Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-12
SENATE
At WAR
Negro Incident Text
For Attack on
President

pears Lnau uluCn leSlSlaLlOn at InlS
short session Of congress-the last
OF the Fifty-ninth congress-will be
developed with view to political
possibilities and results. This sug-
gestion, Of course, does not apply to
appropriation bills which will have
consideration on their merits and In
accordance with the requirements Of
the country, but refers to discussion Of
matters that will occupy the time of
congress, and more particularly the
senate, while appropriation bills are
In committees.
Aim to Discredit President.
Briefly stated, the campaign in the
senate will be framed with a view to
discrediting the President and cur
failing his popularity with the people.
This campaign will be led by Senator
Foraker, and the Brownsville incident
will furnish the ammunition. Opposed
to Foraker, and championing the
Presidents side, will be Senator Lodge.
Foraker and Lodge will line up the
republicans and the democrats will be
divided, ultimately casting their votes
so as to do the greatest amount of
injury to the President and the re-
publican party. 1t would be going too
far to declare that democratic sena-
tors are without patriotism or that
they do not hold the welfare of he
common country above everything
else, but 1t is perfectly safe to say
that the great goal ever before the
democratic leaders in the house and
senate Is the overthrow Of the repub-
licans and the installation Of their
own party in the seats of power and
authority.
Strong Backing for Foraker.
Senator Foraker in this campaign
rsill, have potent backing and influ-
once. 1t will be recalled that he
stood alone on the republican side
of the chamber last spring in voting
against the railroad rate bill He
declares that his position was honest
ly taken and that he acted in accord.
ance with the dictates of conscience
and what he deemed to be for the
best good of the people. In other
words he assumed the position that
he was right and the other sixty repub-
ltcan senators were wrong.
But, regardless of the prompting
motive, it is quite evident that he
now has behind him powerful infu-
ences which have as their hearts de-
sire the discrediting of Theodore Roos-
eyejt in the eyes of the people. 1t is
- ssgsaAsary Mere to specifically
mention these forces: they include in
terests and men whom the President
has gone after and "got," and not
withstanding there are many repuD-
Ecans in that category, they yearn for
the undoing of the present incumbent
Of the White House.
Foraker is a fighter, and 1t may be
remarked incidentally that he is a
hard and a clever fighter. He can
see at a glance the weak points in
his opponents position and he is
swift to direct his fire in that direc-
ton. This Brownsville affair appears
to have been the identical issue For
aker was looking for. He jumped
upon 1t like half-starved man at a
Thanksgiving dinner. He is marshal
ling great array Of facts and testi-
mony to be presented to attempt to
prove that the President acted not
only hastily and mistakenly, but I'M
lawfully, as we'll 1t may be depend
ed upon that he will put up great
fight.
Spooner With Lodge.
II now seems probable that Senator
Lodge will have the support of Sena-
tor Spooner at least upon the propo-
sition that the President acted within
his jurisdiction and legal powers in
summarily discharging the colored
regiment. If Spooner enters the arena
upon this. the legal phase of the con-
troyersy. the debate will be even more
interesting this winter than it was last
winter on the rate question. 1t will
net be one-sided affair." numerically.
Foraker will have able supporters on
the republican as we'll as the demo-
cratic side of the chamber and the SEN
ate chamber Is bound to be Uttered,
metaphorically speaking, with hair and
feathers on many an evening.
Tillman can hardly get into this
game. because if he gets in at all. he
is, by his own official record, commit
ted to the Presidents position, and it
can hardly be expected that he will
support the President on a matter In
volving such a question. 1t appears
that ten yetars ago. while governor of
South Carolina, that Tillman issued
an order discharging a company Of
militia of his state dishonorably, in
which he used almost the precise Ian
guage employed by PRECEDENT Roose-
welt in dismissing the eolored troops
Of the Twenty-fifth regiment from the
United States service. 1t is declared
that this record precludes Tillman
from mixing in the affair, a condition
he will doubtless regret
President Holds Cards.
The fact that Culberson of Texas,
has rushed to the defense of the Pres
ident, is not surprising. Colored
troops, whether in good or bad stand
ing, are not particularly pleasing in
the eyes of southern people, and this
affair not only gives certain southern
senators an opportunity to work off
some steam, but it affords an oppor-
tunity to array a great body Of people
against the President for future polit-
ical gain. 1t may be set down as GER
AZ g.