Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-16
Senator Lodge Upholds Presi-
dents Action in Dismissing
Negro Soldiers
CONDEMNS THE FORAKER BILL
Lodge Favors Passage Of Measure De-
sired by Roosevelt and Permitting
Reinstatement Of Negroes Proved
Innocent of compIieity-The WASH
inston News.

the Brownsville affair and preliminary
action looking toward censure for
President Roosevelt because Of his ut
terances in his message criticizing
congress for its action in curtailing
the work Of the secret service, were
important features Of the days work
in the senate.
Without discussion, the senate
the secretary of war for various in
formation concerning the employment
of detectives for use In the Browns
vile affair. The Brownsville affair was
discussed in the senate today by Lodge.
who remarked that he would make no
reference whatever to the report OF the
investigation referred to by the presi-
dent in his recent message to congress.
In opening his speech on the Browns
vile affair, Senator Lodge referred to
two questions to be discussed in this
connection, one relating to the guilt
or innocence Of the soldiers, and the
other to the bill presented by Sena-
tor Foraker compelling the president
to restore these soldiers to the army.
after hearing and examining all
the evidence, not only that taken by
the senate committee, of which ] was
a member, but that taken before the
Penrose court martial and before the
citizens comittee," said Mr.. Lodge,
referring to the shooting affray in
Brownsville on the night Of Aug. IL.
1906, 'I have come to the clear con-
clusion that the shooting was done by
soldiers of the Twenty infantry.
stationed at Fort Brown"
This, he, said, was also the conclu-
sion Of the citizens COMMITTEES of,
Brownsville, and Of the Penrose court
martial. 1t was also the opinion Of
a decisive majority of the senate COM
mittee on military affairs.
'"rhe proposition" he said. "declar-
ing that the weight Of the testimony
shows that none of the soldiers Of the
Twenty fifth United States infantry
participated in the shooting ARRAY,
was rejected by vote Of II to 2 and
the proposition that, in the opinion OF
the committee, the shooting was done
by some soldiers belonging to this
Twenty fifth infantry was adopted by
a vote Of to 4, one senator not vot-
ing. Thus 1t will be seen, that every
official body which has heard the testi-
mony has decided that the shooting
at Brownsville on the night Of the 18th
Of August, 1906, was the work Of SOL
diers Of the Twenty-flfth infantry"
Mr.. Lodge declared that while there
is a great deal Of evidence that the
shooting was done by the soldiers there
is no evidence whatever that 1t was
done by anybody else. There is, he said,
no physical impossibility of time, dis
tance or alibi to prevent our attribute
ing the shooting to the soldiers.
Z Self selected champions of these SOL
Sdiers in various parts of the country
sought, he said, not for equality before
the law, but for special treatment for
the Brownsville soldiers on the ground
of race "As friend of the negro race
I deplore the agitation which had this
end in view,' he said, "these soldiers
are entitled to the same treatment as
soldiers and citizens that white men
would be entitled to, neither more nor
less" He deplored any appeal to SYM
pathy for criminals, which he said has
become the fashion of the time.
He favored the Warner bill which al
lows the president to restore the inno-
cent to the army whenever he is salts
fed that any of them were blameless.
He condemned the Foraker bill which
he said attempts to force back into the
army not only innocent men but men
who were guilty of a serious crime. He
made an exhaustive argument on the
unconstitutionality Of the Foraker bill
which obliges the president to re-enlist
these soldiers whether he thinks they
ought to be re-enlisted or not Such
an act would be an encroachment up
on the constitutional rights of the
president. 1t would be subversive of
discipline in the army.
Senate Gets Secret Service Resolution.
Washington, Dec. Ex-senator AID
rich today introduced a resolution DID,
recting the committee on appropr1a-
tions to consider that portion of the
presidents annual message dealing
with the secret service.
The Aldrich resolution calls upon the
committee to make thorough inquiry
into the subject by the sub committee
or otherwise. The committee is given
authority to sit during the recess of
congress and to swear witnesses. It
will be considered tomorrow.
The senate adopted, without division,
the Aldrich resolution, with an addi-
tional clause suggested by Culbertson
that the committee be required to re-
port "W!hat action, If any, the senate
should take with reference to the mes
sage"
Garrett Amendment Lost.
Washington. Dec. 16.-The house de-
feated by eighty-nine to 103 the Car
rett amendment to the penal code bill.