Amador ledger., 1907-01-11
Washington
Letter.
Washington, December %, 1906.

ion discharged by order of the presi-
dent. This was in no way due to
the fact that the discharged men are
colored. The race question is not in
evidence as far as the new aspect of
the case concerned. This new aspect
is the result of the remarkable speech
of senator Foraker in the senate, on
his resolution authorizing an investi-
cation by the committee on military
affairs. His remarks so far-for he
Will speak again on the subject-have
excited national attention, not only
because of the great legal talent dis
played, but on account of the marvel
ously lucid explanation of the present
status of the case. The senator's plea
Is simply for square deal with no
iavor for or prejudice against any in
dividual. But while this is his
motive, the effect of the facts adduced
by him has been to very successfully
attack the presidents fairness and
impartiality in the discharge of the
troops. That he had not, as he
claimed, undisputed evidence of the
guilt of Ethe troops, the president at
once tacitly acknowledged after
senator Foraker's speech by dispatch
ing to Brownsville an official capable
of weighing evidence to secure fresh
data by which to prop up his hasty
decision. And further rash haste on
the part of the resident was made evil
dent when it was publicly reported
and not as far as known denied-that
he promised to veto any bill restoring
the coIored troops to the service, and
stated if the bill is passed over his
head that he will not obey the law.
This threat, however, has excited only
passing interest for the people seem
to feel that they are competent to see
that no law shall be contemptuously
set aside at the whim of any one.
however high and it is called to
mind that the president has had moth
ing further to say on the Japanese
school question in face of the public
opinion on the Pacific coast, and it is
also remembered that nothing extra
ordinary happened when the senate
at the last session of congress effect
ually disposed of the plan to abolish
the supreme court of the United
States in so far as railroad questions
are concerned.
The presidents seemingly arbitrary
act in the elevation of Doctor Wood
to general rank over the heads of
hundreds who gained their military
experience at West Point, or in the
field and not IN hospital; his per-
sistence in forcing upon Charleston,
South Carolina, negro as collector
of customs in the face of the protest
of the entire business community;
his assumption OF the powers of the
senate in the case of the treaty with
San Domlng, his virtual appropria-
tion of legislative power in tormulat-
ing bills which he sends to congress
with message in their favor after
the manner of a monarch of the old
regime; his famous speech at Harris
burg, Pennsylvania, which recalled
congressman Tim SuIIivan's query to
president Cleveland, "What is the
constitution among friends?" the
latent threat against California in
the recent Japanese question; the
request for arbitrary power to dismiss
officers from the navy; the centraliza-
tion pronunciamento in secretary
Roots speech; and the threat attri-
buted to him, and not yet denied,
that he would exert every means in
his power to prevent the execution
of q law restoring the discharged
troops of the 25th lnfantry-all these
momentous questions and many more
have been forced into prominence by
senator ForakeI's strong speech of
last week. 1t is not that these ques-
tions have formerly escaped notice,
for they have not; but they were left
ID allegiance in the expectation that it
would be possible to allow oblivion
to swallow them. But their character
and tendency have been most vivIdly
illuminated by senator Foraker's S
plea for simple justice, in whose
remarks not the remotost reference
| was made to the vital questions
above referred to.
The reciprocal relations of the
Pacific Coast states and the navy have
| of late been receiving more than
ordinary consideration on the part of
the California delegation. The grow
ing commerce of the Pacific, which
must ultimately be principally be-
tween the United States and Oriental
peoples, and the causes for friction
which such increase in intercourse
will necessitate, render it not only
| advisable, but necessary, that we
should have on the Pacific ocean a
fleet competent to maintain our
rights. Thus far the Importance of an
efficient naval establishment on the
Pacific coast has not apparently been
realized by the administration. But
now another effort will be made to
that end Senator Perkins and con-
gressmen will urge upon the secretary
of the ra7y, Metcalf, the necessity
for at least one great naval station
| on the facilic coast. The logic OF