Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-23
FORAKER TO NEGRO VOTERS
SAYS THEY HAVE AN ISSUE In
BROWNSVILLE AFFAIR.
May Demand of the Candidates in
November Pledges Regarding
Colored Soldiers.

Senator Forakers letter to Mr.. John
the prospective attitude of the negro vote
of the country and explaining Senator For
aker's reasons for postponing action on
the Brownsville case was very freely dis
cussed in the Capitl today. The opinions
expressed varied in tenor. but the gen.
eral idea was that the letter may have i'm
portant bearing upon the election.
Senator Foraker's Letter.
land follows:
Il have your letter of May IS and do
not know how better to answer your in
quiry in regard to the postponement of
the Brownsville bill than by quoting from
a letter written by me day or two ago
to Mr.. Richard D. White of Cambridge.
Mass, in answer to a similar inquiry.
"On this point said to Mr. White:
with the President active in his oppo-
sition. personally importuning senator's,
Was unable to get vote. even If | sue
ceeded I'm getting the bill before the Sen :
ate, and unable to pass the bill If | did
get a vote. AT most. ! could get assur-
ances of only thirty-five votes, and some OF
these were wavering. 1t was necessary
to have forty-seven. A vote at this time.
hope of restoring the soldiers.
'Postponement was better, because. In
the first place, IL could not be worse. and
i'm the second place. it keeps the subject
alive and in practical form for consider
at ion during the present campaign. The
whole country knows that the Brownsville
subject has been narrowed down to a
question of my bill. which means complete
restoration; or the Warner bill which
means whatever the whim of the PreSi-
l1,f tn nj NJ
satisfied. would be very little, if anything
Veto Threatened.
LAS late as April u he wrote to Senator
William Allen Smith of Michigan that he
thought many. If not all, of the soldiers
guilty. and that there was no more eX
cuse for sympathy with them than there
would be for sympathy with Czolgosz or
t,uiteau. and that my bill meant only to
force lot of murderers and perjurerS
hack into the army. and that he would
feel ir his duty. if we passed the bill 10
veto il. and if We passed ii over his veto
he would refuse to enforce 1t.
IL have no doubt of passing the bill in
December because enough republicans
have promised me that If J would allow
the bill to go over until then they would
at that time vote with me to pass it, but
in view Of the Presidents frame of mind
and his expressed purpose to veto the hill
vote and this brings up feature of this
newly made situation that I hope. will
enable us 10 get this additional strength.
Chance to Pledge Candidates.
eff the bill had been voted upon and
defeated at this session the colored voters
Of the country would not have, had any
means of showing their dispieasure. eX-
cent bv voting against the party in a
shirt of revenge. Now, with the bill
nostnoned they have at least living is
sua and they nave right TO demand OF
renubljcan candidates for office. including
our candidates for President and Vice
President and all other candidates for re-
election 10 the Senate and the House of
REPRESENTATIVES that they will pledge
themselves 10 support the Foraker bill. In
this way the i0RN.GW colored people of
the United States can greatly help not
only the soldiers but the whole race. by
cous;po themselves 10 he felt and ap-
nro,i.ted as they never have been before.
WHEN they come to realize their opnor-
,n,;,y think they will al he proud to
taEa a direct and effective part in what
should be 70 them labor Of love
81 am a firm believer In the intervention
of Divine Providence IN the aHalrs "l
mo-, While pcstponsuent was 10 me-
hit,ar aud reluctant conclusion. yet | feel
thar after all il was of God s ordering
ond that in due time We shall all see and
apnreciate that what now appears 10 De so
di.anncinting and disCourag'ng is for the
best
TO Mr. White will answer your INQUIRY
and that the answer may be satisfactory,
remain.
II f FORAKER"