The Washington times., 1906-12-24
Good Chance fOr Resolution.

Good Chance for Resolution.
The general opinion in Senatorial cir
yles is tlat the Foraker resolution viii
pass but tla- before il does 50 there
viii bee 80 historic discussion OF it. Sen
tiuert ou The Senate floor during the
Foraker speech last week. indicated
that e. vote al that time would have
acau overwhelmingly ia favor of pass
ing tine resolution. But there il a gen
riaI HisCunrrptiun OF the resolution. II
does not direct The Senate Committee
'1 Mt-idTE AHIlT~ tu uDuuUcJ further
.HN' SiIstI.plt. ID merely authorizes
y.' rHmmittrr tu conduct such further
investigation rs IN it's Judgment may
uu desirable
The whole thing is really left To the
,"-'tru'n oI she committee The res0lu-
llen as IirSt introduced bN Senator For
'hrI used the word direct" but his
a-tenuou te.nE called To Jh- fact tbat
use OF lliat word was unprecedented. and
might h+ construed aS an afTrour in
tHr committee, he changed H. 20 "au-
tuoTlLc. NOW. in The regular course Of
events without any such resolution the
Hditer would have gone To the military
,nlnmittee. The documents sent TO the
Senate by the President and the Sec
Tglary OF War would have gone to the
MlltaFy Committee naturally. for such
consideration as that committee might
deem lifting. had not Senator Foraker
introduced MS resolution
Foraker G What He Wanted.
This resolution had the effect OF hold
ing them on the Vice Presidents table.
where they suu are. But by lis intro
duction. Foraker got text on which
70 talk and that was what he wanted
II the resolution passes I'm its present
iorm, the committe viii have to sit
40 have further investigation II il con-
ciudes 20 investIgate-and members Of
the committee are of the opinion that.
with Foraker ana scott occupying sec
ond and third places ou the committee
and pressing Tor inquiry, the decision
viii be affirma tVe-it viii still be nee
cSsary. 10 secure another resolution from
the Senate, authorizing the committee
10 send for persons and papers, admin
lister, OaJhS etc. and 20 paw the eX-
penSes from the Senut" contingent fund
In short the point Is made that the pres
ent Foraker resolution has no efficacy
whatever, except that IL gives something
10 talk about
Investigation Dreaded.
The committee. If it were decided to
investigate. would doubtless await the
return of Mr.. Purdy from his Texas
tour. Then, with members of the dis
charged companies. officers of the
Twenty-f1fth. citizens Of Brownsville.
Nr. Purdy. ana other people TO be heard.
the invesuigarion would be a long and
tedious affair. To get IL through at the
present short session. especially when
the committee Will have "A deal of work
on the big fOTtifiCaJions BILL would be
about impossible. Recess SitungS might
therefore be necessary. and that pos
sibIlity begins 10 worry members Of the
committee. Moreover, the problem of
how to finish the work of the session in
two months. when this one eEJTaneOus
matter threatens 10 clog the entire
works. Is serious.
President to Stand Ground.
The President IS going to stand his
ground to the end, There are big con
stitutlonal questions involved. The
President is Cummander-in-Chie Of the
Army. Suppose he has done wrong?
What can Congress do about it? Con-
gress is only another department of the
Government, OF equal rank with the
President Congress cannot discipline
the President 1t might pass legisla-
tiOn To restore the discharged troops.
But nobody dreams that In fact IL
would. If il did the President would
veto il; If passed over his veto il Is
declared by people who have talked 10
him that he would refuse 10 obey and
appeal 20 the courts on constitutional
grounds Then there would be LEFT only
the process of Impeachment an incOn-
CCiVablc contingency.
Senator Warner of Missouri. of the
Senate Military Affairs Committee, said
today when he was asked concerning
the probable action of the Senate in re
gard 10 the discharge OF the cOlored
troops that ne would make no comment
al this time. He said, however. he was
deeply interested in the case and was
now engaged in going over all the evil
denCe with a view TO determining the
facts and what action, II any, the Sen
ate ought 10 take.
Senator CullOm of Illinois. who saw
the President today, but with only
casual reference 10 the Brownsville
matter made IL plain he expected moth
ing 70 come of the present controversy.
What can the Senate do2' he said. II
may refer the matter 10 the Military
Affairs Committee. and that body VIII
then take some testimony After that
ia done IL viii die out"