The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-04
CULBERSON AND FORAKER Ohio Man And the
 Texan HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE Southern Senator Defends Order
 of the President. Also Takes opportunity to Discuss.Racs Problem, Declaring that it Is
 Nation's Question--Action
 Was Postponed.

Senate met today. Senator Foraker's resolution providing for an Inquiry by the Senate into the discharge of the negro troops of the 25th Infantry on accsAlnt of the Brownsville, Texas. epi- sode. was laid Aefore the Senate and Senator Culbersoh made an address on the subject. He said that he would have kept quiet but for the fact that great injustice had been done the peo- pie of Brownsville.
 MT. Culberson said that the conduct of the negro soldiers had been very Irritating to the Brownsville people. and especially to the women. He re- lated that on August 1, last. the day before the shooting up" of the town. a criminal assault had been committed by one of the soldiers on the wife of a reputable citizen, and said that no arrests had been made for this crime. Mir. Culberson defended Captain Mo- Donald of the Texas Rangers. to whom Mr. Foraker had referred because of Major Blocksom's reference to him as . man who was "so brave that he would not hesitate to charge he'll with a bucket of water"
 Mir. Culberson also said that he knew Major Blocksom to be a gentleman.
 In defending President Roosevelt for his dismissal of the troops. Mir. Gull person said the fact that the troops were negroes had had nothing to do with their discharge. Confusion as to the legal questions involved was. he said. responsible fon the statement that the President had no authority to make the discharge. The Presidents consti- tutional authority and the authority given him by the articles of war clear ly covered the case and made his &C., tion legal, he declared He contended that the discharges for criminal of lenses are covered in the articles of war as are also discharges made to effect punishment.
 Mir. Culberson said that there was distinction between q discharge with out honor and a "dishonorable dis charge" In the former case the Pres ident could exercise his discretion as he had done in this instance. while a dishonorable9 discharge should only be made as the result of a eourtmartial He instanced several cases to sustain his position,
 After reading much of the testimony taAten before the Rrownsvtlle grand Jury, Mir. Culberson drew the conclu- sion that the fact that no indictment was returned was not an evidence of the weakness of the case but rather of the fairness of the people of Browns vile. who did not wish to do injustice to the innocent,< The evidence, he con tended. proved beyond doubt that the shooting was done by the negro sol diers. but failed to identify the guilty ones
 Negro Question Most DaaEereus.
 He concluded his speech of an hour and a half by a brief reference to the negro question in general saying 1t had existed from the early history of the country down to the present time and stiIi continued to bs the most impor- tant and the most dangerous question which confronts the American people. Today he said. the. condition of the black race with itsfages of slavery, its ignorance and poverty. excited the deepest sympathy of the great body of the white people of the South.
 Put" he continued. fin spite of the past, with It's conflicts and sacrifices, sorrows and destruction of life and property, this problem is still the great est with which we have to deal. It involves labor. education. suffrage. so- cial order, civil liberty, self govern ment and the integrity of the white race.
 ''The end no man can see. Southrons feel deeply and profoundly on this race problem and its ultimate solution Closing their eyes and looking down the ages, different vistas arise. some- times the black race Is deported; some
 
 in perfect peace, one subordinate to the other; sometimes they turn with un- speakable aversion to blended, cor rupted and inferior race; sometimes there is war between the races--which may God avert-bloody, vengeful war. war which seeks and can only end in the survival of the fittest.
 Tn tho midst of such awful possi- bilities human prophecies are idle but
 r,kx rt.A false hopes In these people, deserves no place in the confidence or affections of the American people.
 "Speaking in part for the people of Texas--and plainness of speech is best 1t is not improper to say that they have dealt farily and generously with the negro in all essentials; in Ilca- ton. in charity. in helpful sympathy and in the protection of life. liberty and property. But would not be can did with you if I did not say that in other respects their purposes are equal ly resohte and unalterable.
 They are opposed to political domi- nation by the ignorant or vicious: they are opposed to social equality with the negro: they are opposed to every tens dency which will ultimately be destruc- tive of the purity and integrity of the white race And above all these, how 
 in the testimony In this case and which to a degree underlies this trouble. which impels me to declare even in this great chamber that they purpose to protect even with their lives what in their womankin6 is the immediate jewel of their souls.
 Senator Foraker at once took the floor, remarking that 1t belittled the present question to make it vehicle for discussing the race question. He did not propose, to discuss that ques- tion or the merits of the Brownsville affair He wanted his resolution adop- ted which would insure further in- ouiry and his present purpose was but to defend himself regarding the criti- cism charged against him for men tisning Captain McDonaid.
 Commenting on Senator Culberson's statement that his (Foraker's) speech two weeks ago had offended certain Texans. and had reflected particularly on Captain Mcdonald, the Ohio SenA- tor said he did not know what Mo- Donald resented unless 1t was the term Gentleman"
 MT. Foraker read from the Cincin-