Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-20
From Testimony Showed ConcIu-
sively That Negro Soldiers Of
TWenty-Fifth Shot Up Town.
IT WAS HIS MAIDEN SPEECH.
In II Took Occasion TO Express Dis
approval of Effort to secure
Lcnlency for Harry Orchard

Washington April 20.--The ARRAY
at Brownsville, Texas, again called
forth the most intense interest IN the
senate today. Senator Eorah of Ida
no, taking the Ground that the test-
mony showed conch1sivolv that the
regro soldiers of the Twenty fifth regi-
meni shot up the town, gave careful
analysis Of the evidence in tho case
There was AN unusually large number
of senators present on both sides OF
the chamber and they carefully fol-
lived the arguments presented by
Mr. Eur6h
BORAH's SPEECH.
Senator Borah of Idaho who as spe-
cial counsel for that state. conducted
the prosecution of w. D. Haywood
secretary Of the Western Federation
of Miners. whose trial IN the charge
of numbering former Gov. Steunen-
berg attracted wide attention last
year. today found opportunity in his
maiden speech in the senate 20 en-
press his disapproval of bny effort 10
secure leniency for Harry Orchard,
the self-confessed throver Of the
death. The utterance was part OF
speech by the senator on the
Brownsville ARRAY and was made in
connection with a condemnation of all
efforts to condone the offenSe at
Brownsville. 1t was as Follows;
~ cold blooied, inh dman. incarn-
alto devil blows to pieces an eX-gover-
ror upon the door step of his home, Is
caught and confesses, ana before the
grave of the man who died rlartyr
to law and order is green, sentimental
ism puts halo upon the brow of the
blacklist spirit that ever escaped the
oryLts of hell. Men wearing the uni
form OF Il soldier of the Union the in
sigma of government aud the symbol
of Law and order in tho quite of
night. while homes are defenseless.
assault and attempt to murder whole
families and finally succeed in COM
hitting one murder. TO compromise
with such an act or such q deed is
CoWardice. it is betrayal of govern
ment: 1t is an insult to every intelli-
gent and right thinking negro, for il
presupposes he is traitor to his
country and a. criminal Mt heart.
~ ATTRACTED ATTENTION.
The speech was made notable by
many striking phrases of oratory and
attracted general interest. Besides
containing an analysis of the testimony
taken in the Brownsville case it was
in reply to Senator Foraker's recent
discussion of the same subject. Mr..
Borah made very clear his belief that
the evidence established a conspiracy
ON the part of some of the negro SOL
diers of the Twenty-fifth regiment, to
shoot up the town. II contend" said
Mr.. Borah, that the evidence in this
case is simply overwhelming and con-
elusive against the colored soldiers un-
less you resort to the proposition OF
conspiracy which manufactured the
evidence and is evidently the view TAX
en- by the defense"
The morale of the army, he said, is
paramount to any mans right to re-
main in it. If any man in the Twen-
ty-fifth regiment participated in the
riot and If others conniVed at the crime,
by concealing knowledge of ii 10 shield
the guilty parties, then both We're guilty
alike, he declared.
Mr.. Borah called attention TO Mr.
Foraker's suggestion that the citizens
of Brownsville might have shot up the
town to secure the removal of the negro
soldiers.
Now, | confess" he said, that there
might possibly have been desire to
attack the soldiers. but IL seems that
this conspiracy. ii it had an existence,
would not have turned its guns upon
its own people"
TESTIMONY REVIEWED.
Mr.. Borah reviewed at length the
testimony in the case and then an
nounced his conclusion that ut dis
closes the guilt of certain members of
the Twenty fifth infantry as partici-
pants in the Brownsville affair beyond
a reasonable doubt"
Mr.. Borah dwelt upon the enormity
of the oltense and the necessity of con-
dign punishment, saysing:
NO more serious charge than this
was ever made against soldier of the
United States. For less offenses many
a soldier has been condemned and
shot at runsrise. 10 my mind 1t was
treason; II not technically so. II Is NOR
ally treason in most aggravated form,
In these times, when an air of dis
loyalty perVades certain parts of the
social life OF the nation; when AN ele-
ment which lives upon lawlessness.
strife and murder, raises it's treacher'
Gus hand here and there, playing with
human life as with toy when the
doctrine Of riot IS preached ms a tenet
of party organization-under such
conditions. to find this spirit OF lawless-
ness. this appetite for crime, in our
army the body which is TO maintain
the flag wherever II floats-ls startling
beyond all words to express.
IlHnlHk lhMifNHltHH lltlt 40 close
to the vital forces of this government
what was the duty OF those entrusted
with the power and responsibility of
dealing with IL? Strike IT down; assert
the majesty and strength aud relent-
less judgment of the government IN
way TO inspire both respect or dread
i'm all who 80 lightly weigh the worth
of human life or who so tline with the
honor and good name OF that great
army whose patriotism has been the
pride OF us all, Any other form OF
action-to hesitate. TO Compromise, to
palliate TO eNcuse--woud be an injus-
tice and an outrage 10 the army and
constitute trifiing consideration of the
interests of the millions of people who
look up to tho government for protec-
ton TO life
Mr. Borah dwelt at some length upon
the accomplishments of the negro race
since the abolition OF slavery and found
much cause for cOngratulation; but, he
said this hct could not excuse indiyid-
uas from punishment FOR crime even
| II such leniency should bn In the in
| torest of the race, which II would not
| be.
ADVICE TO NEGROES.
! Concluding. he said; Let Il be I'M
! delstoOd by them ana by all that this
| government rs their government as well
| as ours, that their hands, their labor,
I A.. IL IL