Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-01

he said. and quietly let pass the in.inuatiOus
which have been made with reference 10 an or
ganizatiop 81 which have the honor 20 be -
member. and which has been invited 90 hold 10.
annual encamnment in the city OF Washington
during the coming fall Nor. when remember
OF what class Of citizens that organization IL
constituted. where &c h. distributed. the infu-
ence which il has in this country, and 10 worth.
can afford Go cit hero and let IL go 10 the
country that every mra who Is opposed 30 this
proposition upon the floor Of this House Il
democrat and every man i'm favor Of Il u . re-
publican
Gen;lemen on my side Of the house have aid
this should not be made party matter: and 10
Is for this reason-that it may not be made q
party matter. that IL may not be made parti-
san mstter-thst rise 20 enter my protest
against what has been said and the action which
has thus far been taken by democratic mem
ber on this proposition. Why. sir. do Won
know who they are who have been invited herel
Do you know that this organization comprises
within it's ranks 1000 posts, containing over
half million OF the very best citizenship Of this
country DO you know that this organization
comprises within its ranks the President Of the
United States, Senators in Congress. members
OF the House az Representatives, gentlemen
representing the supreme bench Of the United
States and the supreme bench Of every state in
| this Unionl DO YOU know that these are the
gentlemen who constitute large element in
this organization. IL does not embrace simply
the poor, old. crippled veterans 10 whom tho
gentleman from Iowa referred crawling
staggering here upon crutches: il 10 not such
alone that we asked 20 do honor to on this
occasion.
Now, these men have been invited here.
very distinguished citizen Of this nation, whose
name has recently been in every mouth, once
said with regard TO q great political question:
1T Is a condition. not a theory. that confronts
! us. Now, that Is exactly the state Of affairs
here. Tho condition Is that this great ore~ni-
cation has beer, invited not alone by the cti-
Zens of the District of Columbia or the city OF
Washington. They have been invited here As
they understand and they have the right 10
1 understand. 20 be the guests Of the nation 40
the nations capital. This is not the FIRST time
they have NiHited the capital When almost
thirty years ago they were here in such large
I numbers there was no question raised about
their entertainment. We were all glad 20 see
| them. The nation whs glad 10 them come
here. 20 give them welcome and 90 do them
honor. And was glad to hear the gentleman
from Maryland. Mr.. Compton. advert 90 that
| great parade, when the armies OF Grant and
Sherman marched up the avenue and received
the plaudits of the nation. Thirty years have
! since elapsed. Those men have grown old and
gray. After the war they formed this organi-
OF fraternity, loyalty and charity. aud,
as have said. that organization
has grown until il comprises within ITS ranks
half a million Of the best citizenship OF this
country. Year by year they have held their
! national encampments. Cities have We'd with
each other in inviting them. When thev were
invited TO Boston the state OF Massachusetts
made an appropriation 90 assist in entertaining
them; the city OF Boston made appropria-
| ton for the came purpose. When they went 20
| Detroit that city, through Its municipal
| thoriues, made an appropriation TO entertain
| them. They were invited 20 come here.
| The invitation did not emanRte from the citi-
zens OF Washington alone. IL was signed by
Representatives OF the national government
! among Others BIZ the Commissioners who have
charge OF the affairs of this District: it was
officially signed by them. The Grand Army
had the right to believe that the invitation
came. not from the citizens of Washington. not
from the Grand Army organization in this Dis
trict. but that they were invited 10 come here
to be the nations guests for the invitation came
from the agents Of the nation having charge Of
the municipal affairs Of this District.
TUE DISTRICT AND THE UNITED STATES.
MIR. Joseph ID. Taylor said in support OF the
! proposed appropriation:
There are fifteen or twenty large government
buildings in this city. II these government
buildings owned by private individuals
they would be taxed. and would contribute to
| this eNpense, IL the tax were levied in Boston
and other cities. There several thousand
acres of land here belonging TO the government.
II this land were owned by individuals and taxed
as the land around other cities il owned and
taxed il would also contribute 20 this expense
There are hundreds of parks in this city, more
parks than are in any other city in the world,
and they are owned by the government IL
| these parks were owned by individuals and taxed
as private property is taxed they would con-
tribute to this expense.
There perhaps 200 Congressman here who
live in 200 of the houses of this city, and while
these buildings pay taxes the 200 Congressman
pay none; and there are more than 20 900 gov
eminent employees in this city who pay no taxes
on personal property because they are coming
and going and are regarded transient resi-
/ dents.
In any other city this 1000 people would
pay taxes on their personal property. Here
they do not. Their personal property cannot
be reached for purposes OF taxation.
Now the only question whether this gov
eminent, which owns such a large portion Of
the city. owns such a large proportion of the
buildings. such large amount of the lands in
and about the city in parks and reservations and
which is represented so largely by its officers.
clerks and employees, Congressman and others,
men who represent the government but who pay
no taxes. say the only question IL whether this
government. under these circumstances, shall
contribute it's share t2 the expense OF entertain
ing the veterans.
We appropriate money to build monuments.
to erect statues, TO maintain expositlons, and
! we certainly owe q greater obligation to the
men who saved this capital and the life Of the
republic than TO any other class Of people for
whose keneft we have ever appropriated
money. Besides, this is not large appropria-
ton. IL this so-called tax were equally dis
tributed it would only put burden Of 30 cents
on thousand people-less than n mill per
capita.
| Mr.. BRYAN of Nebraska opposed the appro-
priation. He said he had received some pro-
tests, which he asked permission TO insert in
the Record, from Grand Amy posts In his
| state, protesting against being made TO con-
| tribute to their own entertainment, against be-
ing compelled 20 expend money TO extend hos
pitality to themselves, as il were. when IL WIS
promised to them by the people Of Washington.
The peculiar form of government here. he said,
was not sufficient justification for this request
for national contribution. IL granted they
might be embarrassed by similar requests from
| other cities.
Mr.. DUNCAN. Mr.. DeArmond, Mr.. Moses and
| Others made brief remarks in opposition TO the
appropriation from the general fund
| Combinations.