The Washington herald., 1908-05-23
BELIEVES HE'LL WIN
Foraker Expects to n~ss His
Brownsville Bill.
WHY HE AGREED TO DELAY
Admits He Had Not Enough Votes TO
Pass Measure and ReDass 1t over
Veto Promised by President, but
Thinks Needed Strength VIII Come
to Him by Next December.

Senator Foraker has written a letter
TO John E Mulholland, of New York,
chairman Of the executive committee of
The Constitutional League Of the United
States In which. in reply TO an inquiry
from Mr.. Mulholland. he explains his
reasons for agreeing to a postponement
OF a vote on his bin to permit the
restoration TO the army of the negro sol
diers discharged without honor for al
legged participation in the Brownsville af-
fray.
Mr. FOTakeT's statement is embodied in
an extract from a letter on the subject.
which ne wrote TO Richard d White, of
Cambridge, Mass. The letter to Mr.. Null
holland follows
L have your letter of May Is. and do
rot know how better to answer your in
quiry in regard to the postponement of
the Brownsville bill than by quoting from
letter written by me day or two ago
10 Mr.. Richard D. White, of Cambridge,
Mass, in answer 10 a similar inquiry.
Had Thirty-hve Votes.
"On this point 7 said TO Mr.. White:
With the President active in his 0ppo-
sition. personally importuning Senator's. I
was unable to get vote. even if I sue
ceeded in getting the bill before the Sen
ate, and unable 10 pass the bill If I did
get vote. At most. I could get assur-
anees of only thirty-fve votes, and some
of those were wavering. It was necessary
10 have forty-seyen,
" "A vote at this time. therefore meant
defeat and the end of all hope of restor-
ing the soldiers. Postponement was bet
ter, because. in the frst place, II could
not be worse, and in the second place. 10
keeps the subject alive and in a practical
form for consideration during the present
campaign The whole country knows that
the Brownsville subject has been mar
rowed down 10 a question Of my bill.
which means complete restoration. or the
Warner bin. which means whatever the
whim Of the President may see nj to
allow. and that I am satisfied, would be
very little, If anything
what that Letter Contained.
As late as April q he wrote to Sen
ator William Alden Smith, Of Michigan.
that he thought many if not all. the
soldiers guilty. and that there was no
more excuse for sympathy for them than
there would be for sympathy with
CzolgoSz or Guiteau, and that my bill
meant only to force lot of murderers
and perjurers back into the army. and
that he would feel It his duty If we
passed the bill to veto it, and if we
passed it over his veto he would refuse
10 enforce it.
" I have no doubt of passing the bill
in December, because enough Republicans
have promised me that if I would allow
the bill to go over until then they would
at that time vote with me 20 pass it, but
In view Of the Presidents frame of mind
and his expressed purpose to veto the
bill, We must. If possible. have a two
thirds vote. and this brings up a feature
Of this newly made situation that win
[ hope, enable us to get this additional
strength.
Keeps Negroes In Line.
If the bin had been voted upon and
defeated at this session, the colored
voters of the country would not have
had any means of showing their dis
pleasure, except by voting against the
party in a spirit OF revenge.
Now. with the bin postponed. they
have at least living issue. and they
have right to demand of Republican
candidates for Office. including our candi-
dates for President and Vice President
and all other candidates for reelection
to the Senate and to the House of Repre-
sentatives, that they viii pledge them
selves TO support the Foraker bill. In this
way the l0000000 colored people of the
nited States can greatly help. not only
the soldiers but the whole race, by
causing themselves to be felt and appre-
ciated as they never have been before.
When they come 70 realize their oppor-
tunity l think they viii all be proud to
take a direct and effective part i'm what
should be TO them a labor Of love.
May Be for the Best.
q" I am a firm believer in the interven-
ton Of Divine Providence in the affairs
of men. While postponement was 10 NE
a bitter and reluctant conclusion. vet I
feel that after ali it was Of Gods order
ing, and that in due time we shall all
see and appreciate that what now ap-
pears TO be so disappointing and dis
couraging, IS for the best
Hoping this quotation from my letter
TO Mr. White will answer your inquiry.
and that the answer may be satisfactory
/ remain,
VERY truly yours. &c.
J. b FORAKER"