Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-12

AFTER ROOSEVELT AND TAFT
Question. Right Of President and Sec
rotary Of War to Use Funds to
Employ Detectives in Brownsville
tAffair-senate Adopts Resolution
Calling for Investigation.

Washington, Jan. 12.---Illegal diver
sion of public funds by the president
and William H. TAFT while secretary
Of war. to pay for the Investigation by
private detectives into the Brownsville
affair was charged by Senator J. B.
Foraker, OF Ohio, in th,. senate today,
In speech In replying to statements
Of Herbert J. Browne, o.. this city, and
William G.. Baldwin, Of Roanoke. Va.
who were employed by the secretary OF
war to secure evidence OF the guilt OF
negro soldiers Of the Twenty fifth
infantry, United States tlrmy. in shoot
ing up Brownsville on the night OF
Aug. 1914, 1906. The government use
Of the private detectives was charac-
terized by Mr.. Foraker as "atrocious.
shocking and revolving"
Renewal Of the discussion OF the
brownsville affair by Foraker called
out . large gathering that filed the
galleries to overflowing. The senator
received the strictest attention Of his
colleagues and a number of members
OF the house who occupied places in
the rear Of the chamber.
i This charge Of Illegally diverting
SIS, 900 from the war furld Of $s.o00,000
appropriated by the deficiency act of
March 5, 1899, was made by Mr.. For
aker in concluding his remarks, which
consisted Of very careful considera-
ton Of certain legal phases Of the
Brownsville affair and the reading of a
number OF affidavtts by soldiers whose
testimony and Confessions" Mr..
Browne alleged he had secured to un-9
ravel the mystery Of the identity Of the
men who did the shooting and these
saffidavfts denied with great particular
ity nearly every statement Of import
ance made by the detectives.
Speaking Of the $1,000. 600 war fund
OF 1899 appropriated as an emergency
fund 'sto meet unforeseen contingencies
constantly arising to be expended at
the discretion Of the president" M-.
Foraker said:
s1t viii probably be surprising In
formation to the appropriations con-
mittee, as It will be to most senators.
that this appropriation, made ten years
ago at the close Of the Spanish-Am-
erican war, to enable the president to
meet emergency army contingencies
such as were then arising in connec-
ton with our military establishment.
should have been construed to be a
permanent appropriation, and that
there is still large unexpended bal
character now under consideration ara
being made"
Continuing, Mr.. Foraker declared
that section 1s3 Of the revised statutes
enacted in 1s42 and still Il, force directs
the head Of each department to. make
an annual report to congress, giving q
detailed statement Of the manner in
which the contingent fund OF his de-
partment has been expended, giving
the names Of every person to whom
any portion of such fund has been
paid.
This appropriation" h., said, "being
for the war department. the report
should have been made by the secre-
tary Of war, and he Is not relieved of
that duty by the fact that the money
can be expended only with the ap-
prevail Of the president. The secretary
Of war evidently has entertained this
view, but so far as can ascertain
no detailed or itemized reports to con-
gress Of expenditures from this fund
have been made, but only general re-
ports showing the aggregate sums ex-
pended for each year"
The contingency" under which this
nse OF the war fund Of 1899 was used,
Mr.. Foraker declared, was 'the re-
10 prove their innocence, Of a crime
before a judge who had already pro-
them guilty under a bill then
pending in the senate" "And all this"
insisted Mr.. Foraker. 'fn the presence
of the fact that there was the most
bitter and determined opposition to i
the measure and that there was an
pther measure pending which provided !
that all might be re-enlisted who cared
to re-enlist, but that the right to fur /
ther prosecute before civil or military /
tribunals should be reserved as to all !
against whom any evidence might be
secured in any manner at any time
after such enactment
Speaking Of the use OF private de-
.ectives in Investigating the Browns !
lille affair. Mr.. Foraker declared that /
1t is impossible to firal language |
with which to fittingly characterize
such a procedure as this detective
business has been from It's incipiency
lown to the monstrous stages 1t has
reached. 1t is atrocious, revolving,
shocking to every sense Of fairness,
Justice and even common decency."
Resolution is Adopted.
Without debate and without, refer
nee to the committee the senate
,assed the resolution presented by For
lker calling on the secretary of the
for an itemized statement of
of the $3.ofn.000 appro-
,riated by the act of March, 1899, to
. expended at the direction of the