The Washington herald., 1908-05-07

There was a Brownsville furry IN the
Senate yesterday at the close OF Senator
Warmers lve-day speech defending the
President for discharging the negro sol
diers.
It started with a question by Senator
Stewart, Of Vermont. He asked Mr..
Warner if the latter did not think the
President was an improper person to pass
upon the innocence or guilt Of the sol
diers as affecting their right TO reinstate-
ment, IN view Of the fact that he had al
ready ''prejudged the case" The reply
was a lofty eulogium Of the President
But granting all that" persisted the
Vermont Senator, "one might have un-
bounded confidence IN the integrity of the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. but
would not wish him to sit In a case IN
which he had expressed an opinion"
Senator Warner explained that he was
in poor health, and begged 10 be excused
from a colloquy.
Senator Foraker came into the debate
al this point by explaining that he had
an opinion on the subject OF the guilt or
for that reason would not sit on their
cases. If authorized TO do SO by an act
Of Congress.
And yet the Senator from Ohio asks
US to pass the bill which he has intro
duced, which represents his personal
views" said Senator Warren. OF Wy
oming. chairman Of the Military Affairs
Committee.
Soldiers Their own Judges.
1t represents the views Of Congress
and affords the men an opportunity 10
purge themselves replied Mr. Foraker.
Senator Frazier. of Tennessee, a Dem
ocrat who is TO speak in support Of the
President, suggested that the soldiers
were 10 sit in judgment on their own
cases, according 10 Mr., Forakers bill.
The Senator from Ohio was explaining
how high the negro soldiers reputation
for veracity was, according 10 Gen.
Burt. who formerly commanded the reg
iment
Does the Senator know how long since
Gen. Burt commanded the regiment" in
quired Mr.. Warren.
i think he commanded It until he re-
tired, explained 1IP. Foraker.
Mr. Warren explained that Gen. Burt
became a brigadier general during the
Spanish war and could not have been
colonel Of the Twenty-ffth Infantry when
involved in the Brownsville ARRAY, hence
he could only speak for a few OF the
older members of the regiment.
That. however, was unimpOrtant sug-
gested Mr. Foraker. who said his purpose
was 10 show that the Presidents mind
was unchanged toward the soldiers. He
started TO read a dispatch to the Gin
cinnau Times-Star in which the Presi-
dent was represented as having written
10 Senator William Alden Smith. Of
Michigan, saying that he would not re-
instate the discharged soldiers, no mat
ter what action Congress took.
Asks for Presidents Letter.
Before reading the dispatch, Mr.. For
aker asked Senator Smith TO produce the
Presidents letter, II he felt that he could
do so. The latter admitted that he had
such a communication. but said he had
made it a rule never to quote a letter
from the President, and If the matter
was given out. the President must give
IL out
''The dispatch was not based upon any
thing I said, for 1 have not discussed Il
with anybody" said Mr.. Smith.
There are only two parties 10 let
ter, the writer and the person who re-
eeives it." suggested Mr.. Foraker. "The
Senator from Michigan did not give II
out, so it must have come from the
White House"
Mr.. Foraker said he had Intended pub
fishing the dispatch. but in view Of the
fact that the President might see fit TO
give out the letter. he would withhold il
from the Congressional Record.