The daily gazette., 1883-01-04
A HOT-HEADED HOUSE.
A ROW OVER THE ARMY
BILL.
HEWETT, BOUNT AND: COX.
A General Snarl and Passionate Argu-
ment Among Some Of the Members
Yesterday.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-The Army Appro-
Driation bill came up in the House to-day
Mr.. Upson of Texas expressed his interest
in all matters which looked to increasing
the efficiency of the army. Having lived for
years on the frontier, he had learned from
personal experience the importance of q
well disciplined, well appointed army. The
occurrences Of the past should serve q warn
ings for the future. Communistic and So
cialistic mutterings of human slaughter,
spoliation and outlawry under the guise of
labor strikes, encouraged by loud -mouthed
demagogues, were unmistakable warnings
of internal danger to the peace and goo
order Of the country. Thoughtful minds
would not treat this matter with indidey-
ence, but would consider as the most serious
problem of the day, the question Of preserV-
ing the rights and liberties of individuals
He was In favor of keeping the army up To
high degree OF efficiency. lie opposed
many provisions of this bill, which, in bis
judgment would bring 1t into disrepute.
In concluding his speech, Mr.. Upson
called attention tn the high degree Of
efficiency of the English Army. This
brought Mr.. Robinson of New York TO his
feet with statement that he could not tell
whether the gentlPman's speech was q
eulogy OF the American or English army.
his admiration of the American Army but
he did not want to see its officers trotting
around after the representatives of mon
archy, whether dressed In the uniform of an
American soldier or dressed in the kilt OF
Argyll. Laughter. He was alarmed at
the spread of English feeling that had in
vaded Texas. The glory of the English
drum beat was the souLd of despotism and
the death-knell of liberty. [Applause.l
He did not want to increase the army or
initiate anything English. He wanted TO
blot out all that abominable feeling that was
getting into the heads Of snobs and funkeys
to initiate monarchy without having the
brains that surrounded it.
Mr.. Hewitt's inquiry as to whether or not
the reduction In the appropriation bills to a
sum less than that appropriated last year,
was with the idea of creating deficiencies
for the next Congress, brought Mr. Hiscocl
to his feet with speech, in which he de
clared that the present Republican Con
gress at its last session was required TO ap-
propriate $24 100000 for deficiencies
created by the last Democratic Congress.
He denied any preconceived plan to create
such a deficiency by the Appropriations
Committee. Being urged by Mr.. Atkins TO
give the details, he proceeded to do SO,
charging that the failure to make the
needed appropriations by the Appropriations
Committee of the last Congress proves
either incompetency or dishonesty.
Mr.. Atkins excitedly denied the charge
and explained that Sl6,000,0 900 of the de
hcieney was on account of pensions for
which the proper estimates had not been
made. He defended the committee and re
ferred to the charge as SANDER.
Mr.. Bl0unt came to the defense of the
Appropriations Committee, saying 1t did as
well as it could when opposed by the Execu.
tive departments of the Government, and
said the Government would never again be
satisfactorily administered until the Demo
cracy obtain control of the Legislative and
Executive branches Of the Government
This occasioned considerable applause on
the Democratic side of the House. A long
discussion followed, in which Mr.. Randall
said that the country had spoken and had
set its seal of condemnation on the waste iul
and wicked appropriations of the last ses-
sion I; calling especial attention to the River
and Harbor bill, as the measure to which
he especially referred. Being questioned
regarding his own standing on the subject
he replied that he favored appropriations
for the Mississippi river, but was forced to
vote against the BILL because 1t was loaded
down with unjust features.
Mr.. Calkins congratulated Dir. Randall
because he was able to thus explain his
sJhnulng anu alu nlInselI III bis aSplraLlons
for the Presidential chair
Mr.. Cox took the floor, congratulating
the Republicans that they were becoming so
economical, and remarking that their exhi
bition OF goodness at this late moment was
like that of their man who killed the Presl
dent. "What." he asked. "did Guteau
sing at the last moments He sang
am going to my Lordy,
Glory Hailelujah.n
This remark was followed by misses from
the Republican side of the House. Mr.
Cox, however, continued quoting an entire
stanza of Guiteau's scaffold hymn, the
misses growing louder until he ceased. Mr.
Reed remarked that this scene might be new
| to those not familiar to Congress, but he
| had seen it enacted often. He then pro
| ceeded to pay his respects to Mr.. Cox, say
ing that after a tragedy always comes a
farce, and now that the second candidate
for the speakership had pranced round the
| ring, he hoped that the next would And
| something better to say than to utter tho
| language of the dead scoundrel whose
words had SO well filled the mouth Of the
gentleman from New York After further
discussion the committee rose. The speaker
presented a communication from the Secre-
tary of the Navy conveying the recommen
dations of the Advisory Board and the
| House adjourned at p. IN.