The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-12

spoke on the BrOWnSNllle incident IN tne
senate today. He characterized the pres
idents action In the matter "as nothing
more nor less than lynching" lie chal-
lenged anyone TO produce an army reg
ulation or article OF war in foundation of
the charge OF conspiracy OF silence. mu-
tiny and treason made against the SOL
ders, although he declared there was no
doubt that. the soldiers We're responsible
for the outrage AZ Brownsville"
Mr.. Tillman held that il was contrary
TO the fundamental principles OF liberty
OF English and American law that the
innocent should suffer because OF the sins
OF the guilty; also, he declared, that
man shall be considered innocent until he
Is proved guilty.
I'm this case" he said. zone hundred
sixty-seven men have been punished,
while not more than 20 have been charg-
ed with participation I'm the crime"
Mr.. Tillman maintained that the negro
troops were sent to Texas against the
protest OF one OF the Texas senators and
the congressman from that district. They
were sent there he continued. with
wholly inadequate number OF officers. rs
there were only five officers for the three
companies.
This was done" Mr. Tilman exclaim-
ed. without any thought or care on the
part Of tho president or secretary OF war
as to the results. The first thought OF the
president was 10 protect the negroes and
punish the citizens by abandoning tho
post"
Especially Major Penrose and Capt
Macklin," Mr. Tillman said, "are shown
10 have acted with gross negligence
and incompetence"
Turning his attention to Senator For
aker, Mr. Tillman declared the Ohio
senator had belittled himself by at
tacking Major Blockson as a man
whose father was a Copperhead.
1T Is useless to deny that the race !
question lies az the bottom OF all this" !
he said 1T is equally useless TO say
these troops were discharged because 4
been treated the same way as white 4
regulars were treated at Athens, o. tho /
civil authorities would have arrested I
those believed to be guilty and the ,
matter decided in the courts. In that /
instance the war department defended /
the regulars. although they had COM
mitted murder. and II was declared /
the troops were the wards OF the ma
tion very proper and right posi-
tion TO take"
The whole issue involved was one
OF race and the president was pri-
narily more responsible than any other
man for tho position the negroes in
the south had taken on the question
of negro rights, said the speaker. who
cited the recognition given 10 Booker
senator added He speaks OF sug-
gestion In his recent message as a mo-
tive for crime. What would calculate
TO provoke the negroes TO crime more
than those words7
"The well known attitude of the ad-
ministration on the social question has
been the cause OF a great and notice |
able change in the demeanor and ac-
tion OF the negroes throughout the
south. and the greater question OF re-
1ationshlp between the races cannot be
much longer kept DOWN.
After predicting In the near future a
race conflict to determine whether the
negro is the equal OF the Caucasian, Mr. !
Tillman continued: Broadly stated. the
white people OF the United States are face
10 face with the vital issue as TO whether
the Caucasian race shall share it's inheri-
tsnce with the other races OF the earth.
In Cuba the question presses for solution
and immediate action. Shall that island
be governed by negroes or white men?'
Turning to the race question in the south
the speaker said: "In six southern states,
(South Carolina Georgia. Florida, Ala
hama, Mississippi and Louisana), In the
aggregate the negroes outnumber the
whites, and in two of them (South Caro-
Nina and Mississppi). the negro preponder-
ance Is very heavy"
After referring 10 the political rights
conferred on the negro, the senator took
up the question of social equality which
ha declared was being encourages by the
president. He said: Take this from his
message on the Brownsville affair: 1t is II
o. the utmost Importance 10 all OF our
people that shall deal with each man
on his merits as man and not deal With
him merely member OF given race;
that we shall judge each man by his con-
duct and not his color
"Consider the full import and meaning
OF these words and then consider whether
or not they are sincere and honest or
whether I'm the fervor Of n fight 10 justify
an unwarranted usurpation OF power and
exercise of executive authority the presi-
dent forgot himself and said more than
he intended or means.
ITO Illustrate. is II possible or desirable
that all consideration OF race and color
shall be dismissed from our minds and
not govern our action: that racial In !
stincts implanted in us by nature are 20
he ignored? BE ignored and all men OF all
races To be judged and treated on the
basis OF individual merit.
us President Roosevelt ready to act up
70 his own theory and have his children :
marry men and women of the other races? ,,
Would he accept n daughter-n-law a
Chinese. Malay. an indian or a negro. in
accord with the doctrines laid down I'm
his message which have quoted? We all
know he would not and while fine words
butter no parsnips.' words like these arc
source OF incalculable evil coming from
such high source"
The speaker declared that Southerners {
were now as ever prepared 10 resist tho
doctrine OF the equality OF the races and a
are resolved TO maintain control OF their
state governments. I
He declared that conditions are grow
Ing moro and more aggravated every day.
Race antagonism increases I'm intensity.
Are things TO drift until direful tragedies
multiply on every hand and blood shall I
fOw like water? Is the statesmanshp OF ,
our time inadequate TO cope with this !
question just as the statesmanship OF :
1850 failed 60 prevent the dire catastro- q
phe OF civil war; That war was fought /
to Settk the race question, but 10 years =
after its termination We find conditions
more threatening In some OF their aspects
than they were In 1861
1T Is high time something was being
done TO have this great and vital ques- q
tion brought before the country In some ?
practical and sensible way The deep in I