New-York tribune., 1908-12-17
PRESIDENT DEFENDED
SENATOR LODGE SPEAho
ON BROWNSVILLE.
Declares Guilt of Negro Soldiers
Prooed-Says Foraker Bill Is
unconstitutional.
IRON The Tribune Buresu.

Washington Dec. Ex-senator Lodge oehN-
cred powerful address on the BROWNSVILLE al
FRAY to-day, and. despite the fact that the SUD
sect seems somewhat thresdbare. the galleries
were filed 70 overfoving, and as he proceeded
the Senate gradually filed and members gave
him the closest possible attention There were
no flights Of oratory in Mr.. Lodges discussion
Of his subject but there was not superhuous
word. and the intense earnestness with which
he EXPRESSED himself and his perfection Of enun-
cistie0 and delivery made up for any lack OF
oraforical display.
NJ Lodge addressed himself to two PROPOSE
tiors-frst that the evidence demonstrated De
vond reasonable doubt the guilt Of the negro
soldiers and. second. the unconstitutonahty OF
snv measure which sought to restore to the
army bv legislative act the men the President
had discharged without honor. Incidentally
Afr. Lodge delivered powerful homily on sym
rsttv with r7urderers and an eloquent warning
against the danger OF the legislative branch of
the government encroaching on the prerogatves
Of the executive branch.
So clearly and effectively did Mr.. Lodge set
forth his contentious that many Of the ablest
LAWYERS in the Senate declared that he had
proved both beyond doubt, and it is no eXag-
reration to say that had Z vote been taken on
the two propositions when he finished speaking
there would not have beer more than half a
dozen negative votes in the Senate.
SENATOR LODGES ARGUMENTS.
after hearing and examining all the evi-
oenoe not only that taken by the Senate COM
rnittee. Of which I a member. but that
taken before the Penrose court martial and be
fore the citizens committee" said Mr. Lodge,
''T have come to the clear conclusion that the
shooting vas done by soldiers Of the Doth In
fantry. stationed at Fort Brown This, he
said. was also the conclusion Of the citizens
committee Of Brownsville. Of the Penrose court
martial and Of a decisive majority Of the Sen
ate Committee on Military Affairs
The proposition Mr.. Lodge said ''declar-
ing that the weight Of the testimony shows
that none Of the soldiers Of the Doth United
States Infantry participated in the shooting
sfray WAS rejected by a vote Of II to >. and
fhe proposition that in The opinion Of the COM
rnittee. the shooting was done by some soldiers
belonging 10 the 18th Infantry adopted by
& vote Of 6 to 4. one Senator not voting. Thus
Il viii be seen that every official body which
has heard the testimony has decided that the
shooting at Brownsville the night Of Au-
gust 13 1906. was the work of soldiers Of the
18th Infantry
Nj Lodge declared that while there is
great deal OF evidence that the shooting was
done by the soldiers there is no evidence what
ever that il was done by anybody else. There
distance OF alibi TO prevent attrbuting the
shooting 10 the soldiers In fact" he declared
1T was ca sIer for the soldiers to do il than for
anybody else. because they were both armed
and organized. Motive not lacking. Some
Of the soldiers had had trouble with some Of
the inhabitants. Justly unjustiy, some Of
them had been maltredted by some of the in
habitants and they had felt, in greater OF les
scr degree. The bitterness Of race prejudice
Their freedom Of movement had just been cur
tailed owing 10 an affair in which a white
woman was involved. They were suffering,
therefore for the moment from the troubles
which had arisen between them and Of
the people OF Brownsville"
Nr Lodge referred to the testimony Of wit
nesses TO show that eleven men appearing be-
fore the Senate committee. before the Block
som and Purdy inquiry OF in the Penrose court
martial testified that the men who did the
shooting were recognized by them soldiers
ard negroes Five witnesses recognized them
as soldiers and six witnesses recognized them
as negroes by their voices. He added:
submit that that Is a mass OF direct evidence
Sufficient to sustain any Affirmative proposition
~ oougt ana 1ol - 40 Pe sSre b rgbt ~ sn6 me-
ences that al these Witnesses were lying because
moon. The Identification Of the persons who did
the shooting soldiers and negroes by no less
+nar twenty-five witnesses certainly furnishes.
fsr IS human testimony goes. ample for
xttributing the acts complained Of 10 members OF
The testimony is overwheIminS-so overwhelming
frat is worth while discussing The details
the barracks and proceeded thence through the
'ovn about $40 Yards. ana then gradually ceased
tcvn. All the marks Of bullets were upon houses
Al uzu wH - n