New-York tribune., 1907-06-21
FORAKER TO NEGROES.
TALKS OF BROWNSVILLE
Dismissed Soldiers Victims Of I'm
precedentcd Injustice, He Says.
lRr TELEGRAPH 70 The rribune.l ]

fBy Telegraph The TribUne-l
Wilberforce OHIO, June Ex-senator Foraker
spoke to-day at Wilberforce University, ne
gro educational institution. His remarks espe-
cialIy those encourag ging the negroes to stand
up for their rights were cheered loudly, the
expression Wen do it" coming from q thou
sand throats. Speaking Of the Brownsville af-
fray, he said that ii the President had right 20
discharge a black battalion he could discharge
a white battalion a regiment, and Buchanan
could have discharged the entire army. He in
iimated that Major Blockson could not be fair
called General Darlington absolutely untitled
10 conduct the Brownsville investigation and re-
1erred to Lieutenant LawrasOn as "a graduate
OF West Point. q native Of Louisiana, and there
fore beyond contradiction of the blood royal"
1t was commencement day at Wilbertorce. ana
the Senator made the annual address. 1t was
made the occasion for outpourlng of Nj.
Foraker's friends from far and near. After an
enthusiastic reception at Xenia the Senator ar
rived here shortly after noon. The demonstration
was even greater than that at Xenia. Crowds
had been making their way here all the morn
ing in vehicles of every description. and fully
five thousand persons had gathered on the col
1ege campus for the exercises.
Senator Foraker began his speech by referring
TO his last visit 10 Wilberforce in 1850. He re-
viewed the events OF this period. both local and
national, speaking OF the Spanish h-American War
and the acquisition OF insuar possessions, as
well as Of the great development of industries
and national power. He gave the negroes Of the
country great credit for having contributed their
share TO The accomplishment of all these great
results, and congratulated them on the success
they have achieved.
After speaking Of the political teachers OF
twenty years ago. he paid warm tribute TO
president Mckinley, and said: ''At that time
Theodore Roosevelt was barely known to the
American people; but he. too, had been laying
the foundations broad and deep. which he
was 10 build the remarkable character that has
enabled him not only TO be President Of the
United States. but TO fl the whole world with
the fame Of his deeds.
He spoke Of the part taken by the colored
soldiers in the Spanish-American war, declaring
that no braver troops bore the flag victory
in that contest than the 9Th and 10th Cavalry
and the 24th and 25th Infantry. They were
REPRESENTED on every firing line. and some OF
them perished in every clash Of arms They
died fighting side by side with the white SOL
6iers and as IL was in Cuba, was il in the
Philippines Whenever there was hard service
TO lie rendered or dangerous duty TO be per-
formed they We're present and did their full
share. They would not claim any higher credit
than their white comrades are entitled to re-
ceive Il would be an injustice to them TO give
them any less credit
After discussing the race problem he took up
the Brownsville affair. saying:
THE investigation has not yet been con-
cIuded We have simply taken recess
Whether there wifi be any further important
testimony no one knows. Because of this un-
certainty I cannot predict what VIII be the
ultimate results All know, however, what has
been accomplished"
He explained that the purpose Of the investi-
cation
/ To give the men a chance to be heard in
their defence.
. To fix the identity Of the soldiers guilty CT
the shooting, if any OF them were guilty.
g. To ascertain and report all other important
facts connected with the shooting which it might
be possible TO establish
After recounting what had been brought out
he said:
.T3ut however it may be as to the question Of
guilt. the fact remains that the men have had
a chance 70 be heard in their own behalf TO tell
their own story. to state their own defence, and
this they have done in q clear, manly, straight
forward way that reflects on them the highest
credit and satisfies my mind that they are VIC
tins of an injustice that has no precedent In
the history Of the American army. do not
question the good faith Of the President or or
the Secretary Of War but when l looked at the
reports of Major Blockson and General CARING
ton and the testimony submitted herewith. on
which the President acted, felt that. whether
II was Intentional or not, he had been misled
I felt that the men had not been given hear
ing and that the little they had been permitted
10 say in their own behalf had been wrongfully
denied any credence whatever
1.-The investigation may prove futile TO estab-
iish the truth. It may never be known who did
the firing, but II will always " known that the
men have at least had a chance TO state their
side Of the case. II for what have done in
their behalf 1 am be eliminated from public
life as has been proclaimed. then let it be known
that shall at least carry with me into private
ESe the consoling satisfaction Of feeling and
knowing that have been rebuked for an action
that shall never regret, but always esteem as
creditable to my heart a man and TO my
90 and duty
Id lrTkufnD I'D DO 1kN fDpTKEC