New-York tribune., 1907-01-13
TILLMAN ON NEGROES.
ATTACKS THE PRESIDENT.
Goes OUer Whole Race Question IN
iSpeech on BroUnsUiIle.
[From The Tribune Rureau.J


often uncouth and his charges were bitter, the
speech as whole markedly conservative
and temperate as compared with his own
Her efforts in the Senate. He divided his re-
marks into three sections, the first attack on
the administration. the second discussion Of
the legal phases of the Presidents order Of dis
x1dssal and the last a discussion of the ques
tion.
The gravanen of his charge against the
president, whom he declared to be more re-
sponsible than any other one man for the
Brownsville outrage. consisted of the assertion
that President Roosevelt had consistently. and
on all possible occasions educated the Negro TO
believe that social equality his right, that
he had in various ways taught the Negro SOL
3!er TO believe that the uniform of the United
States was "a badge of nobility" and that any
discrimination against wearing the uni
Torm. regardless OF his color, 'fnfamy."
2iaving 'Inculcated these ideas in these troops"
Hhe Senator from South Carolina charged, and
IN spite Of the ia. that he knew TO exist in the
South a race prejudice which he could not REM
edy, the President sent the Negroes to Browns
willie in the face of protests of the people and
1heir representatives in Congress, and the logi-
cal result followed
Mr.. Tilinan referred to the record of the 25th
fnfantry's various ARRAYS, and declared that the
President knew they were a Iawless brutal
lrnurderous set Of cutthroats. and they were
sent 70 Brownsville in spite OF their known rec
ord"
CRITICIsEs 25TH OFFICERS.
Senator Tillnlan criticised the officers of the
2tfh and the tardiness of the War Department
in ordering their trial by court martial, which
he said had been secured only by "the prodding
'of the Senator from Ohio, Mr.. Foraker, and the
ansistence OF the press" He paid high conpli-
snent 10 Secretary Taft, but criticized his ap-
parent Inconsistency because the Secretary had
incorporated In his annual report the argument
OF General Atnsworth that after the Browns
Vile affray the Secretary could not well order
The 26th to any new post IN the face of the
protests Of the residents of the vicinity. The
Senator said no such difficulty had restrained
the Secretary from ordering the men to Browns
vile, despite the fact that three separate times
they had done murder" Mt TillInan alleged
that when Governor General Of the Philippines
aMr. Taft had written letter TO the Secretary
of War, urging that because Of their conduct,
the Negro troops be returned to the ISL
ands. and that they had all been ordered
there Mr.. Tillman also criticized the policy
OF leaving the post at Brownsville with only
Hye commissioned officers.
In the beginning of his remarks Senator TILL
man announced that he 'onIy a cornfield
lawyer" and IN his discussion Of the legal
phases OF the Presidents order he proceeded to
demonstrate the accuracy OF his assertion. He
was interrupted several times by Senator Gull
berson. but seerned unable unwilling to grasp
the meaning OF the questions put by the Senator
from Texas.
The only other interruption came from Sen
stor Nelson, who demanded whether or not Sen
stor Tnlnan would discriminate against the
white enlisted Mr.. Tilman replied that
. he would not. He would accord TO the white
soldier every right to which the white civilian
was entitled
Then" asked Mr.. Nelson why shouldn't the
colored soldier have the same rights?"
because God Almighty made him black" was
The iaconic reply.
TAKES UP RACE QUESTION.
In she third division of his speech Mr. Tillman
dealt with the race question, reading most Of
his remarks. He explained that when he wanted
TO be respectful and conservative he some
times wrote his ideas He declared that the
Negro was a menace TO the South, and, indeed
% the entire nation; that "the time Will come
under the restrictions now imposed on suffrage
In the South, when the Negro viii control the
vote"
They will outvote u.s." he said 'Can any
Zane man say there Will not then come q strug-
gle for supremacy?
I'VE in the South the crust Of a vol
cano We confronted by conditions of which
you in the North have no conception" said Mr.
Tfllnan, and he then made an inlpassioned ap-
peal TO the Northern Senators to face the situa-
ton frankly and sincerely, and with consider
able eloQuence he advocated the repeal Of the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments
Finally he demanded whether or not the Presi-
Dent was really sincere in his declaration that
there should be no race discrimination and that
man should be received or rejected solely on
their merfts saying:
els President Roosevelt ready to act I'D to his
own theory and have his children marry men
knd women of the other races?
Would he aooect as a daughter In law a
Chinese Malay, an Indian or a Negro, In ac-
pord with the doctrine laid down In his mes
ags7
IVA Ill know he would not, and while fine
words butter no parsnips' words Hike his are a
Fsurce OF incalculabie evil, coming from that
htgh source"
Not only were there a full Senate and crowded
galleries throughout the speech Of Senator TILL
men, but even the corridors were packed as well,
although the hundreds waiting there all day
could not hear q word Of what was going on in
side. Never before have there been, so many
Negroes In the galleries. They predominated
I'm the free galleries and even in those sections
10 which admission is accorded only by cards
Issued by members Of the Senate. many Negroes
were saEowtched n among the white men and
women In the Presidents gallery reservation
Mrs. Longworth. accompanied by Miss Jean
Reid, was an interested and at times an amused
spectator.
COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENCE
Mr.. TillIpsa prefaced his discussion OF the
question With statement that It resembled a
IN court He said:
Gssn nose enstsc 5s.sne men cf the 18th Regiment
United States Is the prosecutor well the