The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-20
ORCHARD A TEXT.
On Which Senator Borah Hangs His
First Speech In Senate.


Washington, April 20.-The affray at
Brownsville, Tex. again called forth
the most intense interest in the senate
today. Senator Borah of Idaho taking
the ground that the testimony showed
conclusively that the negro soldiers of
the Twenty-fifth regiment shot up the
town, gave careful analysis of the
evidence in the case. There was an
unusually large number of senators
present on both sides of the chamber
and they carefully followed the argu-
ments presented by Mr. Borah
Washington, April 20.-Senator Boz
arb of Idaho. who as special counsel
for that state, conducted the prosecu-
ton Of W. D. Haywood, secretary of
the Western Federation of Miners,
whose trial on the charge of murder
ing former Governor Stuenenberg at
tracted wide attention last year, today
found opportunity in his maiden
speech in the senate to express his
disapproval of any effort to secure
1eniency for Harry Orchard, the self
confessed thrower of the bomb which
caused Stuenenberg's death. The ut
terance was part of a speech by the
senator on the Brownsville affray and
demnation of all efforts to condone the
offense at Brownsville It was as fol-
lows: sA-s,.s
"a cold blooded, inhuman, incarnate
devil blows to pieces an ex-governor
on the doorstep of his home, is caught
and confesses and before the grave of
the man who diel martyr to law
and order is green. sentimentalisn
puts halo upon the brow of the
blackest spirit that ever escaped the
al w IT a..
form of the union, the insignia Of gov
ernment and the symbol of law and
order, in the quiet of night. while
homes are defenseless. assault and at
tempt to murder whole families and
finally succeed in+committing one MUIR
der. To compromise with such an act
or such a deed is cowardice; it is be-
traya1 of government; 1t Is an insult
negro for it presupposes he is traitor
to his country and a criminal at heart"
Besides containing an analysis of
the testimony taken in the Brownsville
tor Foraker's recent discussion of the
same subject. Mr.. Borah made very
clear his belief that the evidence estap-
lished conspiracy on the part of the
negro soldiers of the Twenty-ffth
regiment to shoot up the town. 81
contend" said Mr.. Borah. that the
evidence in this case is simply over
whelming and conclusive against the
colored soldiers, unless you pay re-
spect to the proposition of a con-
spiracy which manufactured the evil
dence and that is evidently the view
taken by the defense"
The morale of the army, he said. is
paramount to any mans right to re-
main in it. If man in the Twenty
fifth regiment participated in the riot
and If others connived at the crime, by
concealing knowledge of it.. to shield
the guilty parties. then both were
;1ra r.
Mr.. Borah dwelt upon the enormity
of the offense and the necessity of
condign punishment, saying:
mo 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 sunrise. To my mind it
was treason; if not technically so yet
moral treason in a most aggravated
form. These times, when an air of
dislOyalty pervadeS certain parts of
the social life of the nation; when an
element lives upon lawlessness, strife
and murder, raises its treacherouS
hand here and there playing with hui
man life as with a toy, when the doc
trine of riot is preached as tenet of
party organization-under such con-
ditions to find this spirit of lawless
ness. this appetite for crime, in our
army-the body which is to maintain
the flag wherever it floats-is startling
beyond all words TO express.
Mr.. Borah dwelt at some length
upon the accomplishments of the
negro race since the abolition of
slavery and found much cause for
congratu1ation; but he said this fact
(! could not excuse individuals from
punishment for crime even If such
| leniency should be in the interest of
| the race, which it would NOT be. Con-
| Guiding he said:
LET it be understood by them and
| by all that this government is their
government as well as ours; that
| their hands, their labor, in slavery
| and out, helped to make it; that their
valor and heroism helped to preserve
| it, and that justice will be meted both
| in protection and in punishment; that
| the door of hope win not be closed
nor any escape from crime provided.
| Let it be known as every man must
| at last know that if this republic is
| to endure obedience to the law it is
| to be the first tenet of our faith and
| that the great army of the United
| States must be one in which the
| women and children can feel perfect
| ly secure when they retire for the
| night"