The Washington herald., 1907-01-12
AWAITPURDYREPORT
No Vote To-day on Browns
vile in Senate.
PRESIDENT TO MODIFY ORDER
Prohibition Against Employment in
Civil Service VIII be Eliminated.
Senator's TiiIman, Sp00ner, and
Carmack Are to Speak.

Neu-lniOTmed Senators are Of the
opinion that no vote viii be had to-day
on the resolution providing for an in
vestigation of the Brownsville ARRAY by
the Committee on Military Affairs Sen
ator Foraker is inclined to press the mat
ter, but it is not believed that he viii
care % make an issue of il.
Senator Tillman is expected to speak
in the course of the afternoon, and Sena-
tor Foraker may conclude the remarks
he commenced last Monday, but beyond
that it is probable that nothing viii be
done.
The ostensible reason for delay is that
Senator Spooner and Senator Carmack
desire 10 speak on the subject. The real
reason is the desire Of the administration
forces TO get the evidence collected in
Brownsville by Milton D. Purdy. AS
sistant Attorney General. into the Senate
before d vote is taken. This evidence,
with a special message from the PTesi-
dent, viii be transmitted Monday Either
in the message or in an order issued by
the War Department, the President win
acknowledge in effect, though perhaps
not in terms, that he exceeded his consti-
that the discharged negro soldiers should
not be permitted to secure employment in
the civil service. Thereupon the order of
discharge will be modified accordingly.
Told President He Was Wrong.
Friends of Nj Roosevelt, whose sin
cerity he cannot doubt, have impressed
upon him that there was no legal or con-
stitutOnal warrant for the disbarment
feature of the order. 1t has been made
known to the President that the lawyers
OF the Senate, without exception, were
satisfied that he had committed a grave
error in declaring that the dismissed sol
diers should not re-enlist in the army or
the navy or obtain civil employment un-
der the Federal government.
He was told that, while he had au-
thority TO make or rescind civil service
regulations. he was limited in doing so
by the scope of the appropriate statutes.
and there was nothing in any law which
gave him the right to prescribe indi-
viduals from securing employment in the
civil service.
Some of the Presidents most ardent
supporters in the Senate. including law
yers Of acknowledged ability. have felt
Obliged 20 tell Mr.. Roosevelt that they
could not vote 10 sustain his course in
connection with the discharge Of the ne
gro troops as long as he let stand that
portion Of the discharge order which pro
hibited the employment Of the discharged
men in the Federal civil service The
President could not fail TO be convinced
of the opinion in the Senate that he had
gone too far in his action. Just what he
will e.fr- in,
Tesclnd the civil service prescription has
not been disclosed.
From present prospects, the proposed
arrangements for an 2micable agree
ment among the Republican Senators as
10 the terms and scope Of the investiga-
ton resolution viii not be carried out
Senator Foraker. the leader of the op-
position 10 the Presidents action. apDar-
entity has made up his mind to ignore the
compromise resolution proposed by Sem
alOr Lodge, the Presidents principal sun
porter, and insist upon the adoption of
the resolution which he attempted 10
present at the same time that the Lodge
resolution was laid before the Senate.
The Foraker resolution, while having the
same intent and purpose as the Lodge
resolution, is more comprehensive.
Under the agreement tentatively in
force Thursday the resolutions concern
ing the Brownsville matter were to be
voted on to-day, when speeches were
to be made by Senators Foraker and
Tillman. and probably others. Yesterday
however, Senator Spooner notified Sen
ator Foraker that ne wanted to make a
speech. and requested that the Browns
Vile debate 60 over until Monday. as he
would not be ready 10 talk until then.
Mr.. Foraker acquieSced. and ii was ar
ranged also that Senator Carmack. who
wanted to speak on Tuesday. should de-
liver his views on Monday. The prospects
are that there viii be a vote on the
Brownsville resolution late Monday after
noon. Possibly it will not be reached be !
fore Tuesday.
Purdy Fixes Guilt.
There is said TO be much satisfaction nj
the White House over the character Of the |
evidence obtained by Mr. Purdy at
Brownsville. The affidavits obtained by
him are regarded as sustaining the Presi- /
dents contention that soldiers Of the
Twenty-ffth Infantry were responsible for /
the afgray OF August I3 Tt was said yes
terday that the Presidents message and
Mr.. PuTdys report viii be accompanied
by large chart showing the relative po-
sitious of Fort Brown and other places at
Brownsville that figured in the rioting.
Much interest was shown by Senators |
yesterday in Mr. Spo0neT's proposed
speech. He viii defend the Presidents !
course IN discharging the negro soldiers
without honor, holding that a trial by |
court-martiai or examination by a board |
Of officers was not necessary to justify /
this action The prospective revocation |
Of the civil service prescription will save /
Mr.. Spoouer some embarrassment in up
holding the President.
Against swamp Land Reclamation /
Senator L8timer reported from the SEN /