Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-30
The Resolution Reported Favorably
to the House by the Military
Affairs Committee.
Favor of tho Purchase, Oriticisirg
the Opponents OF tho Measure.
Correspondence of the Gazette.

Texas. The following resolution wss re
ported fsvorably By the military affair
committee. and after considerable discus
sion was adopted by the House:
Whereas, II appears by an act passe,
March, 1885, the sum of $685. WAS ap
propriated to enable the Secretary o
War to acquire good and valid title TO
the United States to the Fort Brow
reservation, Texas, and to pay and extln
guish all claims for the use and occupa
tlon OF said reservation, provided that n,
psrt Of this sum should be paid until
complete title be vested in the United
States;
Whereas, it is alleged that disputes
have arisen between the claimants as Il
their respective shares of this appropris
ton, and that the Secretary of War he.
not paid any psrt Of said am unit;
Whereas, by an act of Congress passed
in 1875 the sum OF $685. 900 was sppropri-
ated for the purchase OF she grounds and
payment of the said Fort Brown and in
the report of General Sherman as to the
suficiency of the said sum it Is alleged
that the payment of $3.50 000 therefor
would be fraud on the government;
Whereas, it is alleged that 1t will ap.
pear from the documentary evidence in
the War Department, the Qusrtermaster-
Generals ffice, also the evidence OF
officials now in Washington who have
served at said pos, likewise the testl-
mony Of other citizens which can be oh.
tanned, that the sum of $50, 600 would be
q large price to pay for said reservation,
including rent for the use and occupation
OF the same: therefore,
Resolved, that the committee on mill
tarY affairs be instructed to investigate
the subject matter herein named, with
authority to send for persons and papers !;
also to inquire into and report IS to what
necessity exists, If any, for military post
at said point and the cost to the United
States of said post since 1865.
Resolved, that the Secretary Of War be
directed to withhold the payment of any
part OF said sum of 100000 for the
grounds and rents OF the said Fort Brown
reservation.
On this subject Mr.. Grain said: "Mr.
Speaker: It seems to me that the ques-
tlon OF an investigation of the amount
to be paid for tie site of Fort Brown
comes up at very late day. 1t strikes
me as very singular that the Cerebus Of
the Treasury and the chairman of the
committee on military affairs, both Of
whom were members of the committee on
appropriations which made this appropri-
stion in the Forty-eighth Congress, should
not then have discovered the reasons why
the government OF the United States
ought not to pay the amount which was
appropriated by the act which they
recommended, and which that Congress
passed. l excuse the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Laird) because, although
it is familiar principle of law that
ighorantis legis neminem excusat,
he is not familiar with the facts in this
case except in SO far as some individual
has made himself siphon between out
eide individuals and the sentlemsn from
Nebraska.
Why is it that the gentleman from Indi
ans, Mr.. Holman, when he was member OF
the appropriations committee taat recon-
mended the appropriation for the expend-
iture of this sum OF money, did not raise
his voice in the committee in opposition
to the amount, If, as he alleges, 1t was
too larger Why is 1t that he did not, in
consonsnce with that reputation which he
has made for himself throughout The
country as the watchdog Of the Treas
ury, oppose the passage of the appropri-
alton act which provided that the owners
of the site of Fort Brown should receive
the sum which was recommended by the
committee? Why was ii, 1 ask further,
that the gentleman who has the dlstin-
sushed honor of sdorDing and animating
the Craftsmanship Of the committee on mil
itary affairs did not, when q mem
Der of the committee on ap-
propriations which recommendedt this item
and asked the House to adopt it, oppose
tie measure instead OF sitting silently by
and permitting the House OF Represents
tives of the Forty-eighth Congress to
pass without comment the item appro-
priating this amount for the purchase OF
the fort?
Mr.. Townshend-Does the gentleman
desire an answer?
Mr.. Crain-CertainIy.
Mr.. Townsnenc- While am under OBJ
legation to the gentleman for the compli-
ment which he has paid to the chsirman
of the committee on military affairs -
: MIR. Crain-Do not take up too much OF
my time.
Mr.. Townshend-I wish to say distinct
ly that my recollection is clear that IS a
member of the committee on ,appropria-
tiops opposed the appropriation Of the
enormous sum which was proposed to be
employed in this purchase.
l stood then where I stand to-day, In
tbs belief that 1t Was an exorbitant sum,
3naT have great doubt in my mind wheth-
sEr there is any need whatever for a fort
at that point.
Mr. Crain--The gentleman from Illinois
does not stand to-day where he stood
then. He may have opposed it in COM
mittee, but to-day he opposes IL on the
floor Of the House, and he did not oppose
1t on the floor Of the House then.
Mr.. Townshend-I did not occupy then
the position I do now on the committee
on military affairs.
Mr. Crain-I suppose il the gentleman
did not occupy that position now be
would not take the stand he does to-day.
Nearly four year after the passage OF
an act, which was either recommended
~ the committee on appropriations or
taci.ly acquiescsd In, We have two MEM
bers of that COMMITTEES coming before
this House and telling the House that the
appropriation for The purchase OF this
property Was excessive, ii not fraudulent.
And upon what basis does this gentle-
man from Indiana Mr.. Holman who Is
not In his seat now, but WAS moment
80, when commenced to disc this
proposition-upon what basis dles he
esent this resolution to the House9
Sir, he presents it upon vague, general,
Indifferent allegations, and will tell The