The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-02

diers of the 18th Infantry were dis
charged without honor by President
Roosevelt for shooting up the town OF
Brownsville. The most notable phase
OF IL has been a decision by the Pres
Ident 10 revoke por ton OF his order
10 discharge as far as 1t relates to per-
petual disbarment Of the discharged
soldiers from civil employment Of any
kind under the government. AS the
order was at first promulgated, none OF
the discharged soldiers could even be
engaged as a faborer on the Panama
Canal. The President received many
protests from Republican Senators
about that clause of the order. They
pointed out to him that he was bar
ring the soldiers discharged without
honor" from privileges which are not
denied the soldiers dishonorably dis
charged The climax came when SEN
ator Knox OF Pennsylvania, formerly
Mr. Roosevelt's attorney general. was
discussing the case with him.
ST can not defend your order because
of that feature of it. Mr. President,
said the Pennsylvania Senator.
Wen, Z viii revoke it, retorted the
President and that is what he has an
z7ounced in a special message to Con-
gress this week Accordingly, as
things stand now, the order has been
modified in two particulars. although
the President announced when he was
on the Isthmus OF Panama that he
would not change the order The first
change was to announce that the dis
charged soldiers could be reeniisTed
provided they would establish their in
nocence OF the shooting up OF Browns
vile TO the satisfaction OF the Presl-
dent.
The Senate debate has had some
notable features also and was preceded
by some notable negotiations There
was an uprising against an amendment
by Sena tor Lodge to exclude from the
investigation the question whether the
President had acted within his legal
and constitutional authority as COM
mandar-in-chief. It was shown that
large majority of the Senate, under
the lead Of Mr.. Lodges colleague. SEN
ator W. Murray Crane of Massachu-
setts would vote against that amend
ment. Mr.. Crane, a great harmony ex-
pert, demonstrated 70 Senator Lodge
that he was beaten on his amendment
ard the result was comproInise'
which is TO be adopted, providing ior
an investigation of the BROWNSVILLE al
fray without saying whether or not the
Presidents authority is to De pfousAa
in question. This compromise was aS-
ceutable to both sides. for the Repuo-
leans. although determined 10 do so
If necessary, did not like 10 go On rec
ord against the President.
Long after the compromise was
brought out Senators have continued
to discuss the legal and constitutions
phases and there have been several
strong speeches. Senator Daniel, DEM
ocrat, of Virginia, took UP strongly
for The President. He asserted lnat
the President, as commander-ln-enaeI
af the army, has abundant authority
IN discharge an enlisted man at VIII
and without a courtmartial- The de-
hate rested there for several days I'll
| Senator Tillrnan of South Carolina, IN
a characteristic speech. denounced the
President with fiery language. declar-
| al thar he had acted without authority,
and furthermore had precipitaied the
/ race controversy by dispatching the
| rsero troops to Brownsville against tbs
nrotest of Texans. MIR. Tlilman lnlnks
the trouble essentially grows oat =,
-. 80 r-os,,erra. Senators have tried
j to keep that phase of it out OF the os-
hate. but Mr.. Tillnan put 1t squareiy
/ before the Senate.
More Senate lawyers are having
/ saw this week Senator Spooner q
wisconsin, conceded to be the ieaulAs
lawyer of all Congress, Is gong -
take m for the President and prepaSo
| a snaech several days ago He wants
10 wait till after Senator FORAKER "a
/ ohio answers the other speakers SEN
a4or Lodge. who continues to De the
/ chs rnrfon of the administration, mas
naan laid nm at his residence with Dao
cold hut he will probably have some
thing TO say about the case before liae
/ debate is over
That is by no means all the warilks
touics before Congress very n1a-
rarfant discussion is in progress over
naval legislation. There is a diVIsioI
/ IF or,iniou whether Congress TINS year
shaiI authorize the building OF two
navy parships or one new warship. ~
naval appropriation bill has YET oeeA
rar,a~ta5 from committee, but LIZ
House seems to be disposed 10 vote 70
b.,t one new warship- Probably II VIZ
/ want that a big warshlp- me seaaaa'
/ is likely TO favor two new al sia.l.a
/ but Senator Hale Of Name, VINO u lh'
| greatest naval expert in Congress, "a,
| vars two warships OF the lo.Voo-eol
/ class. He shrinks at the prospect =
enormous naval expenditures. as lh'
i cost is rapidly increasing SO ina. II
total in a few years may be not slos'
ooo. 600. as now, but half again as inoei !
| Navy officers want more pay altnoush
/ they are well paid now in the view
| of Congress, and they also want q re
i serve list created so that they can Dc
| come aanairaIs earlier in their career
/ Neither of these provisions anectlns
4 the personnel is likely 10 become Ia"
i ERNEST G. WALKER