Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-08

| APPRoPRrA1IoN-sESAToR HIGGINS ADVOCATES
THE PROPOSITION.
| II Senators Harris, Vest PETER and Cockreli
have their way the Grand Army veterans VINO
come here to the next annual encampment VIII
| not be indebted to the government OF the
United States for any courtesy or hospltaDie
consideration involving q money outlay, or
| even for an adherence to the agreement oy
which the general government pays one-haii OF
municipal expenses incurred in the Dissrict OF
Columbis.
The District appropriation bill was being
consldered-had been read through-Wnen SEN
ator Mcmillan offered an amendment autnor-
| lied by the District committee providing tnat
the sum Of $4,000 be appropriated 10 pay Tue
proper and legitimate expenses attenuihs ,ne
reception and entertainment OF such nohoraoly
discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines
who served in the war Of the rebeihon as may
attend the twenty national encampment
OF the Grand Army, one-balf OF the sum 70 DO
paid out OF the United States treasury ana the
remainder out of the revenues OF the Dls'rict
Ii was also provided that none OF the appropri-
alton should be available until the citizens OF
the District should have raised by private SUD-
scription and expended the sum OF 96O, ooo.
AZ substitute for this amendment Senator
Mcmillan offered the following;
attending the reception and entertainment OF
such honorably discharged Union soldiers,
sailors and marines who served IN the war OF
the rebellion may attend as delegates or
otherwise the twenty-sIxth national encamp-
mont of the Grand Army of the Republic In
the city of Washington, ID. C., and attending
the preparation for such reception and enter
tainment. 500, 600 or SO much thereof as may
be necessary"
SENATOR HARRIS OBJECTION.
Senator Harris was upon his feet in an in
slant. "Mr. President" said he. II desire to
say that the amendment reported from the
committee on the District Of Columbia was not
authorized by the unanimous committee. Ii
was u report of majority.
Il have stood here for fifteen years objecting
to and voting against all appropriations which
proposed to take money ont of the treasury and
appropriate il TO any mere charitable purpose
for any mere donation. l am one Of the few
who believe that Congress has no constltu-
tlonal power or authority TO levy taxes and
collect money from the earnings of the people
for any other than public and legitimate gov
ernmental purpose. This cannot be considered
public or a governmental purpose. 1t
would be a graceful charity il Congress should
take 800, 900 or $4,000 of the money of the
people out of the treasury and give
magnificent entertainment to distin-
guished visitors but l deny the right OF the
Senate to appropriate moneys out Of the treasury
obtained by taxation to any such purposes or
to any purpose other than that of defraying
the necessary expenses OF the government
itself. Upon that narrow, but as think con-
stitutional ground have stood for the fifteen
years that have had the honor of occupying
a scat upon this floor. and upon that ground
shall continue to stand. 1t would not have
mattered with me. sir. whether this were pro-
posed rs a fund to honor the visitation of a
confederate reunion any more than for
the persons to whom IT is proposed to
be appropriated. My point is that it does not
fall within the line of any duty of the govern
ment; that we have no right to levy and col
lect taxes for any such purpose; and when you
take the revenues ont of the treasury already
collected. you superinduce the necessity Of
levying and collecting similar amount to re-
place them. l shall be for that reason COM
PEELED to vote against the amendment and
against any appropriation for the object sug-
gested-"
SENATOR VESTS EMPHATIC OPPOSITION.
Senator Vest followed in the same strain. He
was very emphatic. Said he: in addition to
what has been said by the Senator from Ten
nessee desire to add that this seems to me the
most extraordinary movement IN the way Of
particular appropriation which l have en-
countered during my public service. In de-
fance Of all sorts of nlisconstruction arising
from the fact that was not federal soldier,
simply want to appeal to the justice of the
of money, not out of the treasury of the Dis
trict of Columbia, not out of the municipal
funds Of the city Of Washington, but from the
tax money Of the whole people of the United
States.
..If Mr. President, Congress had invited this
association here. then, under the rights Of hos
pltallty and the generous liberality that char
acterlZes the American people in regard to all
such occasions, / should be the last Senator to
oppose an appropriation twice or three times
as large; but Congress has not been consulted
In regard to this matter at all The invitation
was extended by the citizens of the city of
Washington alone, and brief resume of the
facts will show how palpably unjust would
be the appropriation of this amount of money
from the general treasury of the people.
1t Is very well known that il has been the
custom for years Of rival cities extending invi-
tations to the Grand Army OF the Republic to
mold their national encampments from year to
year In those cities, and it is very we'll known
that the merchants, hotel keepers. saloon
keepers and others reap a rich harvest from
the assembling OF this large number of old
soldiers upon these occasions. When this an
nual encampment was about to occur during
the last year the city of Washington as a mu-
nleipallty, sent Its citizens, with large prom
ises OF hospitality and entertainment, to at
tract this encampment to their midst. Was 1t
the action Of Congress! Was il the action of
the representatives of the people, or was it the
action OF the citizens, shopkeepers hotel keep
ers and others In the city of Washington alone?
Now, under the promise of obtaining this en-
campment the people of the whole country are
called upon to defray one-half Of tine expense
Of il.
DISGUSTING TO The PEOPLE
Mr.. President, these eXorbitant demands.
FOR they are nothing else, by the people OF
Washington upon the general government are
becom ing disgusting to the people of the whole
OF the United States. We have built up with
the money Of all the people of the country the
most beautiful city almost in the world. There
Is not city in the United States that would
not today give go. 0OO. 600 in order to obtain
the location of the capital of this great country
OF o., OOOOOO people and it would pay all the
taxes besides. But we now building mag
nificent edifces here; We are paying one half
the taxes; We are making this city the favorite
among all the municipalities of the country.
| They are not satisfied with this but come here
now and propose to make US pay one-half Of
the expenses OF entertaining their guests when
| they know at the same time that Congress has
| not been consulted in regard to the matter at
| all 1t surpasses all that L have ever known in
| the exorbitant demands that are made upon
| the Congress Of the United States because it is
! located here In this city of Washington.
| As to what has been said BY the Senator from
| Tennessee In regard to the constitutional OBJ
| jections, If the right we're so clear Under the
Constitution that it could be seen of all men at
| a distance / should not vote for this appro-
| priation. When Washington city and Its people
| are reaping all the results and all the benefits
1 when they are their guests and not Ours when