The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-12
President Wants Negro Sd- diers to Have Chance for
 Enlistment Again
MESSAGE ID THE SENATE
 ASKS FURTHER ACTION
Four Reports Are Presented Upon the Brownsville Matter in the Senate and Senator Foraker Presents
 One of His Own.

washir gton. March 11.-Reports from the committee on military affairs were presented to the Senate today in regard to the investigation of the affray at Brownsville. Tex, which resulted in the discharge without honor of three com panies of negro soldiers of the Twenty fifth infantry. At the same time a mes sage was received from the President calling attention to the fact that the testimony taken by the committee sus- tains his position in discharging the ne- gro soldiers. He recommends extension of the time for re-enlistment of the dis charged men who might be found not to fall within the terms of the order There were four reports from the committee, the majority being signed by Senators Warren. Lodge. Warner, Dupont, Talia- ferro, Foster, Overman, Frazier and Mo Creary. A minority report was signed by Senators Foraker. Scott, Bulkely and Hemenway. The majority report found as follows:
 That in the opinion of the committee the shooting was done by some of the soldiers belonging to the Twenty-fifth infantry; that the testimony fails to identify the particular soldier or soldiers who par ticpated in the affray.e It is stated that there is considerable contradiction in the testimony but that taken as a whole and reconcilins wherever posssFss. ir proves the case outlined in the majority deci- sion.
 Minority Report.
 The principal minority report was pre- scented by Senator Scott and takes the position that 1t was impossible to ascer- tain who did the shooting and makes the recommendation that thes negro sol- diers be restored. In addition to this minority report, Senators Foraker and Bulkely joined in a supplemental report which was presented by Senator Foraker. Senator Foraker's report declared that the testimony of the eye witnesses against the negro soldiers is not reliable and that no motive for their connection with the affray had been shown. He summed up the testimony taken by the Senate committee as follows:
 That 1t wholly fails to identify the par ticular individual or any of them who participated in the shooting; that it fails to show that any of the discharged soldiers of the Twenty-fifth infantry had entered into any agreement or so-called conspiracy of silence' or that they withheld information possessed by them for the shooting; that the testimony is
 
 tain the charge that the soldiers were connected with the shooting and that the weight of the evidence shows that none of the negro soldiers participated in the affray.
 Re-enIistment Bill.
 supplemental report signed by Sena- tors Warren, Lodge, Warner and Dupont, declares that under the evidence 1t is shown that the assault was perpetrated JNrr .f tt.s.1 it is reasonable to believe that all of the soldiers were not concerned in the commission of crime, either as principals or accessories. They recommend that 1t would be justice to restore to all of the innocent men the rights and privileges which had accrued to them by reason Of their previous service in the army. bill Is presented authorizing the Pres- dent within one year after the passage of the act to authorize the enlistment Of any of the men whom he may be sat isfied had no connection with the shoot ing. Senator Foraker included in his report a bill previously introduced, ap- proved and for the same general purpose This bill, however would compel the war department to accept the enlistment of any one of the discharged negroes who makes oath that he was not con nected with the shooting.
 Presidents Message. The following is the text of the Presi- | dents message to the Senate: On December 12 1906, the Secretary of | War by my direction issued the following l order: Applications to re-enlist from former 1 members of Companies B, and D, | Twenty-ffth infantry, who were dis 1 charged under the provisions of special l order No. 266, war department, Novem- l Der g, 1906, must be made in writing and | he nipd aVtdepca al in writing as the applicant may desire | to submit to show that he was neither | implicated in the raid on Brownsville, | Tex, on the night of August 13. 1906. | nor withheld any evidence that might | have led to the discovery of the perpe- 1 trators thereof. Proceedings were begun under this or der but shortly thereafter an investi- | gation was directed by the Senate and | the proceedings under the order was stop | Lped The Senate committee trusted with l Ithe work has now completed the investi- tation and finds that the facts upon l hich my order of discharge of No | Anber g. 1906. was based, are substan- | ed by the evidence. The testimony | ,red by the committee is, therefore, | available and desire to revive the |
 o of December 12 1906, and to have |
 D-ried out in whatever shape may
 cessary to achieve the purpose |
 set forth. any additional evidence
 tken which may be of assistance
 Tuvascertainment of the truth. The
 "it during which 1t was possible |
 te any individual soldier in ac
 >t1r with the terms of this order. l -Ss>a sr expired. I therefore recom-
 assage of a law extending this
 les tso far as the soldiers con-
 affected, until a year after
 of the law, and permitting | .fWHnnent by direction of the l PC IN AsSny man who in his judg
 Ath Arr not to be within the