the directions Of court mar
tial. and he contended. after reading
from the articles Of war. II was incon-
ceivable that the president should be
absolutely without restraint.
Mr. Foraker cited cases from the
work Of General Davis on military
law where refusal TO give testimony
was an offense under the head OF dis
order and was punishable by court
martial.
Mr. Foraker went through the evil
dence in detail, reading extracts from
the testimony and eliminating as eye
witnesses" those who said they had not
seen those who did the shooting until
he had reduced the number OF actual
eyewitnesseS to eight As 10 these he
remarked that their testimony WAS tut
terly unsatisfactory and insufficient
10 find the men guilty.
The president says this Is the most
atrocious crime ever committed. If
these men committed the crime and
did shoot up Brownsville. I agree with
him, as have no sympathy with that
sort of thing"
Mr.. Foraker spent some time paying |
his respects to Major Bocksom, who |
made the report. The major he said, |
was native of GAINESVILLE, o. His |
father was an ardent Valandingham |
copper head Democrat Of a school |
known to entertain violent antipathy
to the negro. Major Blocksom, he said,
had evidently developed an enthusiasts
tic admiration for one Of the witnesses.
Il Captain Mcdonald Of the Texas
rangers, as evidenced by the state
mcnt in his report that this man was
so brave that he would charge HI
with a bucket Of water"
IL would like TO cross examine a
man so brave as that remarked the
senator
Mr. Foraker repeated several times
during his speech that he believed the
president had been imposed upon.
But" he added Il believe he is n big
enough man and Just enough man to,
undo what he has done when he finds
out the true situation"
Senator Lodge asked an explanation
of the 3D. discharged from the army
without honor" during the last year,
but Mr.. Foraker contended that these
discharges had not been ordered as a
The men In these cases had been
from the service in lieu Of
punishment by court martial and in
cases where the men would rather take
a discharge without honor than remain
in the service and take punishment
The case of the negro troops was al
together different. They had desired
to stay in the service.
AS to punishment in these cases,
Senator Foraker read the presidents
remark that he regarded the discharge
as punishment wholly inadequate. He
agreed that If the men were guilty Of
murder the punishment was wholly in
adequate.