The National tribune., 1892-04-14
TIE GAR. APPROPRIATION IN THE
SENATE.

Columbia:
National Encampment, Grand Army OF The Re-
public.
For subsistence and quarters for snch honorably-
discharged non resident Union soldiers, sailors and
marines who served in The war of the rebellion
who may attend. as delegates or otherwise, the
26Ib National Encampment of the Grand Army oil
.he Republie, Ina The city of Washington. A. W
Siaople OF so much thereof as may lie necessary /;
| and The SUR hereby appropriated shall he pau 70
and disbursed by the Citizens Executive Com
miiiee having charge of such reception and enter
| taiument. under such regulations as may be pre-
scribed by the Secretary OF War.
As the District property is taxed for half
the amount necessary for the expenses OF
carrying on its Government, this meant that
the taxpayers of Washington should pay
$4,000 of the amount named, and the
United States Treasury the remaining
$4,000
Senator Ceckrell, of Missouri, moved An
amendment that the whole amount be taken
from the revenues Of the District Senator
Paddock supported this amendment. lie
said:
ara heartily In favor of The amendment. but 1
nm opposed 10 The whole thing. The town oil
Lincoln. in my State was competitor for ti'is
Encampmeat A fund Of $50, 900 was raised by that
young city, where 81 is equal 10 s. here and they
would lave raised twice that sum If necessary
They were however, unable 10 compete with The
city ef Washington, with all its promises and nil
The Inducements held out. 1t Is q presumption OF
the hshes: magnitude FOR the people Of Washing
ton TO conc hero now and ask FOR this money
The people Of Washington are able 10 contribute
3, 600 0o0 for this purpose. and they have no risht
ask that the people OF Lincoln or any other city
should be called in 10 help pay for this entertain
rnent. This Encampment will be worth hundreds
Of thousands of dollars 10 the people of this CITY,
and they can afford 10 pay every dollar of it, My
vote will be against this proposition want 10
sec these men rho went 10 Detroit and made these
prom ises do what they agreed 10 do This city ID
flied with real estate and others WHO VIII
profit 10y this thing and want them to 60 down
in their pockets for the money they want.
The mistake that the Senator made is
obvious. Had tie city of Lincoln gotten
the National Encampment it would have
applied to the Legislature of Nebraska for
financial assistance 10 entertain the veter-
ans, and undoubtedly received it, and Lin
coin woHld have not been required to pay
but such small proportion of the amount
as her tax duplicate bears to the taxable
property Of the whole State. Congress
stands in The same relation to Washington
as the Legislature of Nebraska and the City
Council Of Lincoln stands TO that city, but
il drives hard bargain with the taxpayers
Of Washington in requiring them TO pay
! fully one-half OF all expenses.
Senator Frye, of Maine, opposed the
amendment He was amazed at the speech
OF the Senator from Nebraska His whole
objection seemed based upon the fact that
Lincoln did not get the National Encamp-
| ment
| Encsmpment that WAS entertained aud
cared for the volunteer subscription OF the citi-
4 GERS mud there wonid be-
Ia Boston with 100 times The wealth there Is ia
Washington. both the State aud city contributed
toward the expense. There vast amount
OF wealth. in Washington. This city, The Capital
of The countrr presents different plane from sny
oli;er city in The United States. Washington
would mex. September i've the Mecca OF every old
soldier who took part in the great parade of 1863
There won,d be q, that time. nj moderate es.!-
mate. 10000 soldiers ia the city. II would cost
slg5 dag 70 care FOR ti.c,n aud that alone would
he $1,000. o.hcr expenses would make the total
Ear above this aud ye, The Senator from Nebraska
assisted that the people should pay 1t all.
! I can easily understand why there woaid be OBJ
ieciious elsewhere but nm surprised TO fud them
GA this side Of lie Chamber Fer one am ia favor
Of taking oul of lie general Treasury Of the United
States zach OF n,oacy in tie judgment ol
Senators sufficient for the purposes needed. be
that s1:n sioa.ea3 more. objects 10 cutting down
the aniouHt asked ouc cent What particular funt
| the money came from would be immaterial to me
1 and 1t would be iunaier3al TO my constituents.
Senator Hawley favored the bill aud op.
posed the amendment in an eloquent speech
| He was glad the old soldiers were coming Il
the city that they had defended so valiantly
| Washington should do better in entertainin.
them than any other city had. Congress
should not saddle the entire expense o
| uPod 'hD PNopiS Vi !" "<ohiors
ton. 1t had done enough of this sort 0
! thing. IL should now make liberal ap
preparation as the share of the United State
in the entertainment Of its veterans. TIL,
people of Washington were not wealthy.
large proportion were negroes; and a grea
number OF the remainder were Government
clerks on small salaries. The wealthy PEG
pie were those who come here during tn
season The same as they went to Saratog
or Long Branch. The money SO appropri
ated would not be wasted. 1t would b
profiiably expended in q grand object-lesso,
in patriotism TO the Nation.
Senator Mcpherson, of New Jersey, coul
net sympaGhize with the niggardly view
expressed by some of The Senators. Wash
ington was the place of all others where tn
Government should show its liberality to i,
former soldiers. The whole appropriate
should be paid from the Treasury.
Senator Dawes, of Massachusetts,, took til
same view. He did not think it becanl
Congress to compel the people of Wasi
ington to do what it should do. TIL