Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-16
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Allen Of Mississippi and Perkins
Of Kansas,
Attempt 4 Discussion Of the Indian Ap.
preparation Bill.
Imputations Against the South Refuted
with Southern Impetuosity
and AXdoY
WASHINGTON, April Is.
House

The consideration of the Homestead" bill
having been postponed until next Saturday,
the House went into committee of the whole
Oh the Indian appropriation bill.
Mr.. Perkins OF Kansas said that the bill
presented no new legislation, but il did con-
tain provision for the payment of the
Chocfaw judgment. The claim of the In
dians had been referred to the court of claims
which had rendered judgment against the
government, and that judgment had been
allowed by the supreme court. This judg-
ment amounting To 2.oO0 900 was now draw
ing interest at per cent and he could see
no reliet for the government except by act OF
reputation. Therefore, the committee on
Indian affairs had provided in the bill for
the payne of the judgment.
Passing from the subject of Indian affairs.
Mr.. Perkins addressed himself to the tariff.
He criticised the Mills bill because almost all
the articles raised by the American farmers
was put upon the free list, while whatever
protection was left was left for capital. He
hoped that in the coming debate the mask of
hypocrisy would be removed and that the
hideous face of free trade exposed. When
the Townshends, Springers and others had
been allowed to indulge in platitudes, the
gentlemen from the south had been admon-
lshed to sit still, but he hoped that now they
would demand to be heard. They gave the
democratic party 1913 electoral votes, and it
was well that they should be consulted At
ter they had tilibustered against a bill which
proposed to pay Sl7 900 900 to the northern
state, it was not right that democratic
House should surrender to them. APP
plause.
Mr.. Allen of Mississippi thought it was
great pity that the gentleman from Kansas
Mr.. Perkins) could not get his head out
of the cupboard and walk squarely up to the
issues of the day, instead OF going both to
slavery and rebellion. The gentleman from
Kansas reminded him of the story of the
tw o men who when travelling went to sleep
in room with a cupboard in it. In the
night one asked the other to look out of the
window and see what kind of day it was
going to be. The latter by mistake opened
the cupboard window, and after looking
around awhile, exclaimed: at is as dark as
smells like cheese Laughter.
The gentleman from Kansas instead OF
getting his head ont in the daylight of 1888
has got it into the cupboard of rebellion, and
everything is as dark as hell and smelled
of slavery. Laughter. 1t was to the
credit of the democrats of the House that
they had something better to talk about than
the issues which had been dead for % years,
and if a democrat had nothing to talk about
but dead issues, he hoped he would be ex-
PEELED from the democratic side and made
to take a seat beside the gentleman from
Kansas, where he could stick his nose in
the cupboard where the gentleman had his.
Laughter The gentleman had read from
the confederate constitution. Did the gem
tleman know that it was 27 years since the
constitution had been adopted5 That con-
stitution and what it contained were not
matters of interest even to the people he
represented, aud to the people represented by
the gentleman who had reported the bill.
Mr.. Perkins suggested that these gentle
men had been born when the constitution had
been suggested and he simply wanted to
know if their sentiments had changed Oh the
question of free trade and labor.
Mr.. Allen declared that no man on the
ways and mta ans committee was in favor of
slave labor. They all had as much respect
for white labor in this country as had the
gentlemen from Kansas or any other gentle
men who would vote against the bull.
How about black labor?' asked Mr.. Per-
kins.
ut is as free and independent as white la
Dor in Kansas" replied Mr.. Allen.
How about voting" then queried Mr..
Perkins.
Mr.. McMllen of Tennessee-They vote
as they please.
MIR. perkins-How about the chain gangs
in Arkansas and Texas?
Mr.. Alien know this, that there is no
law in Mississippi that does not consign a
white felon to the chain gang just as quickly
as black one, and if the gentleman were
there don't know what his prospects would
be. Laughter.
Mr.. Adams of Illinois said that the object
of the gentleman from Kansas in quoting
from the confederate constitution was not to
awaken bitter memories of the war, but to
remind the country that the gentlemen who
reported the bill had believed in free trade.
The proper answer for them to make would
have been to say that they had changed
their sentiments, but the answer had not
been made.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, from the
committee on appropriations, reported the
legislative executive and judicial appropria-
ton bill and ii was referred to the committee
of the whole.
Mr. Robertson reported bill for the re-
lief of soldiers and sailors who enlisted and
served in the army or navy during the rebel
lion under assumed names. Calendar.
Mr.. Gallinger, from the committee on in
valid pensions reported bill granting in
creased pensions to soldiers who lost both
hands. Committee of the whole.
Mr.. Lyman of Indiana, from the same
committee, reported with amendments the
Senate bill granting pensions to ex-soldiers
and sailors who are incapacitated for per-
formanee of manual labor, and providing
pensions for dependent relatives of deceased
soldiers and sailors. Committee of the
whole.
Notes.
Geo. NJ Robson, ex-Sec'y of the Navy,
il. said to be financially embarrassed.
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