The Mena weekly star., 1908-04-16
FUR NEGRO SOLDIERS
SENATOR FoRAKER MAKES HIS LoNG-PRoMlsED ADDRESS ON
 BROWNSVILLE AFFAIR.
GALLERIES WERE FILLED WITH VISITORS
In Speaking of the Investigation tho Ohio Senator Said Ii. Had Not Been Intended to Embarrass the Presi- dent or Anybody Else--opposed the Warner Bill.

Washington, Apr 15.-A careful an- alysis of testimony taken in the in- vestigation of the shooting up of Brownsville. August 1914, 1906 and an argument in favor of the re-enlistment of the colored soldiers of the Twenty fifth regiment, United States infantry, was made in a speech delivered Tues day by Senator Foraker of Ohio. The senate gave an attentive hearing and the galleries were filled with visitors, the majority of them negroes.
 Before entering upon this labor" said MT. Foraker. it may not be amiss to remark, in view of the many mis- statements that have been made. that the purpose of this investigation has not been to embarrass the president or anybody else; nor has 1t been to make any capital of any kind, political or otherwise, against anybody or for any body"
 The senator reviewed the various in- cidents and orders that led up to the discharge of the men without honor Most of the witnesses against the soldiers he said, testified four different times. Their testimony so given is sufficiently contradictory to show that 1t is unreliable" he said, but. aside from the contradictions on account of the darkness of the night, many things that they testified to could not have possibly been observed by them.
 The circumstantial evidence against the soldiers concerning the shells and bullets after the shooting, turned out, MT. Foraker declared, to be favorable to them because of the impossibility for them to have had such ammunition without that fact being developed in the examinations that were made. Be sides this. no adequate motive-in fact. no motive whatever Is shown for such an assault on the town.
 MT. Foraker compared bills pending before the senate providing for the en- listment of the soldiers, one intro duced by Senator Warner of Missouri, giving the president authority to re- enlist them If he should be satisfied that they did not participate in the affray and that by MT. Foraker making re-enlistment mandatory upon the sol dier taking an oath that he did not participate or know anything of the guilty parties concerned in 1t. MT. Foraker's bill also annuls the record of discharge without honor, provision
 not included in the Warner bill, and annuls the presidents order debarring the men from enlistment in the navy. Regarding the discretion given the president in the Warner bill, he said:
 He concluded with a very compli. mentary reference to the colored sol diers.
 'Ihey are." he said, typical repre- sentatives of race that has ever been loyal to America and American insti- tutions; a race that has never raised flag; a race that has contributed to the nation tens of thousands of brave defenders, not one of whom has ever turned traitor or faltered in his fidel- ity. In every war in which we have per mitted them to participate they have distinguished themselves for efficiency and valor. Faithfully, uncomplainingly, with pride and devotion. they have performed all their duties and kept all their obligations. They ask no favors because they are negroes, but only for justice because they are men"