Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-17
THE DISTRICT DISCUSSED.
Remarks Made Upon the Appropriation hin
In The House Today.

II
| fRAScHisEAKST OF THE rEorIK-omo POLL
TICS BROUGHT N-soMk LIVELY Tits.
| The debate on the District appropriation bill
was continued in the House today. The demo-
Gratis. however, making the usual fight against
consideration and aftervard adopting
| diiatory tactics in the committee Of
the whole. Mr.. McComas' motion
to go into committee Of the whole was carried
yeas liz. noes sand Mr.. Burrows was called
to the chair. Discussion arose as to the pend
ing motion, which was decided 20 be Mr.. Nc
| Comas motion TO limit debate on the first para
graph down TO the word provided to
one minute with Mr.. BANDS amendment
| to substitute thirty minutes. Mr. McCreary
moved to amend 10y substituting forty minutes
and te!iers were ordered. The vote resulted
ayes ", nays 92-and debate Was therefore lin
tied to forty minutes. The pending amendment
was Mr.. Brcoklnridgcs, striking ont the appro-
priation o. si2i to make the Engineer Commis-
sioner's salary S5.co0.
Mr. n'Apoo on THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
Mr.. McAdoo IN. - took the floor and
criticised the present form Of government in
the District. No man, he said, could defend
the present form OF government aud at the
same time believe in republican institutions
| The District WAS now governed by three
autocrats. One of these was an army officer.
AS If ii WAS thought that ci-ilians were
not equal TO governing the city. The
city had been disfranchised on accoun: of the
negroes. he had been told by republican ci;i-
gems here that popular form OF government
would never do on account of the negro vote.
| and yet republican Senator was now attempt
ing to pass bill intended to force the
Negro no.S IN other ,shs 4, places to vote;
election bill. Mr.. McAdoo denounced what he
styled the ingratitude of the republican party
Tor DISTINGUISHING the negroes in Washington
surrounded as they were with every advantage.
Mr. Richardson (Tenn.) followed in the same
line; without tho negro the republican party
would be in hopeless minority, and yet the
party DISTINGUISHED them in this city.
| CODE OF LAWS NEEDED.
Mr.. McCreary remarked, to the relief OF the
House, when he arose that he wished to speak
on the pending bill. He thought the measure
! should be strictly investigated. In looking
into the matter he had been more than sur
prised that the city of Washington was without
a code OF laws. This he thought a most re-
markable state OF affairs The portion of the
bill relating to charities was also unique.
Mr.. Allen Mich arraigned the democratic
side for using the time for debate ON this bill
| In discussing utterly irrelevent subjects. In
regard to DISTINGUISHING the people Of the Dis
trict, he denounced the statement that the
city had been disfranchiscd on account of the
negro. Everybody had been disfranchised.
| white as well as colored. and il had been done
because the population of the city was largely
made up Of transients.
NOT DIsrRANcHIsED on ACCOUNT OF TIE NEGRO.
Mr.. Rowell (Ill.) also attacked the statements
in regard to negro Acknowledgement The
city OF Washington had been founded and
provided for in the Constitution as a
capital for the nation. Sixty-five million people
controlled and owned the District of Go umbia.
| The executive officers here therefore nm
pointed and Congress legislated for the
district. The constitution had intended this
| Every argument from the other side carried
the suggestion that any colored man who
interested himself in politics was intruder.
Mr.. Atkinson said the statement that
the District was DISTINGUISHED ON nc
| count of the colored people had
often been stated but had never been
sustained by shadow of proof. The District
| had practically been disfranchissd long before
the negro became an element in politi-
cal life. The Legislative assemblies had never
been able to enact any general legislation and
all acts passed by them outside of purely police
and municipal regulations had been shown to
| be unconstitutional.
Mr.. Kerr said that when the bill was passed
disfranchising the people of the district no
democrat had voted in opposition while
a number of republicans had opposed
TINS measure both by voice and vote. Mr..
Kerr then denounced the position of the demo-
cratic party on the negro question.
| Mr.. Breckinridges amendment striking out
S424 for Engineer Commissioner was then de-
seated.
TO STRIKE OUT THE ASSISTANT INSPECTOR OF
BUILDINGS
Mr.. Breckenridge moved to strike out the APP
preparation of Il 200 Cor one assista I inspector
of buildings. Speaking on the amendment he
said in many departments there were
| too many officers. He would prefer TO divide
the appropriation among the fewer officers and
obtain better men.
Mr.. McComa. sai6 that during the year over
5000 building permits had been issued carry
ing cost OF over 81 ,000. 600. Another assistant
was then defeated.
MR.. SAVERS AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Savers then moved to add after the
section an additional sentence. The sec
ton reads that the accounting offers Of
the Treasury are authorized and directed 10
re-examine the accounts of the Commissioners
accruing since July, 1870, and prior TO March
8, 1888, and credit the same with all such dis
| bursements and expenditures made in good
faith heretofore suspended or disallowed
in settlement of the wherein il shall salts
| factorily appear that the money was paid to
employees of the District prior to their
| discharge and for goods sold and
delivered, work and labor done, materials fur
nished or services rendered TO the District in
1
made I'm good faith on behalf of the District
and also to adjust and settle equitably
said accounts, allowing all payments made in
| settlement of claims against the District and
| for expenses incurred in good faith on account
of the District.
The addition provides that the sum so used
should not exceed $4,000, and that the Com
| missioners shall report on the amount ex-
pended to the next Congress. Mr.. McComas
accepted the amendment.
Mr. Richardson then stirred up a riot by
| sending to the desk and having read number
| of extracts showing what he termed
| outrages on colored persons in the
north. The extracts were all relating to occur
| rences in Ohio and aroused the decided ire of
Mr.. Grosvenor and other Ohio gentlemen
Mr.. Grosvenor characterized the attacks on
the state Of Ohio as contemplate, unjust and
untrue.
Mr.. GRosvENoR ON OHIO.
Mr.. Grosvenor said never except once IL the
state of Ohio had any injustice been done to
any person on account of his color
| and that once was when a lieutenant
Of police in Cincinnati the night before a
| state election had thrown a Gordon of police
around $50 colored persons and had unlawfully
| arrested and held these men over the day Of
election.
The Ohio debate was then continued. becom-
| ing at times exceedingly acrimonious. Speeches
were made by Messrs. Springer, Richardson and
| others.