Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-12-23
FORAKER

ciHm of the ba. resident Roose-
yeIt's action in discharging the ne
gro troops OF the Twenty-fifth infant
~ on account of the Brownsville raid
He was replied to briefly by Senator
Lodge, while Senator Scott sustained
the demand OF the Ohio senator for
full investigation Of the matter by
the senate military committee.
resolution directing such an investi'
CATION Is before the senate for action
at its next meeting. Jan.
In his speech looking to an invesi'
cation OF the discharge OF the negro
soldiers Senator Foraker said he be-
iieved the president misconcelved his
constitutional power when he dis
charged the troops, and he also mis-.
conceived the testimony on which his
action was based.
Senator Lodge asked an explana-
tion OF the discharge OF 352 soldiers
during the past year without honor,
but Mr.. Foraker contended that these
discharges had not been ordered as a
punishment The cases OF the negro
soldiers was entirely different The
latter had desired to stay In the ser
vice.
Mr.. Foraker agreed that II the men
were guilty 81 murder the punishment
was wholly inadequate: but II they
were innocent. the punishment was
'brutally harsh" and the men will 20
forth branded as murderers. conspira-
tors and perjurers.
Taking up the individual records
OF the soldiers Mr.. Foraker said the
first man on the list was a sergea Il
who had served twenty-six years. Each
time his enlistment had expired his
record was good. and was character
ized as excellent" good soldier"
character excellent" etc.
why. Mr.. President" declared Mr..
Foraker. with great yehemence, An
atrocious crime has been committed.
and even IL that man is not guilty. he
goes forth branded as a murderer"
Mr.. Foraker spent some time in
paying his respects to Major Block
som, who made the report. The major.
he said, was a resident OF GAINESVILLE.
o. His father was an ardent Veiland'
ingham copper head Democrat OF a
school known TO entertain violent an
tipathy TO the negro. Major Blocksom.
Mr.. Foraker continued. had evedinetly
developed an enthusiastic admiration
for one Of the witnesses, Captain Nc
Donald OF the Texas rangers. as evil
denced by the statement in his report
that this man was so brave that he
would charge hell with a bucket OF
water"
Il would like TO cross-examine a man
so brave as that" remarked the sena'
/ tor
Replying TO a question form Sena-
tor Knox as to whether there was no
evidence except that furnished In the
Blocksom report. Mr. Foraker said he
had been unable TO discover any other.
and in this he believed the president
had been misled.
should the military committee be
given authority to examine witness
es." said Foraker, II think ! can get
some testimony that will throw some
additional light on this matter. do
not hesitate to say that | will prom
Use the senate that | can. and know
what am talking about In this mat
ter. am not a boy on a frolic.'
Senator Lodge defended the presi'
dent and secretary OF war. Referring
TO the criticism OF the officers. he said
he believed II incredible that reputa-
BILE army officers would deliberately
falsify their reports because one OF
them was the son OF a Democrat and
another was born In South Carolina.
Mr.. Lodge pointed out that the rec
ord OF the Twenty.fifth regiment show
ed that at four other times since 1883
Il had been involved in similar esca-
pades.
Turning his attention TO the testi-
mony he secured consent 10 have
much OF II inherited in the Congression'
nj Record with his remarks.
Senator Scott concluded the debate
by commenting that he had just been
in conversation with a retired army
officer who had commanded the Tween
ty-fifth regiment for sixteen years and
declared Il TO be as reliable as any
in the service. Negro troops, he said,
were the only ones who never failed
20 win a battle against the Indians.
III have studied the history OF the
Spanish-American war accurately" he
concluded, Il am right on the conclu'
sion that II II had not been for the
Tenth cavalry possibly we would not
today have the privilege OF having
that gallant statesman. that splepdid
president. in the white house"