The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-10
| VICTORY FOR THE PILOTS.
THE BILL TO REPEAL THE COM
PULSORY LAW DEFEATED.

the A. p. A. for Its Opposition to
the Granting of Federal Aid to
Catholic Institutions.
Washington, April 9.-The pilots won
their fight in the House to-day, and the
Pavne bill was defeated by a division vote
nj III to 81. The clincher was put on the
bill. and it is dead for this session. Those
who spoke in favor of the bill were Messrs.
Perkins of Iowa; Fitzgerald of Massachu-
sets, Elliott of Virginia, and Dingley of
Maine. The opposition, which was skill
fully led my Mr.. Cooper, had for its
speakers Messrs. Cooper, Grosvenor of
Iowa. Elliott of South Carolina, and Ty-
Ter of Virginia.
Congressmen Lester and Sparkman were
anxious to speak, but did not get a chance,
owing to the scarcity of time. Mr.. Spark
mans friends think he ought to have
been given some time, as the pilots from
Pensacola, in his district, were the strong
est of all in opposition to the bill. There
was applause in the galleries and on the
floor of the House when the defeat of
the bill was announced. Congressman
GrOsVenor protested against the passage
OF the bill on the ground that labor is al
ready in a badly depressed condition, and
this bill would be a further blow at the
laboring man.
Washington, April 9.-The bill to repeal
the compulsory pilotage system, so far as
1t affects sailing vessels engaged in the
coastwise trade was defeated in the House
to-day after a days debate, by a vote Of
III to 81.
Mr.. GrOsvenOr, rep, of Ohio, in the
course of the discussion, said that while
this congress would not enact any legisla-
ton intended to improve the condition of
labOrtng men in this country, he was GER
tain the House would not pass bill
which labOring men believed would tend
to still further increase the distress and
discomfort of any portion of their fellows.
The amended District of Columbia APP
preparation bill for the year ending June
30, 1897, was passed after brief de-
bate.
The most notable incident of the debate
was bitter attack by Mr.. Fitzgerald,
dem, of Massachusetts, upon the Ameri-
can Protective Association by name for
its attack in the dark, as he expressed
it, upon the Roman Catholic church, of
which he was member, which result
ed in depriVing institutions in the Dis
trict of Columbia, conducted under the
auspices of the church, of what was just
ly and legally theirs.
Discussion of the District of Columbia
appropriation bill was Interrupted to pass
the resolution asking the Secretary of
State to give the House any information
the department might have regarding the
case of Mrs. Florence Z. Maybrick, in
prison in England for poisoning her hus-
band, a merchant of Liverpool.
Mr.. Fitzgerald, rising to speak upon
the district appropriation bill, said: I'm
the few moments at my disposal, in
tend to pay my respects to an organiza-
ton existing in this country to-day that
is behind this BILL and has been behind 1t
ever since congress came into session. The
American Protective Association organi-
cation never made any opposition to the
appropriations ito these institutions until
the night before the debate began, and
then they bombarded the committee room,
and insisted upon the appropriations De-
ing stricken out. Tn animuS of this Or
ganization is well known. A great many
members of this House have been impor-
tuned to oppose this bill, not in the inter-
est of justice, freedom, or broad spirit or
Nberality and Americanism, but for the
simple reason that it appropriates money
for Catholic institutions. l stand upon
the floor of the House, born and bred a
Roman Catholic, and proud of 1t, and
deny the right of any secret, oath-bound
organization to come before the legal rep
people, and by its dark, deep,
underhand methods, seek to deprive
me and members of the religion which
profess, of the honest rights and privileges
and dues of American citizenship What
apology is there for a Roman Catholic to
I've in this country? Is one necessary?
land of ours in 1892. Look at the deeds of
bravery and heroism and craftsmanship
that have been performed by Roman Cath
p. A. organization in this House, / chal-
lenge any member who is in sympathy
with that organization, TO name a sphere
in life, or any public duty, that has been
badly filled or i'll performed by members OF
the Roman Catholic church. In the great
war of the revolution, Washington had no
tirmer friends, no firmer supports, than the
Roman Catholic members of his staff ~and
when We look at the great naval struggle
at that time, the first name that springs
to our lips is that of an Irishman and a
Roman Catholic, Capt. John O'Brien, who
achieved the first great naval victory of
the war off the coast of Maine. 1t was
not asked whether Kosciusko or Pulaski,
or Lafayette was a Catholic when the thir-
teen colonies were struggling for their in
dependence, were struggling for the right
10 breathe and live, the rights which Tree
born American citizens are enjoying to-
day. At that time could you find any re-
ligious fanatics or persons Stealthily creep
ing around from one end of the country to
the other in secret order and in secret par
lance intriguing against a mans religion?
l know we talk about the breadth and lib
crafty of the American people in these
days; why, sir it is not to be compared
with the breadth and hberality and wis
dom that were exhibited in those times.
Mr.. Speaker, l should appeal in the spir-
II of broad Americanism and true charity
if it could be DONE that this appropria-
ton bill, which has been reported here to-
day, should be set aside and an appropria-
ton made in the usual form. / know,
however, that that cannot be done at the
present time under the rules of this House;
bQl lllEnQ 10 SldnQ mere anu utter my
protest as an American citizen, and as a
Roman Catholic against the unjust, un-
Iair, and un-Amerlcan means that have
been used by the organization to which l
have referred to to deprive these institu-
tions of the support which is legally and
justly theirs. My friends if we should have
war with England on account of the Vene-
zuelan matter or war with Spain on ac-
count of the Cuban matter, where would
the members of the famous organization
be found? They would be found in the
same place, and under the same auspices
that they were found in the war of the re-
belliOn, taking the steamers for Nova SEQ
tia TO put themselves under the protection
OF Queen Victoria and the British flag.
Those would be the conditions that would
exist and those are the conditions that al
ways exist when people try to strike with
a knife in the back.
NO response was made to Mr. Fitzgerald
beyond a bare denial by Mr.. Grout, rep,
OF Vermont, in charge of the bill, that
II constituted in any sense an attack upon
the Catholic church.
The vote upon The bill was 1874 to q, and
only twenty members, an insufficient num-
Der, Joined with Mr.. Sulzer, dem. of New
York, in q demand for a vote by yeas
and nays
A conference was ordered on the Senate
amendments to the postoffice appropria-
lion bill