The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-02-26
FORAKER SCORES
IN FIGHT FOR
N[GROSODlERS
Troops President Dismissed in
Dishonor Not All Guilty, Is
Reports Tenor
Senate Committee Fails to Fix
Guilt ard Ohio Legislator
Wins First Bout
VIII Make Effort to Put Men
Back in Service by Act of
Congress

the shooting affray at Brownsville,
Tex, on the night of August l2-14,
1906, was done by some negro sol
diers of the Twenty-hfth United
States infantry and that the testimony
taken by the senate committee on
military affairs fails to identify the
guilty persons is the opinion of eight
members of the committee. Four
members of the committee voted
against this decision, and one member
did not vote. The resolution declaring
the guilt of the negroes was submitted
by Senator Lodge and was adopted
after FIVE resolutions by Senator For
aker, one by Senator Dupont and one
by Senator Scott all of which were
offered as substitutes, had been voted
down.
The vote today was reached after
prolonged investigation. Practically
every negro of the three companies or
infantry dishonorably discharged by
President Roosevelt testified in his own
DeHdlls 6uiAG eN40SnNS III S0PPOlt VI tiiC
president was given by many army
officers and citizens of Brownsville.
FORAKER LEADS FIGHT
Throughout the entire controversy,
which In many sections OF the country
had been made political issue. the
INSTRUMENTATION side has been di-H
rccted by Senator Foraker. In the final
vote in the committse q majority of the
republican members came to his sup
port
The Ohio senator expressed himself
as gratif1ed at this. as it was apparent
from the outset that all of the demo-
cratic members were convinced that
the negroes did the shooting.
The fight will be carried to the floor OF
the senate. The reports OF the commit
tee will not be made for about 10 days,
as Senator Warner who conducted the
examination of witnesses on behalf of
the administration. will be absent from
Washington. After the reports have
been made to the senate it is expected
that Senator Foraker will press the
matter to vote there.
TO REINsTATE MEN
If he should secure the same proper
tion of the republican members of the
senate as he had in the committee the
vote will be closer than has been
anticipated. The Ohio senator purposes
also to introduce a bill to restore to
the military service such of the dis
charged negroes as were shown beyond
reasonable doubt to have been innocent
of any offense connected with the
affray.
The committee was in session today
for nearly three hours. 1t was in the
main harmonious Practically the only
passages at arms were of parlia-
mentary nature. The lineup was de-
fined SO clearly that the senators
wasted no time in trying to change
each others views Senator Lodge. Of
fered a resolution as follows:
LODGES RESOLUTION
That in the opinion of this commit
tee the shooting affray in Brownsville
on the night of August 1914, 1906 was
done By number OF soldiers belonging
to the United States Twenty fifth in
fantry then stationed al Fort Brown,
Tex"
Senator Foraker offered as sub
stitute the following:
The testimony wholly fails to identi-
fy the individuals or any of them who
participated in the shooting ARRAY
The Foraker substitute was defeated
by a vote of 8 to 5. in almost the
alignment that carried the Lodge meas
ure, the Affirmative being: Scott. For
aker. Hemenway, Bulkley and Dupont;
negative: Warren, Lodge. Warner,
Tallisferro, Foster. overman. Frazier
and McCreary. The last fve named
are democrats.