The Washington herald., 1906-12-04

Ia anticipation OF the adoption by the
Senate of the resolutions offered vester-
day, asking for information relating TO
the discharge Of the negro troops impli-
Gated in the Brownsville disorders. all
available data on that subject are now
being collected, and President Roosevelt
is preparing a special message which will
bo sent to Congress at the same time.
Members Of the two Houses who have
talked with him about the matter say
that nobody, after reading his message.
viii be able 10 arrive at any other con-
clusion than that he did exactly right in
the circumstances.
The Senate had hardly been in session
ten minutes before the dismissal Of the
battalion of the Twenty-ffth Infantry
was up for consideration. The time-worn
ceremony of passing resolutions providing
committees TO notify the President and
the "other House" that the Senate had met
was barely finished when the columnar
figure OF Senator Penrose was seen
facing the Vice President It was known
at once throughout the Senate that some
thing not down on the programme was
taking place. Senators Hale and Cul-
lon, the personihcation of Senatorial dig
nifty and wisdom, had introduced the or
ganizing resolutions. The young Penn
sylvania Senator was not expected to
offer any resolution connected with the
iniative of the session. He bluntly an
nounced that he had a resolution to In
troduce. and asked immediate considera-
Il. ETuf rT,1 1r1~ in, n
mildly deprecatory tone, suggested that it
was not customary for the Senate 10 en-
tertain any business until after the read
ing Of the Presidents message.
Then, I ask for unanimous consent for
consideration" said Penrose.
BY this time the situation had become
tense and sensational The clerk proceed
ed to read the resolution, which called on
the President, 'if not incompatible with
public interests" TO communicate 10 the
Senate "full information bearing upon the
recent order dismissing from the military
service Of the United States three COM
panies of the Twenty Regiment Of
Infantry, United States troops (colored).
All Wanted TO Get In.
Four or five Senators were trying to ad-
dress the chair when the reading ceased.
Senator Warren, chairman of the Military
Committee, wanted 10 have the resolution
go over under the rules. Vice President
Fairbanks. without the slightest effort to
suppress the outbreak, recognized Senator
Foraker. who at once offered the resolu-
ton which he had announced he would
offer as soon as opportunity came. He
then presented It as substitute for the
Penrose resolution. The Ohio Senator's
resolution, directed to the Secretary Of
War and framed in a lawyerlike way, was
more comprehensive and drastic. Il called
for the individual record Of every man in
the dismissed battalion. The resolution
follows.
Resolved by the Senate. That the Secretary Of
War be- and he is hereby. directed 70 furnish the
Senate copies Of all official letters, telegrams, re
ports. orders, SC fled in the War Department
In connection with the recent discharge Of the en-
listed men Of Companies 3. c. and d, Twenty
fifth United States Infantry. together with a COM
piete list Of the discharged. showing the record
o. EACH the amount Of retained pay iunder section
l2l. CO seq., Revised Statutes any, to the credit
Of each az the time O. his discharge the ruling
Of the War Department if any has been made. il
this any other similar ease, 20 the effect
upon bis right % such retained pdy. and also the
ruling Of the VIZ Department, any has been
made In this any similar case, 10 the effect
q such discharge upon the right Of enlisted
to retire on threefourths pay. with allowance
for subsistence and clothing junder section 1850 et
seq 0f the Revised Statutcs. and his right 10 en-
Ter national soldiers home (under section 4s7l et
seq of the Revised Statutesl his right 10 be
buried IN a national cemetery tundCr section 1875 ct
seq uf the Revised Statutes and his right 70 re-
ceiye transportation and subsistence from place Of
discharge 20 his home, as provided for in section
1870, et seq, Of the Revised Statutes; also com
~ -ga al
United states Infantry. from the time Of It's mus
terin 10 the date Of the discharge Of Companies B.
G, and D.
Senator SpOoner. who was over on the
Democratic side engaged in conversation
when Senator Penrose addressed the Chair.
seemed about to dip into the affair, but
COntented himself by simply asking that
the resolution be read again, Senator Al
drich, who also manifested good deal OF
interest IN an apparent attack on the
President, addressed the Chair IN an ex-
cited manner. when II seemed that Sena-
tor Foraker might not be allowed TO offer
his resolution. and demanded that the
Ohio Senator have a chance to present it.
Senator Culiom turned around to Senator
Hale and besought him to stop this"
Senator Warren finally, when an inter
val OF quiet returned objected TO the pres
ent consideration Of the resolutions. and
asked that they lie over under the rules.
without debate, but with an ominous sup
preston of feeling, the case OF the dis
missed colored troops, therefore, was al
lowed TO rest for another twenty-four
hours.
4 Lively Fight Promised.
Senator Penrose having made a request
for unanimous consent. has the right. and
will exercise It to-day at the close Of the
reading Of the Presidents message, to
call up his resolution and urge that it be
acted on at once. 1t is expected that a
spirited and even bitter discussion of the
Presidents action VIII then take place.
Senator Foraker. when sought for an
explanation Of his course, responded, un-
hesitadngly that he simply desired 10
secure a determination Of the question
whether the men of the Twenty-fifth
Infantry had any rights that protected
them from the punishment inflicted by
the Presidents order.
TT is a question" said Senator Foraker,
whether longevity Of service in the army
pension rights. the prospect Of being
taken care OF sin old age in a soldiers
home, and similar advantages incident TO
military service are property rights pro-
tected by the Constitution. Some of US
think they are. My resolution, II adopted
will go to the bottom of the whole mat
ter. 1t calls for the individual record of
every man by the Presidents order-the
length Of time he has served, his pay