Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20
ON ROOSEVELT COURT ROW -AvERTEO
Secretary Says Presi- Quiet Settlement of the MARI
Mt is ImpuIsive. borough Differences
BOUT BROWNSVILLE DUKE KEEPS ALLOWANCE
Declares Doubts Execu Duchess May Have Her Children Half
IS Honest Purpose the Time.
LICY OF SINCERITY ROYALTY TAKES NO SIDES
Positive Asserting Blenhem
hts of the NegroTook Duchess Packs Belongings
ntage of Opportunity. Details of Settlement.
TALKS ABOUT BROWNSVILLE
No One, He Declares, Doubts Execu-
tive's Honest Purpose.
HAS POLICY OF SINCERITY
No One More Positive in Asserting
the Rights of the Negro-Took
Advantage of Opportunity.

BOSTON, January 19.-The Brownsville
incident was discussed by former Secretary
of the Navy. John D. Long, at dinner of
the Massachusetts Club, an organization of
prominent republicans, here today. The
speaker offered possible reason for
the Presidents action in this affair what
he termed Mr.. Rooseveits impulsive ma
ture,' and said that it was right, as mat
tiers stand a present for Congress to have
a thorough investigation of the facts. He
referred to the suggestion OIL impeachment
absurd and trihing''
In this Brownsville matter, while there
is very decided difference of opinion as
to the propriety of the Presidents action, y
said Mr.. Long, Il cannot think that any
body doubts his honest purpose. In one
sense the black man is not involved as
such, because the principle at stake per-
tains not to him specially. but to all who
are in the military service. 1t is often
asked what actuated the President to such
an unlimited sweep which, without hear
ing of the parties accused, inflicted severe
punishment, not only on those suspected of
guilt, though not proved guilty on trial,
but Also if there We're guilty ones, on in
nocent and guilty alike.
An Emphatic President
1T has occurred to me that the reason
is perhaps to be found in the impulsive ma
ture of the President, whose impulses, al
ways toward the right are not always
directed with sufficient consideration. No
President has been more emphatic of his
assertion of the rights and political equality
of the negro, for whose sake he has braved
criticism and contumely.
What more natural than that, when oc-
casion came, he should seize 1t to show
that he is quick to discipline the negro
citizen to defend him and that he does
not propose to make fish of one race and
fowl of the other? 1t was an honest If a
hasty impulse.
Everybody knows that had time been
taken, had efficient means of detection been
set at work, had advantage been taken Of
the leaks which were sure to open in a
matter of which so many are claimed to
have had knowledge, the truth could have
been got at and the offenders found out
A Duty for Congress.
'Of course, it is right and fitting that in
the present posture of the matter Congress
should, as now proposed. have a thorough
investigation of the facts, with full hear
ing of all whose rights and fortunes are
involved, and if innocent men have suffer-
ed do them justice. And surely nobody
will then be reader to do 1t than the Presi-
dent. who by his manly withdrawal of that
part of his order which in his haste was I'M
properly included in it has again shown his
readiness to correct an error
AS to the question of impeachment Mr..
Long said
The idea is absurd and trifing. move
ment in that direction would be laughed out
of sight. The country had enough of that
business in the impeachment of President
Johnson, with whose case this present one
is as a fan to a hurricane. An impeach-
ment would be foolish; an inquiry sensi-
BILE