The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-08
DEFENSE OF BROWNSVILLE NE.
GRoEs MAKES HOT TIME FOR
HERO OF SANTIAGO.
Makes Memorable Speech In Favor
of the Foraker Compromise Bill
Favoring Discharged Soldiers.
Washin gton, May s.

ical fight of his life over one of the
his utterances on the floor of congress
Captain Hobson represents the
Sixth Alabama district, and lives III
Fayette. Two candidates already are
against him, one in the northern part
of his district and one in the south
ern part. Their issue is the same,
and the question is raised whether
both candidates are serious or whether
they are in the field together to work
up feeling against Hobson, with one
or the other to retire eventually.
The issue against Hobson is his
vote and speech in the Brownsville
matter. Representative Hobson sup
ported the so-called compromise bill,
accepted by Senator Roraker, which
authorized the reinstatement of the
colored soldiers of the Twenty-fifth
United States Infantry, provided they
could prove their innocence of partici-
board of army officers. Partisan and
race prejudice are being stirred to
their depths against Captain Hobson
in the district.
Hobson's Great Speech.
The Brownsville bill went through
the House amid storm of oratory. No
one spoke more than three minutes
but in the three minutes allowed him.
Hobson compressed a volume of elo-
quence.. The opponents of the bill
were outdoing themselves in an attack
upon the bill and Hobson fully real
lied the risk he was taking when he
arose to speak.
''Mr Speaker" said he, these three
minutes will cost me contest in my
district and may cost me my seat in
the Congress. l wore the uniform OF
the United States for eighteen years,
and l have never known a case where
an officer or an enlisted man was pun
ished severely without court of in
quiry. I know that he is not allowed
to be punished to the extent of thirty
days Imprisonment without court
martial-to dishonorably dismiss with
out court-martial is unheart."
Mr. Garner, of Texas, tried to inter
rupt, but Coptain Hobson waved him
aside.
when these crimes were committed
at Brownsville" continued Captain
Hobson, "the President of the United
States could have ordered all officers
and men to remain within the bar
racks and could have ordered court
of inquiry, followed by court-mrtaial,
which, held on the spot without delay,
no doubt would have established the
guilt or innocence of the men and
would have given a regular, legal OPP
portunity to the innocent man to es-
tablish the fact of his innocence.
But the president did not proceed in
this regular legal way. He scattered
the men guilty and innocent alike, to
the four winds, and thus prevented the
ends of justice. This bill
provides the least that now can be
done for the cause of justice.
His Tribute to the Negro.
The House listened intently as the
eloquent Hobson warmed in his
speech. He addresses in the House
rarely, but always with ferver and u.s.
ually with passion.
"Mr. Speaker, he cried, Il saw
black men carry our flag on Santiago
Hill. have seen them at Manila. A
black man took my father, wounded,
from the field of Charlottesville.
Black men remained ON my grandfath
er's plantation after the proclamation
of emancipation and took care Of my
grandmother and mother. the white
man is supreme in this country; he
will remain supreme. That makes it |
only the more sacvred that he should |
give asolute justice to the black man
who is in our midst l submit it to
the conscience of my colleagues. This
ought not to be made a party meas
ure. We are standing here on the
field of eternal justice where all men
are the same Whether the heavens
fall or the earth melt away, while we
live let us be just
That was all Captain Hobson said to
the House. Because of this appeal
hat the honor of his country be not 7
arnished with injustice, the voters /
# his district are trying Hobson for C
is political life. In an adjoining dis Il
-ict, Alabama voters returned to the
ongress with an increased plurality
Thomas Heflin, who had just shot a