Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-05
THE DISCREET BILL
T2 E2t
III IN
Appropriations for Charitable Insti-
buttons Stricken Out.
ONLY A FEW ALLOWED 10 STAND
Remarks Made by Many Repre-
sentatives on the Subject.
ADOPTED

After The Stars report Of the proceedings
in the House over the District appropria-
ton bill closed yesterday afternoon, Mr.
Mcguire of California spoke at some length
en- the appropriations for charitable insti-
tutions.
1.-The opposition to these appropriations"
said Mr.. Mcguire, lis urged upon the basis
of two principles, both of which 1 recognize
correct in the abstract. The first is that
this government, having no alliance with
religion or sectarianism in any form, ought
lot to appropriate public money for the es-
tablishment of religion, for the teaching of
religion, or for the promotion of religion
or sectarianism. That is right. The other
principle is that public functions should be
performed through public agencies, and
should not be devolved upon private insti-
tutions or individuals, and that, therefore,
public money should not be donated to pri-
Vate individuals or institutions upon the
pretext that they are performing public
functions.
Those principles are right in the alb
stract, and we should seek with all reason
able diligence to give them practical eff
feet. But it is sought here to suddenly ap-
ply them to conditions in which a great
wrong would result from their immediate
application. There is no need of making a
juggernaut of progress. There Is no need
of crushing out the lives of public charges
who are now being cared for in private,
even in religious asylums and hospitals,
merely because we have determined that
in public institutions. Confessedly we have
no such public institutions nov, and we are
therefore unprepared to Immediately change
our system Of caring for the poor and the
sick and the hayward"
Wait Il Year.
Mr.. Mcguire thought 1t would be well to
allow the appropriations to be made anoth-
tn nd
non-sectarlan institutions for their care.
There Is an establishment of religion
right here in this House," continued Mr..
Mcguire, land repeated appropriations of
public money for the establishment and
promotion of religion here, which, in my
judgment, we ought to stop before we take
up the subject Of charitable appropriations
to sectarian hospitals and asylurns. The
election of a chaplain of this House is an
act respecting an establishment of re-
ligion. You cannot select a chaplain to
pray for heavenly guidance for this House
without having first determined that he is
a minister of the true religion. How worse
than useless, nay, how terrible, it would be
to select a minister Of a false religion to
serve a medium Of communication be-
tween this House and the Almighty. His
appointment would be an insult to Divin
ity, and his prayers would be blasphemies,
bringing curses instead of blessings. We
do necessarily establish a religion in the
election of a chaplain to conduct religious
services for the House, and we do 1t in def
ance of the constitutional provision which
absolutely forbids it. We have no right to
do it, and no right to appropriate a dollar
of public money for that purpose.
Mr.. Powers of Vermont contended that
the real question to be considered was
whether the general government should pay
half of the appropriations for District char
tiles. He thought 1t should not.
Mr.. Boatner said he could not understand
how any one can contend that the appro-
ha n
is the appropriation of money for a private
purpose ~
Appropriations Stricken Out.
A vote was then taken on Mr.. Hainer's
motion to strike out the appropriation of
S., 400 for ST. AIMS Infant Asylum and it
was carried by 93 ayes against % nays.
The appropriation of $500 for the Asso-
citation for Works of Mercy was stricken out
of the bill, but when the allowance of 81, 100
for the House of the Good Shepherd was
reached further debate was brought out
Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama said: 1.-The House
of the Good Shepherd was established in this
District by the daughter of an eminent
naval officer. She gave her entire fortune
and the efforts of her life to build up the in
stitution. 1t has had few donat tons. and
now 1t is almost entirely supported by the
efforts of the sisters and the benefciaries,
who endeavor by their labor, in taking in
plain sewing and other work, to. so far as
possible, defray the expenses and take care
of the poor people under their charge. The
report shows last year they earned $2,366 10
in this manner, almost as much as was ap-
propriated by Congress-
The item was stricken out by vote of IS
to 10, and the appropriation for st. Joseph's
Asylum of $500 was also taken from the
bill. Mr.. Hainer's motion to strike out the
appropriation of $1,000 for the Young Wo-
mems Christian Home was rejected, as was
q similar motion to strike out the appropria-
ton of $500 for the Industrial Home School
Mr.. Baker of New Hampshire then Of
fered the following amendment:
For the support and medical treatment
of medical and surgical patients who are
destitute in the city of Washington, under
contract to be made with the Providence
Hospital by the surgeon general of the
army, $4,000.
For Garfield Memorial Hospital - for
maintenance to enable it to provide medical
and surgical treatment to persons unable
to pay therefor, $4,000"
This amendment was opposed by Mr..
Bartlett of New York on parliamentary
grounds but they were sustained by the
Speaker.
'Those institutions" said Mr.. Baker,
"have been annually appropriated for
great many years past, and the only OBJ
Ject OIL this amendment is to change them
from the sundry civil appropriation bill to
the District of Columbia bill; and the spe-
cial object in that change is this: AS they
are now appropriated for, the government
| of the United States pays. the entire
amount. If appropriated for in the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill the Dis
| trict will pay one-half of the amount,
which, it seems to me, is entirely proper
and appropriate"
Mr.. Baker said: 1.-THE whole object and
| intent of this amendment is to put these
institutions exactly where kindred institu-
| tons are in the District of Columbia. and
| where they ought to be,,,1 namely, in the
| District Of Columbia appropriation bill,
| where the revenues Of the District of Co
| lumbia shall be chaFgeabte with one-half
of their expense. To do otherwise has been
always negotiable, always improper, and
| always unjust, and call the attention of
| the committee especially to this fact, that
| they are making fish Of one and fowl Of
| another, and all to the detriment of the
government of the United States.
The motion was ruled out by the chair as
changing existing law.
MIR. Hainer's Amendment.
| Mr.. Hainer offered the following amend
| ment:
Provided, That the institutions for chill
dren, including Industrial and reforma tory,
namely, the Church Orphanage of St.
Johns parish, the German Orphan Asylum,
| lot; for % of of