The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-16


 been different. It would have been much better if there had been a court of inquiry, where all of the suspected soldiers could have been examined and the witnesses against them or for them cross-examined. But he thought the question of power hinged on article 4. The Senator said thar it was perfect ly plain proposition to him that this gave to the commander-in-chief the right to so discharge men from the army without honor, and that this rue, in substance, has been in existence as long as the army. The article. he said, covered the entire question of dis- charge, except that it provided that no man can be discharged by the Pres ident as a punishment.
 Discussing the walla Walla disturb ance, which occurred during the ad- ministration of President Cleveiano, MT Spooner contended that If the reg ulation authorizing discharge without honor had then been in effect the four companies involved would have been dismissed and the entire country would have applauded.
 While agreeing with MT. Foraker that the President has no power to punish troops. MT. Spooner defended the chief executive against the charge of usurpatfon in discharging the. soI- diers of the 18th Infantry. Every man charged with a crime is entitled to his day in court" he admitted but at the same time contended that Tn the present case there is no charge to jus tify an Impeachment of the presiden- tial authority.
 Mir. spooner explained the failure to turn over to the Texas civil authorities the perpetrators of the Brownsville crime by saying that 1t mad been im- possible to identify them. In this con- nection he referred to the possibility of lynching, saying that such crime might have been possible in the North as well as in the South. He also spoke of the natural regret of the Presioens | over the course which he had found himself impeIled to pursue.
 Done With Reluctance. Sharing with them, black as they were, the fame of soldier in Cuba, none can doubt that he arrived at his l conclusion with deep reluctance and none can doubt his sincerity in the course he entered upon. he said im- presively. Expressing the opinion that sone of the men of the discharged bat talion were guilty. MT. 6pooner asked what the President was to do In face of the fact that both innocent and guilty stood mute and answering his own question by another stated:
 What town would want the men who were charged with making a night at tack upon defenseless citizens and shooting at women with Government weapons. men emboldened by their suc- l cessful attacks without detection who might commit the same crome or worse ' again?,'
 In view of these facts, he Justified tatha course taken by the President. l The men, continued the Senator, could not have been sent to any other South l ern town, and even Sergeant Afingo l Sanders, with his twenty six years of i To QQF | to South Carolina. the State of his l birth without running the risk of be- | ing shot down."
 Would the Senator want him sent to Wisconsin," asked Mir. TilIman. T would not object at all so far as he Is concerned,' retorted Mr. Spooner. Later Mir. TiIlman asked Mir. Spoon- or to yield to him and the Wisconsin | Senator said he would do so for a oues I ton, but when MT. TilIman began his question with statement, Mir. Spooner said he had not yielded for speech.
 MT. Tillman's question related to the charges against the men for whom war rants were isued and MT. Spooner said an answer would not illuminate the subject at all.
 Again MT. TilIman sought recoeni- tion. but MT. Spooner first undertook to learn. the length of the question he proposed to ask.
 "Pl1 make my question like a buI- | letT" said MT. Tillman.
 l And shoot 1t very slowly sup poser" said Mir. Spooner.
 | The question at last admitted, was
 ted Major Penrose's recommendations ftr the ferreting out of the guilty.
 Begins Rebuke to TTIIpan.
 "The president of the United States will never require any defense from l Al, nP k1, Carolina" said Mir. Spo1ner. He has developed a manner for attacking the | president. I did not intend to branch | ofY on such a discuss'c1, but have never been so surprised by any mans eftitude as I have by that of the Sem ator from South Ca-olsna. He is so filled with animosity for the president 1 and has so often taken occasion to l express 1t that I do not believe his att
 tacks will be taken seriously by the people"
 MT. Spooner declined to yield. He went | on to criticize MT. Tillman for the ] harsh words he had hurled at the pres | ident in untempered speeches which 1 the Wisconsin Senator declared were urgracious and unjust'fed. He com l desnned Mir 1tllman for impeaching fine motive of the president and ridi- | clued Mr. Tillman's claim that ne 1 stood for the fundameL tal principles
 ~ouote me accurately" shouted MT.
 You quote yourself" replied Mir snooner. The South Carolina senator 1 then said that he had declared that it yyas inc fundamental principle of Eng l Iish and American liberty that every
 man is innocent until he has been | proved guilty. Mir. Spooner said that | was the correct principle and that the | south Carolinian, contrary to that prin- ciple. had begun his speech on the race | Question by convicting the whole | black race. He scored Mir. Tillman for | inc sentiment before uttered that We shot 'em; we killed 'em and we'll do 1t
 sgain" He said that frequently he | had heard MT. Tillman utter those sem i timents in defending lynching In the l South. .sWhv do you want to get in2" re- | snonded Mir. Spooner.
 l "Well. I should like to know how much provocation you are going to
 eive A man without giving him | Chance to strike back little" said MT.
 Well get in then" said Mir. spooner. As MT. Tillman started to reply he
 suggested to Mir. Spooner that he had | better sit down a while.
 ''No. l do not intend to yield for a