Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20
FOR BLACKBURN
AMENDMENT
President is UnequivocalIy in
Favor of 1t.
so INFORMED HIS FRIENDS
Disclaims Responsibility for Split in
Republican Ranks.
CRISIS IN PARTY AFFAIRS
May Mean the Beginning of Open
Hostilities Between Senate
and Executive.

President Roosevelt is fatty and
unequivocally for the Blackburn
amendment to the Foraker resolu-
ton providing for an investigation
OF the Brownsville affair.
He tells his senatorial friends that
he did not bring about the split in the
republican ranks that has been Gre
ated by and will be widened if the
Blackburn amendment is forced,
and he feels no responsibility for
such split.
He does not care snap about the
fact that the Blackburn amendment
is democratic measure, and that it
will be passed, if it passes, by demo-
cratic votes, aided by the personal
friends and supporters of the chief
executive in the upper house of Con-
gress. On the contrary, he appre
ciates the support of the democrats.
Issue Squarely Drawn.
dent to the much-discussed Blackburn
amendment Without clubbing words the
President made known his position yes
terday to several of his senatorial callers
and particularly to Senator Lodge, his
personal friend and well wisher. His posi-
ton draws the issue squarely and fairly
between his friends on one side, aided by
democratic backing, and his opponents on
the other.
1t is learned that the President has been
informed that there are enough votes in
the Senate to pass the Blackburn amend
ment, and this information was a source
of intense satisfaction to him. He was in
the best of humor all of yesterday at the
position some senators will be placed in
when they come to vote on the amendment
Opposed to Tabling Amendment.
When the President saw the difficulties in
which the Blackburn amendment had
placed the republicans he showed no in
clination TO approve any step that would
change the situation and was emphatically
opposed TO permitting the republicans to
table the amendment. He wanted to see
a test vote on the question of whether he
had exceeded his authority, and the Black
burn amendment furnished the opportun-
ity.
The President was quite positive in his
statements to his callers that he was in no
way responsible for the condition of affairs
in the Senate on the Brownsville question
and consequently he could not feel that the
blame would be on him if a serious split
is made i'll his party.
Crisis Now at Hand.
1t was said in congressional circles last
night that II President Roosevelt adheres
10 the position outlined in the foregoing
and insists upon the adoption of the Black
burn amendment it will produce a crisis in
the republican party, the end of which can
not be now foreseen. Indeed, republican
senators viii be loath to believe that the
- President is prepared to go to the extreme
that adherence to this position involves
1t is contended by those Senators who
stood out against the original Lodge amend
ment, of which the Blackburn amendment
is an echo, that there is no necessity in
the circumstances for the Pre-. lent to
push the demand for the Blackburn amend
ment TO the point of coercing republicans
who have deliberately resolved that the
subject is not germane, into supporting him.
on the plea of vindcating the executive
or of abandoning their convictions and
backtracking on policy of party and
parliamentary procedure which had been
deliberately decided upon
II was said last night that if the Presi-
dent persists In this course he will pre-
Cipitate a clash between republican fac
lions altogether needless and absolutely
uawarranted by the conditions that exist.
This is true, ii was said. because of the
fact that negotiations were fairly under
way and promising success, which would
have averted the issue and passed the
question OF yindicatlon of the executive up
to another occasion when it would be more
IN order tn consider IL
The view OF the republican managers in
the Senate has been that there is positive
~ no occasion for bringing up the question
of 'vindication" at this time. The Presi-
dent. 1t was pointed out, is not trial
under the Foraker resolution. The only
question therein involved is an nvestiga-
ton of the facts attending the Brownsville
outbreak. and proposition to afford an
opportunity TO hear the case of the dis
missed soldiers.
The republican managers in the Senate
refused to permit Senator Foraker to drag
in the question Of the constitutiopaIity of
the Presidents action AS originally con-
templated. Senator Foraker's resolution
would have left the way open for touching
upon the constitutional phase The repub-
lean managers, foreseeing trouble and
claiming that such an inquisition was for
eisn to the main purpose Of the resolution,
compelled Senator Foraker to abandon that
side OF his proposed case and to confine his
resolution tC an inquiry into facts.
They likewise, when Senator Lodge tried
to break in with an amendment indorsing
= the consttutionality of the Presidents ac-
ton. ruled him out on the same ground and
agreed upon a compromise-to which Sena-
tor Lodge and Senator Foraker were par
ties-that omitted direct reference to the