The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-29
THE NEGRO TO THE FRONT.
4, IMPRESSIVE OBJECT LESSON IN
THE HOUSE OF REPREsENTA77TES.

THE HOUSE OF
nav /. Sectional Discussion was Prectpi.
,oted In tho House-How u was CueIIed
when the Negro Appeared In Hts Own
RehniE-A Pathetic ana Elective Speech
from the Hon. Henry Fiummer Cheatham
The Orator WARMLY Congratulated by
vr,ou aud Confederate Veterans.
WASHINGTON. May 2s.-He is q man with blue
eyes, a round face, good features an iron-gray
moustache, and curly hair. or good physique.
he has a businesslike air. He sits in q swing
inr chair. beneath tho folds OF tho stars and
stripes He Is flankcd by life-size paintings OF
Washington and Lafayette. A golden eagle
stands above him with outstretchcd wings.
This gentleman sits in tho chair OF the Speaker
Of the House OF Representatives. He yields
the gaycl with deliberateness and determine.
ton. He Is Rufus E. Lester OF Savannah Tho
Bundry Civil Appropriation bill is before tho
House. and Mr.. Lester Is presiding In Commit
tee Of Whole House on the state OF the Union.
The bill is hitching itself through committee
like a great inch worm. It has been nearly
three weeks at this business. and its tail is not
yet In sight The Chairman OF tho Committee
Of the Whole has o thankleas task. Retrench-
nent was the order Of the day when tho meas
ure came from the Committee on Appropra-
tonA AS compared with last year. it carries n
reduction OF $12.000.OOO. As each section is
read amendment after amendment is offered.
Some arc Knocked out by points OF order. ca,h
point o! order being skiliully debated. Others
are voted down. after bitter discussions.
Those favored by the Watchdog. who report
ed the bill. are usually carried. few-a very
ieware carried despite his opposition. Judge
Holman has charge OF the bill When discus
sion on an amendment grows wearsome and
interminable. he moves that the committee
rise. and throws the bill back into tho open
House. whore debate upon tho amendment
can be closed or limited. This has been done
repeatedly. Those who have been deprived OF
an opportunity to talk growl at tho Watchdog.
while those surfeited with talk express their
appreciation OF his action.
Twelve legislative days have been spent In
the consideration OF the bill. 1t has given rise
to some interestins and exciting scenes. One
Of these is now approaching. The ninety-three
pages OF the bill have been read section by
section. and the committee has returned to
sections and amendments passed over by
unanimous consent when the measure was
read by sections for amendments. 1t is a ia
vorte manGuvre Of tho Watchdog to pass
over points likely to lead to bitter dis
cussions until the rest Of the bill Is
considered. He thus avoids captious
amendments and narrows the fighting
One OF these sections Is that appropriating
$4,000 for the Government exhibit at the
Worlds Fair Tho House is on the Q,li rre
Legislation regarding tho Worlds Fair always
attracts its attention. Right back OF the
Watchdog sits sturdy gentleman with full
eyes, an aauiline nose. and Gen. Scott whs-
kers. He Is an old Democratic warrior. Ris-
ing in his seat hs offers an am endment ap-
propriating 100000 to nay the expense OF
collecting. preparing and publishing facts
and statistcs pertaining to the moral. in
dustrlal. and intellectual development and
Advancement OF the Inhabitants Of the United
States OF African descent since Jan. l. 1863.
till Jan. l. 1901: the same to constitute ra.t
OF the United States Government exhibit at
the Worlds Fair This Is an amendment in
which all American citizens OF African descent
are interested. 1t has been advocated in all
the newspapers devoted to the interests OF the
color0d race, and 1t has been discussed in near
lyevory African church and lyceum in the coun-
try. Petitions On its behalffrom blacks in nearly
every State ir the Union have been sen, to
Senators and Representatives. They have
.'acn assured by these colored petitioners that
tho Watchdog has promised to rniso NO poin.
OF order against tho amendment Some havo
boon importuned to speak on It's behalf.
Whether nny assurances have been given by
Judge Holman or not. nc promptly rises to in
trrposo an objection. His point Of order Is
that It Is an appropriation not authorized by
law. He eves rs his reason for making this
point that the subject has not been considered
by the Committee on Appropriations.
The reader will observe that the amendment
is offered by George ". Houk, an Ohio Demo-
crat. He pays no attention to the Watchdogs
Iont OF order. but plunges into the merits OF
the proposition ut once He says lie Is not
particular as to its phraseology. The colored
population OF the United States numbers
80OO.00O Its presence here is due to tho
avarce and rapacity Of the white race for three
centuries. To their obedient toll for moro
than hundred years this land was indebted
for great agricultural development and ma
terial prosperity. The destinies OF the negro
race are interviewer with our own in the future
history OF the country. Its adjustment with
the Industrial social. and political relations OF
the white people present an intricate problem.
We havc spent millions of Government money
In the advancement OF abstract science. Here
Is an opportunity to apply . small sum to O |
practical purpose
Mr. Houk has hardly taken his seat before |
David b. Henderson OF Iowa gets the floor. |
Gen. Hooker Of Mississippi and Mr.. Dockery Of |
Missouri havo already shown themselves |
friendly to the appropriation. when Mr.. Hem
derson begins to prod tho Watchdog about |
his point OF order. Heinjccts politics into the |
discussion. He wants him to withdraw II. and |
says that he will guarantee that no man on
the Republican side OF the chamber will make
the point. At the same time no seems to indi.
cate his Presidential preferences by sticking
the knife into President Harrison. The evil
dence taken by the special committee at Chi.
cagn. no says. disclOses tho amazing fact that |
neithor the President OF tho United States. nor
tho Governor OF single State nor the Gov
fs1Inmsptr SSnmmis.ion nor tho local corpora
sion f has given recccnitiQn to the coored peo.
our population saw t w ~ eighth part Of
and md shiame," he adds. that among the egLt
n mas svs re ,ns se
tlves Of the colorcd people have a ppsnrcd Va
iore the special committee and urprnl.d for
this 100000 to show what their race was a a"s
emphasizing under freedom" wac az
Mr.. Cultivate asks whether the Firtv.Nrct
ConErsss made any effort in this dircctin,'
and Mr.. Henderson intimates that thr nv
first ConVreRs passed a broad law, and l.t, ~.