Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-05-13
HOBS0N MAY LOSE SEAT
Defence of Negro Resented in
Alabama.
Tie suppOrted the Brownsville Conn
promise Bill and Made an Earncst
plea for Court Martial for the
Negroes of the 2jth.

Cant Richmond p. Hobson, the hero
Of Santiago. is having the political fight
Of his lie over one OF the nobest utter
euces which he or any other congress-
man ever made on the floor says Wash
lngton correspondents of the Boston
Transcript. Captain Hobson represents
the sixth Alabama district, and lives in
Fsyette. TWO candidates already are
against him, one in the northern part
OF his district and one in the southern
part. Their issue is the same, and the
question is raised whether both cand
dates are serious OF whether they are in
the field together to work up feeling
aSa!nst Hobscn. with one or the other
to retire eventually,
The issue against Hobs on is his vote
and speech in the brownsville matter.
Representative Hohson supported the So
called compromise bill, accepted by SEN
etor Foraker, which authorized the rein
statement Of the colored soldiers nf the
oitr United States infantry. provided
trey could prove THEIR innocence of par
tjcipatior in the Brownsville riot to
hoard Of army officers. Partisan and
race prejudice are being stirred TO their
depths against Capt. Hobson in the dis
t'ict.
HOBsONs GREAT SPEECH
TIE Brownsville bill went through the
House amid a storm OF oratory. No ore
spoke moro than three minutes. but in
the three minutes allowed hiin. Hobson
oon1pre ssed a volume Of eloqusrce The
negro haters of the South were outdoing
themselves in an attack upon the bill and
IIobson fully realized the risk he was
al 10 n
Mr.. Speaker said he. these three
,rinutes will cost me contest in my
district ard may cost me my seat in the
congress. wore the uniform OF the
1'ritei States for IS years, and 7 have
itver known a case where an OFFICER or
IN enlisted man was punished severely
without Il court Of inquiry. | know that
lie rs not allowed TO be punished TO the
extent OF SO davs imprisonment without
n cour M .tial-to distonorably dismiss
Without a court martial is unheard'
Mr. Garner Of Texas tried to interrupt.
tut Capt Hobson waved him aside.
When these crimes were committed at
brownsville continued Capt. Hobson.
the Presiden- of the United States
c,uld have ordered all officers and men
20 remain within the barracks and could
have ordered court OF inquiry, follow
ed by a oourt-nartial which, held on the
spo withou. delay, no DOUBT would have
esiab lished the guilt Of innocence Of the
rnen and would have given a regular.
legal opportunity to the innocent man to
establish the fact OF his innocence
But the President did not pro-
reed in this regular legal way He scat
tered the men, guilty and innocent alike.
70 the four winds. and thus prevented
the ends OF Justice This bill pro-
yi6es the least that now can Re done for
the cause Of Justice.
HIS TRIBUTE TO THE NEGRO
The House listened intently the eo-
uLent Hobson warmed in his speech. He
addresses in the House rarely. but al
wa;'s with fervor and usually with pas
sion.
MIR. Speaker" he cried. Il saw black
iner carry our flag Santiago Kill
have seen them at Manila. A black man
took my father wounded. from the field
OF Charlottesville. Black men remain
Cd on my grandfather's plantation after