The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-06-22
WILL REOPEN THE BROWNS.
WILLIE CASE AND GIVE THEM
CHkHCE TO PROVE INNOCENCE.
TEST COMES IN THE FALL
When Any Negro Solder in the
Brownsville Battalion Who Was
Summsrily Discharged viii Have
Hearing In Court Of Inquiry.

chicago. June a. President TafJs
attitude toward the negro and the re-.
latiou OF tnc colored people TO poll
tics m the south are things which
are being discussed a great deal
among the members of congress and
the government officials nowadays
In the nrst place. says "A Wash
iugton dispatch to the Tribune Mr..
Taft has been In the south a great
deal since his election lie has
great deal of experience with the Fill.
pinos. who are not negroes, but who
present many similar problems for
solution.
In "a conference with Booker T.
Washington the other day President
Taft expressed his opinion in a posi-.
tive manner that an industrial cdu-
cation was the best thing and, I'm fact
the only thing for the negro az the
present stage Of his racial develop
mout This was entirely in accord
with Dr Washuptou's views. iu.s-
much as the education he furnishes
at Tuskcpcc practically is all indus.
trial. or is at least, framed ON tech
uical basis.
The radical political agitators
among the negroes are extremely dis
tustful of the president and are
afraid ne intends To turn over the
political fabric in the south to the
democrats and the white republicans
exclusively
As if to furnish a complete refuta.
ton to this charge President has
gone ahead to give the Brownsville
black soldiers chance 10 return to
the army. practically i'm their old
positions and with the same prlv'.
logcs in regard to retirement and
longevity pay This is something
President Roosevelt never would have
agreed to o rhls own motion The dis.
charge Of the Brownsville battalion
by Mr.. Roosevelt caused so much
criticism throughout the county that
the colonel who wIs naturally a
friendly sort Of man ana who tool,
lunch with Booker Washington with.
ont hesitation conceived a great dis
like 10 any proposition to restore the
black soldiers to their places In the
army
President TAFT. on the other hand.
had different record. When tho
Brownsville matter first came up II
was he who suspended the order for
the discharge of the soldiers. pending
another appeal 10 President Roosc-
welt who was then on his way To the
isthmus of Panama Mr. Taft then
was the secretary OF war and was as
much hound by the order of discharge
as the hmblcsr soldier The Off
GERS of the army. who were accustom-
ed 10 silent Obedience to every or
der from a superior officer. were "a
ronishcd 40 this action of the seer
tary OF war and vet he did It be
cause he felt as "a nudge that there
was not evidence enough to convict
tine men OF any personal offcuse
against the military regulations
The suspension of the order amount
ed 20 nothing because President
Roosevelt hv cable and with some
exhibition of feeling directed that the
original order OF discharge should be
carried out at once. The men were
therefore discharged without ever
having had oven a scmbmuce OF trial
of any kind, either ci'l or military
In the fan any negro soldier in the
Brownsville battalion who was dis
charged by the summary order of
President Roosevelt VIII be- heard by
the court of inquiry, cross examined
and given a fair chancc 10 demon.
stratc his innocence.
II is not believed that great num-
Der OF the negro soldiers will take
advantage of this opportunity. Those
who were serving the first or second
term of onlistmVt WIN not have much
20 gain by reinstatement. The older
mon. and pSpeCialIv the veteran non.