The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-12-17
Brownsville Case Again.

+ Washington, December l5.-By
virtue of postponement of the sub
iect from May 13 last, consideration
of the Brownsville case will again be
taken up by the Senate tomorrow.
Senator Foraker, who is pushing the
bill for the reinstatement IN the
army of the negro troops discharged
by President Roosevelt for partici-
patton in the Brownsville riot, be-
lieyes that the measure will be pass
ed at an early date.
It will be recalled that the village
of Brownsville, Tex, was shot up =,
on the night of August IA, 1905.
Responsibility for the affray was at
once charged to the colored soldiers
of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, who
were stationed at Fort Brown, ad-
Joining the village. An investlga-
ton by the officers Of the war de-
partment failed to connect any par
ticular soldier or soldiers with the
shooting. It was then charged that
the soldiers of Companies A B G and
D had "entered into a conspiracy
of silence" to protect their guilty
comrades. Accordingly, an. order
was issued by the president dis
missing all the soldiers of these 3
companies from the service without
honor"
The debates in the Senate were
directed mainly to discussion OF
the Presidents power in making this
wholesale dismissal. There was
some discussion, of course, as to
whether the soldiers were or were
not guilty of the shooting, and 1t
was in one of these cross-fres that
Senators Spooner and. Tillman clash
ed in their bitter, controversy on the
race question.
Late in January, 1907, resolu-
ton was adopted directing the Com
mittee on Military Affairs to make
an investigation into the facts con-
nected with the shooting. In the
committee, as on the Senate floor,
Senator Foraker of Ohio espoused
the cause of the colored men. Sen
ator Warner, of Missouri, WAS chos-,
en- to see that the Administration in
terests at the hearing were protect
ed. For four months, with only
few Interruptions, the committee
held almost daily sessions. In all,
1856 witnesses were examined. These
witnesses included army officers, gun
experts, colored and white soldiers,'
residents of Brownsville, and others.
On June IA, 1907, the committee
took a recess. Before the committee
and elsewhere the soldiers siren
uously denied that they were guilty
of the shooting, or that they had
any knowledge as to who was re-
sponsible for the outrage. No wit.
ness was able to identify any par
ticular soldier charged with being
involved in the affray. A majority
of the members of the committee
were convinced that the shooting was
the work of the soldiers, and that
the President was within his con-
stitutional rights in ordering the
dismissal of the three companies.
On May 13 last the measure for
reinstatement of the colored soldiers
came up in the Senate. Senator
Foraker, the champion Of the ne
groes, moved for postponement of
the vote until December. ! After a
motion by Senator Culberson, Of
Texas, to vote on the bill Immediate
ly had been laid on the table, Mr..
Foraker's motion was adopted by
a vote of 62 to 6. The Ohio senator
considered this a victory and gave
out statement in which he said that
while he could not have passed the
bill at that time, he believed that
it's passage was insured by the post
ponement.
There is nothing to indicate that
Senator Foraker has abated his in
terest in the cause of the discharged
men. He is not the kind of man
who quits in the middle of fight.
There have been frequent reports
that he has something up his
sleeve" in the way of specific infor-
nation as to who is responsible for
the shooting. This may not be 80,
but those who are familiar with the
tactics and temperament of the
Ohioan feel certain the session will
be enlivened by a continuation of
the fight for the BLACK Battalion"
YOUNG MEN! If you want TO
know why you should become tele-