The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-07
A ROW OVER A CADETSHIP.
An Alabama appointment Charged
Against South Carolina.

lating the Law in Making the APP
polntment - Representative Strait
Moves That the Appointment Be Re-
voked - Representative Bankhead
Explains Secretary Herbert's Action.
Washington, March 6.-Mr. Money,
dem, of Mississippi, offered in the House
this morning .oint resolution authoriz-
ing the Secretary of the Navy to appoint
a cadet to the naval academy from the
Fifth district Of South Carolina. This
grew out of the case where cadet was
appointed from Alabama upon the failure
of the representative from that district
to appoint, but was credited to South
Carolina.
Mr. Hopkins, rep, of Illinois, said the
case was not unique; that the same thing
had occurred in Illinois. The Secretary
of the Navy, he said, had violated the law
in this case. What ought to be done was
10 compel the secretary to yacate the APP
pointment from the South Carolina dis
trict. He objected to the further consid-
Grafton of the resolution, whereupon
Mr.. Money said he would present
it as matter of privilege, in
volving the rights of the member from
the Fifth district of South Carolina.
Upon this point the chair and MIR. Money
got into a colloquy. The speaker said the
effect of the resolution would be to III
crease the number of cadets, which would
be a change of the law. If the appoint
ment made by Secretary Herbert was I'm
authorized, it was illegal and void, and
the resolution was unnecessary to remedy
the wrong
NOT THE FIRST CASE.
Mr.. Hatch dem, of Missouri said this
was not the first time where the scCre-
tary had, on the failure of a member to
nominate a cadet, appointed an alternate
outside Of the state in which the mem
ber's district was located. 1t was, he
claimed, violation Ofsthe law, and the
practice should be stopped.
The speaker stated that the resolution
was not privileged, and it was withdrawn
under objection.
The resolution authorizing an investiga-
tion of the famous order issued by Judge
Jenkins in the Northern Pacific receiver
ship case was called up by Mr.. Boatner,
dem, of Louisiana. and passed.
On motion of Mr.. Meyer dem, of
Louisiana, Saturday, April Z, was set
apart for the delivery of euogies in the
House upon the late Senator Randall II.
Gibson, of Louisiana.
Referring to the resolution proposed by
Mr.. Money, Mr.. Strait, dem, Of South
Carolina, rose to personal question and
related the circumstances surrounding
the appointment of a naval cadet by the
Secretary of the Navy credited to his
district, (the Fifth South Carolina).
He offered a resolution declaring the ap-
pointment to be unauthorized and void,
with a view of having it vacated.
MIR. Cummings, dem, of New York,
said the original resolution had been re
ferred to the committee on naval affairs,
and said that it had reported bill inter
pretng the law, so that in the future
such appointments would be impossible
Mr. Hatch, dem, of Missouri-Let me
suggest that that does not 90 far enough
We should right the wrongs already
done. Applause.
HERBERT SET RIGHT.
Mr.. Bankhead, dem, of Alabama, gave
his connection with the matter. which
was that he had lost the appointment
from his district under the last admins
tration, and that the Secretary of the
Navy, acting under what he believed to
be sufficient authority in the matter, had
appointed a candidate from his district,
and credited him TO the Fifth South Caro-
lima district.
1t transpired in the course Of the rather
rambling discussion that several other
representatives. were iE the same fix as
the member from South Carolina
Mr., Hopkins, rep, of Illinois, suggested
that the case should be met by general
law and not by special legislation.
Mr.. Straits resolution was agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. O'Neill, dem, of
Massachusetts. the House went into com
Of nD bpl 10 on ba n
priation bill, with an agreement TO close
the general debate at 3 o'clock tomorrow.
Mr. Enloe, dem, of Tennessee, had
read the additional section, of which he
gave notice yesterday, interpreting the
law of Dec. q, 1898, so that a pension be-
lieyed to have been procured by fraud
upon the United States may be TEN
porarily suspended pending examination.
sIcKLEs THE FIRST SPEAKER.
Gen. Sickles, dem. of New York, was
the first speaker. The pension laws, Mr..
Sickles said, had ali been voted for by all
parties, and the present bill was ap-
proved on all sides. IL appropriated a
larger sum than was ever voted for pen
sious by any government. THAT is good
policy" he said. IF you would
have good so diers in the next
war, take good care of the soldiers
of the past war" Applause
To the commissioner of pensions. he
said, was committed a vast responsibility
and great trust He must of necessity
cOnfde much of his duty to subordinate
officers. They may not always have the
judicial faculty; they not always be active
and Vigilauu in the examination of claims.
Congress has a right to expect from the
commissioner and his superior officer
the secretary Of the interior, and es-
pecially from the President, a wise
and liberal administration of the
principles enuncated in the Presidents
letter of acceptance. But, he could not,
Mr. Sickles said, agree with the commits
siOner of pensions in respect to his inter
probation of the law of 1893. In his letter
TO congress, in answer to the resolution
Of inquiry, the commissioner had said the
law was "inexact" and "inapt" Before
that letter had been sent TO congress. his
superior should have returned il 10 the
commissioner with a direction to treat
congress and its legislation with much
respect daughter and applause)' The
commissioner is as faulty in his
law as he is in his manners. He need
only have consulted a law dictionary TO
determine the meaning of the words
right and 'yc5tcd right. For his infor-
nation, will read from Bouvier." Mr..
Sickles then quoted from that well known
authority upon the words stated, and
said their use in the statute was 'apt.
appropriate and accurate, the authority