Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-19
The Subject Discussed in the House
Again Today.
PROHIBITION CRITICIZED.
Amending the Snndry Civil Bill
in the Senate.
THE NATIONAL SOLDIERS HOME.
SENATE.
The Senate met at IL a. m.

Mr.. Frye, from the select committee on Pa
cific railroads, reported back the Senate bill
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to
settle the indebtedness to the government Of
the Sioux City and Pacific railroad. Placed on
the calendar
A communication from the Secretary of the
Treasury transmitting Gin compliance with
resolution of the Senate) the report of the
special agents as to the classification OF sugar
at the New York custom house was presented
ana referred to the finance committee.
THE sUNDBY CIVIL BILL AMENDED.
The Senate resumed consideration Of the
sundry civil appropriation bill. Among the
amendments reported by the committee on ap-
preparations and agreed to by the Senate we're
the following: Inserting an item of 800, 600
10 commence the erection Of a fre-proof build
ing for machine shops at the national armory
at Springfield Mass
inserting provision authorizing the tenn
porary use as "a play ground for children of
portion OF the monument grounds or other
reser vation
Inserting an item of s7,7Oo for introducing
electric lamps and wires into the Executive
Mansion
Inserting an item of s1s, ,465 for replacing
the overhead system of wires under the con-
troll OF the War Department in the District of
columbia with duplicate six-conductor un-
derground cable.
Inserting an appropriation for the con-
strnctlon OF buildings at and enlargement of
military posts from $3.50, 600 to SsOO,OOO
heduclng the appropriation for the purchase
OF additional land for the national cemetery at
Hampton, Va, from eli, 900 to $4,000.
WASHINGTON CLAIM AGENTS.
An amendment to add to the appropriation
OF S40O,0 200 for artificial limbs or communication
therefor the words ''and in cases of commuta-
ton the money shall be paid directly to the
soldier, sailor or marine and no fee or compen-
sation shall be allowed or paid to any agent or
attorney" was made the text of a statement by
MIR. Cockrel, to the effect that il has been the
practice of the various departments of
the government not to inform creditors
them; that that practice has encouraged
}he increase OF claim agents, who find out
(probably from department clerks) the names
OF persons who have such claims and who send
circulars to them offering to collect the amount
due in consideration of a certain percentage.
and that that has been the case in regard to
communication for artificial limbs. He gave the
names of three firms Of Washington claim
agents who have been active in that busines So
untii the attention OF the surgeon general was
called to 1t. and until he took means to put .
stop to 1t by circulars to Grand Army posts and
by prohibiting such claim agents from prac-
tlclng In his bureau. He said that one of these
hrms had appealed to the Secretary of War
against the action of the surgeon general in
interfering with the prosecution Of an honor
able business. The moral Of the whole story
was that it is the duty of the government
whenever its records show an Indebtedness to
any person, soldier or citizen to hunt that
person up and pay him whatever is found due
to him.
Mr. BLAIR THINKS THEY MANAGE THESE THINGS
BETTER ABROAD.
Mr.. Blair followed with remarks in the same
line, and contrasted the practice of the gov
ernment in Withholding information as to its
liabilities with the practice Of the effete
governments, those mOnarchies and despot-
Isms and dlsgraceful institutions of the old
world" He said that If Great Britain owed
anything to a common soldier or sailor or indi-
vidual, he or his representatives
would be hunted up and paid;
whereas the government of the United States
did nothing of the kind. Mr. Platt suggested
that many soldiers who had been entitled to
an additional bounty of 800. and who had not
received 1t before the limitation of the time
fixed lSSO). might have received it if claim
agents had been more active than they were
After further discussion the amendment was
agreed to.
OTHER AMENDMENTS AGREED TO-
Other amendments we're agreed to as follows:
Increasing the appropriation for continuing
the publication of the official records of the
DA.lU
Increasing an item Of SIS. 800 for ordnance and
ordnance stores to be issued to the state of
Washington IN place of ordnance borrowed
from the territory of Washington by the state
OF Oregon, and to the state of Maine to replace
ordnance destroyed by fire.
Inserting an item of S25O00 for addition to
the hospital at the soldiers home. 1ogus Me.
Inserting item Of 80. 700 for wharf and of
$4,000 additional for dining room at soldiers
home. Hampton, Va.
Increasing the appropriation for maintenance
at soldiers home. Santa Monica, CAL from
S90, 900 to S117, 900.
increasing the amount summed up as the
total appropriations for all the national sodiers'
homes from S2,6ll, 700 to S2,656,OO0.
NATIONAL SOLDIERS HOME MANAGERS.
An amendment to add to the paragraph as to
the appointment Of managers Of the National
Home the following words: .'And William r.
Franklin Of Connecticut Thomas " HYDE of
Maine, John c. Black of Illinois and George
w. Steele of Indiana for the terms of Office
commencing April II, 1890, to fill vacancies oc-
casioned by the expiration of terms of Office
and by the increase provided hereby" gave rise
to long discussion.
Mr. Plumb stated that hereafter he should
not vote to continue any manager in the board
longer than the one term of six wears. He he
lleved in the renovation of the board The
management of the National Home was
not, he thought, as conservative, as
wise, as economical as IL ought to
be. He had in his mind one of these
Soldiers homes, the governor of which was
notoriously unfit for the place, and who. by
reason of his habits of his arbitrary and roue6
and brutal methods, had caused no end of
trouble. That would not have been the case
If the board of managers had been more par
ticular in the visitatons. He believed
that there ought to be a constant
change of managers; and while he was willing
now to vote for Gen. Franklin he would do 4
under protest and with the understan ding that
If he (Mr. Plumb we're in the Sc nate when his
time expired he would insist that some other
person should take his place.
Mr.. Allison expressed his regret that th ,
matter OF the appointment of managers was
found in the bill The COMMITTEES on
appropriations, he said, had alwsy.
in those matters, consulted the committee On
military affairs, which was primarily resnons;-
BILE for Soldiers Homes. Mr. Hawley the chair.
man OF the committee, had handed him las he
could not be present today an amendment pro-
posing the name of Lewis B. Gunckel of obie
in place of Gen. Harris, who had recentiv
died.
Mr.. Sherman spoke in complimentary terms
OF Mr.. Gunckel and also suggested the name of
s. .. Yoder. in place of that of Mr., Steele. Who
had been appointed governor of OkIahoma.
and might, therefore, be ineligible a. manaeer'
Mr.. Cockreu mentioned the fact tb.t tba