The Washington herald., 1908-02-26

On Military Affairs, when the result OF
the Brownsville investigation. which that
committee has been pursuing, was
brought TO a vote 10 determine what
should be the nature Of the report 10
be submitted TO the Senate.
Five Democratic Senator's and three
Republicans voted to find that the shoot
ing up OF the Texas town IN August.
1906, was done by negro soldiers Of the
rwenty-hfth Infantry. then stationed at
Fort Brown. Brownsville, but that the
testimony had failed to show the identity
Of the particular soldier or soldiers who
did the shooting.
Senators Warren. Lodge, and Warner
were the Republicans who voted in favor
OF the attitude taken by the President
in dismlssing the negro soldiers. and the
Democratic members OF the cimmittee.
who voted solidly according 10 this view
Of the question. were Senators Taliaferro,
Foster, Overman. Frazier. and AIcCreary.
The four Senators. all Republicans. who
were with Senator Foraker on the con
tention that the negroes OF the infantry
battalion were not responsible for the
shooting We're Senators Scott, Hemenway,
Buckley. and Du POnt
Presidents Course Involved.
The action OF the President was not
voted upon directly. but the question as
70 the guHt or innocence Of the negro
soldiers. which was decided against them.
necessarily involved the action OF Mr..
Roosevelt in dismissing without honor the
three companies which we're then sta
tened al Brownsville Thus the votes
OF the majority OF the members Of the
committee -pp5old The action q Mr..
Roosevelt
The committee was called 70 order ar .
p m. yesterday by Senator Warren, the
chairman, every member being present.
Senator Lodge offered a resolution, which
read as follows:
That. in the opinion q tbs committee the shoot
ins in the ARRAY at Brownsville on the night os
August 1915, 1906 vas done by some Of the soldiers
belonging 70 the TWenty-afth United States In
Foraker Makes Hot Fight.
Senator Foraker then successfully Of
fered five resolutions which he proposed
as substitutes 10 the Lodge resolution,
producing another so soon as its prede-
eessor had been voted down. The first
substitute read:
The testimony wholly fails TO identify the par
ticular individuals or any Of them, who partici-
pated IN the shooting afTsy that occurred az
BrOEnsTille, Tex, On The night Of August 1914.
1916
This was defeated by a vote Of 10 ;,
the Senators voting as above stated.
Senator Foraker then presented the fol-
lowing:
The testimony wholly fails 20 show that the dis
charged soldiers Ct the TFen7y-hfth United states
Infantry, or any q them. entered into any agree
meut socallod ~corsTirscy Of silence. OF thar
they had among themselves any understanding q
any nature 10 withhold any information q which
they. or any q them. might be poSsesscd concsrn-
(, INK the shooting ARRAY that occIrred az Browns
vile. Tex, the night of sssuss lsl4 1905
This resulting in precisely the same
division, the Senator from Ohio proposed
10 substitute this:
il 50 unreliable that is not sufficient TO sustain
thc charge that soldiers e the Tweutyhf,h Uaited
States Infantry or any os them. participated in
the shooting aFray that ooruued ar Brownsville.
Tex. on the night q August 1911. Is6-
This also was defeated. The members
Of the committee voted overwhelmingly
/ against the fourth substitute which Sena-
TOR Foraker proposed for the Lodge reso-
luton. senator Bulkeley alone voting
with The Ohian against the other eleven
Senator's on the following:
The weight q the testimony shows that -cre u
the soldiers Of the TVeuty6fth United States n
fsntry participated IN the shooting ARRAY that
cured a. Brownsville. Tex, on the nisbt q Au-
gust I5-li. 1906
Last Effort His Hardest.
Once more Senator Foraker MADE an
effort TO secure the exculpation OF the
discharged negroes by the committee. this
time Offering the following resolution.
again as a substitute for that introduced
by Senator Lodge
Whereas the testimony sh05s that the discharged
men had a good record as soldiers. and that many
q them had BY their long and faithful service
Quired valuable rights q which they are deprived
( rs discharge without hOuor. aud
Wheu,as the testimony shows bcycnd reasonable
doubt that wnateler nav De the facI as % Wh0
did the shooting many Of them discharged were
innCcCut of any ofense IN connection herewith.
Thcafcre. II is IN oar opinion she duty of Con-
eress provide by appropriate legislation for the
correction Of thOiT record and for their ra-enliSt-
meni and reinstatement in the army. and for the
restoration % them q All the rights q which they
have been deprived, and We 80 recommend.
( The same eight Senator's voted against
this proposal. and the same five who had
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