Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-08-23


the printing of several thousand copies
OF the eulogies. at government expense.
These are bound extensively and make
interesting reading for the families of
deceased statesmen. They send copies
to their friends; and, altogether, it
costs the government considerable
money to eulOgize deceased statesmen
without beneiting the public. The
public money ought not to be expended
in that manner The eu1ogy business
has been overworked. 1t is time to stop
it. The speeches on such occasions are
usually delivered two months or more
after the death and burial of a con-
gresham, and there is not even the
element of pathos in the proceedings.
There is really no excuse for official
eulogies.
During the debate on the bill making
appropriations for the District of Co
lumbia, Senator Blackburn, of Ken
lucky, delivered a speech which ap-
pears in the Congressional Record in
full, and which shows the existence of
peculiar state of affairs in what has
heretofore been known as a charitable
Institution. The senate was consider
ing clause in the appropriation bill
making provision for the expenses of
an institution known as the board of
children's guardians, when Senator
Blackburn said: 81 undertake to say,
and I viii submit the record evidence
here to prove it, that there never was in
this district, or anywhere else upon this
continent, or upon this earth, a system
of charities established that has proven
as expensive per capita, and as worth
less in its character and results as this
board of children's guardians. It has
cost five times as much under their
supervision to support or care for a
child as it did under any other system
of charities ever known. Besides, they
do not take care of the children.
1 undertake to say that every child
that has ever come under its supervis-
ion or into its custody has been brought
to it and turned over by one man, and
he private on the police force of the
district. This is no board of children's
guardians, or any other sort of board.
1t is a corporation, if it may be so
termed, consisting of one man. Its
agent, believe, is a man by the name
of Lewis. He does what he pleases
with the funds. He expends at his own
pleasure, without restriction of law,
the appropriations that you make. To
denominate him crank, in the face of
the record which he has made, would
be to treat him very mildly and very
kindly"
Senator Blackburn stated that he
had thoroughly investigated this case
and that his remarks were made with
full knowledge of facts ascertained
by patient investigation, and the read
ing of many quIres and reams of tes-
timony on the subject. He believed
that the so-called board of children's
guardians should be abolished. The
matter was referred back to the COM
mittee on appropriations The STATE
ments made by the senator indicate in
q forceful manner how schemes are
sometimes worked for the purpose of
securing appropriations from congress
under the guise of charity and the pub
lie welfare, whereas individuals who
are unworthy reap the entire benefit
of the public moneys which are thus
appropriated.
a series of debates are carried on at
the capitol from da. to day which are
never reported in the Congressional
Record, and of which the general pub
lee could know nothing except as
chronicled by the press. On the great
marble steps at the south front Of the
capitol, 4 crowd of negro laborers con-
gregate every afternoon about one
o'clock, and engage in discussions on
politics, theology and morality. They
are employees of the house OF repre-
sentatives and appear to have nothing
to do but to draw their salaries. Their
friends, who appear to be loaf'rs or
Migrants. gather there also and par
ticipate in their discussions. They also
indulge in a great deal of wrestling,
boxing and obnoxious horse play; car
rying on their diurna1 diversions for
two or three hours. They block the
south entrance to the capitol. and by
their use of chewing tobacco make the
place unfit for any gentleman to enter;
while certainly no lady would want to
enter the capitol building at that point
They are sometimes SO numerous as to
bar the doorway, and are utterly in
different to the rights of others even
when admonished to step aside and let
people enter. All of this questionable
procedure is carried on beneath the
windows of the private room of the
speaker of the house of representa-
tives, but nobody seems to have called
public attention to the fact; and the
of the peace, although
open and fragrant, is unchecked and
unquestioned-
SMITH D. Fry.
How Tt Hammered.