The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-04-11
FORAKERD[FENDS
HIMSELF; SLURS
The PRESIDENT
OHIO SENATOR HoTLY RESENTS
BEING CALLED TO ACCOUNT
BY ROOSEVELT.
REVIEWS TROOP TROUBLE
Condemning Their Discharge and
Telling Of Investigation He Has
Conducted-Necd of Moral
Regeneration.

Canton, Ohio, April 10.--In th
presence Of 200 people, Senate
Foraker tonight delivered an address
in which he defended his action as
servant Of the people of Ohio and de
clared that he is willing to abide by
their decision in the future. The
occasion was the annual banquet OF
the Canton Board of Trade
Senator Foraker was on the pro
gram to deliver an address on Civic
Pride" but his speech was largely
directed to his work as senator and
the de- laration that he means always
10 do hs best in his own way
Senator Foraker discussed pub
lished statements regarding the Presi
dents attitude toward the senator's
speech at this time replied to publ
cation mentioning him as one of an
anti-Rooseyet combination, reviewed
| tho investigation of the discharge of
the negro soldiers on account of the
trouble at Brownsville. Texas. re-
iterated his views regarding recent
railroad legislation. protested against
| the infringement by one branch of
the government of the lights of an
other branch, declared that the rep
resentatives of the people in congress
are accountable only to the people
and are not properly subject to any
other influence" denied the right of
anyone except his constituents to call
him to account and sounded a note
|of warning against increased surveiI,
lance of business men who need no
moral regeneration"
Tells of brownsville Raid.
Continuing. the senator said: "An.
closed There were numerous meas
ures pending and acted upon with
which the president was prominently
identified. So far as, | can recall. +
supported every one of them There
was one matter, however, about
which have taken a different view
from him. | refer to discharge, with
out honor of the members of com
panies of b., c., and ID. of the Twenty
fifth L. 81 infantry, on account of the
shooting ARRAY at Brownsville, Tex.
This was an incident not policy.
But IL was an incident of such char
acter tha felt II my duty as a rep.
resentative of the people of Ohio to
do with respect to ii what | have
DONE
1t was charged-and the president
made to bclieVe-that certain men of
the Twenty-fifih infantry had made
midnight assault upon the
cleeping men. women and children of
Brownsville; that they shot up the
town, as the expression goes, and
that they killed one man. and wound
ed another, and put in jeopardy the
lives of many. He believed that his
was done by few. but that others
of the battalion kne and refused TO
disclose the identity Of the men who |
did it.
"As result, he ordered that the !
whole battalion should be dismissed |
without honor the innocent and |
guilty alike: the guilty because they
were guilty, the innocent because
they could not be distinguished from
the guilty.
These men had been given no op- I
portunity to be heard. Il seemed TO /
me that no man in this country was |
50 humble that he should not be given \
a day in court somewhere. or some |
time. or some place. to make his de-
fense. confront his accusers. and re /
fute their testimony agains him; /
and especially should soldiers have
the benefit of such hearing.
Il believed that this was their right
under the constitution. ! did not be
lieve that even the president. as com.
mander in chief OF the army. had
power to deprive them Of this right.
Investigation is Justified.
The Investigation has been in pro
gress. it not yet completed. would
prefer not TO speak Of the results un-
il they have been fully determined:
but challenged as am | do not hest
tate to saw that he Testimony so far
taken jUstifies the investigation 7
rannot here and now anaIszc the les
imony. but Il is enough TO say that
the evidence already taken arrants
be belief that no; man In that hat
aiion fired a gun. I DO not believe
my testimony can be secured that
sill refute anything that has been es-
tsblished
But running through ali this con-
.entiOn there Is found another broad I
and important question What IL the
Dffice Of a senator2 Is he a mere
agent 10 register the will Of s1me- I