The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-20
THAT PROVISION
FOR CHARITIES
Causes a Revival of the
Sectarian Question in
the Senate.
RELIGION IS DEFENDED.
John Sherman Favors Any Form
of Teaching the Truths
of the Bible.
RELIGION rs DEFENDED.
ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENT
Considerable Argument Before the
District of Columbia Appropri.
ations Are Approved.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 19.-The
| Senate gave its attention almost exclu-
sively to-day to the District of Columbia
| appropriation bill.
A great deal OF debate occurred over the
| question of charities and hospitals, the
| House bill appropriating a sum to be dis
| tributed under contract with the existing
| institutions and the Senate committee
amendment striking out that provision
and substituting for it the usual specific
| items for the various hospitals, orphan
asylums and other institutions.
1t was this provision that was sustained
by the Senate by vote of 80 to 49,
The only two general appropriation
| bills remaining to be acted on by the
Senate are the fertilization bill and the
| deficiency bill.
The District of Columbia appropriation
bill was the feature of the session. AS it
passed the House the bill appropriated
So, 800, and as reported to the Senate
was increased to $685., 1898, about $500, 900
less than the estimates of the District
Commissioners. Half of the amount
comes out of the treasury and the other
half out of the district revenues.
The first matter that led to any discus
sion was the provision 'for charities" As
the bill passed the House it contained an
appropriation of 1914. 700 to be expended
under the direction of the District Com
missioners. The Senate committee re-
ported an amendment striking out that
provision and making appropriations
directly to the several churches, institu-
tions, orphanages and hospitals as usual
The amendment of the committee was
opposed by Plat (R.) of Connecticut 1t
was also opposed by PETER and advocated
by Teller (R.) of Colorado, in charge of the
bill, who said that there were no adequate
reasons for such charities.
A protest against the amendment was
made by Gailinger (R.) of New Hamp-
shire.
The opinion OF Sherman (R.) of Ohio
was that the present system should not be
struck down until a proper Government
provision was made for the sick and needy
of the district. Touching the sectarian
view of the subject, he declared that any
| religion was better than no religion. He
, believed in any form of religion that re-
| quired an appeal to the Almighty and
| that taught the general truths of the
Bible. All the charitable organizations of
| the district had been built up by charita-
BILE. religious people and had been encour-
aged by annual appropriations for more
than forty years; that aid should not be
| cut off from them suddenly nor until the
Government was properly prepared to deal
kindly and charitabiy and well with the
| poor and sick. He was, therefore, in favor
of the amendment reported by the COM
mittee.
German Cd of Maryland and Cockrell
| Cd of Missouri also spoke in favor Of the
| amendment.
Gallinger disclaimed being actuated by
| any sectarian feeling in opposing the
amendment. Whatever might be his
| faults. he was not so narrow-minded as to
desire to do an injustice to Or put an obsta-
Gle in the way Of any religious association
| in its charitable work. He had no such
| feeling. He hoped he would never be-
| come SO warped as to cast a vote or to utter
| a word in that direction. But there were,
| he said, in the amendment certain institu-
tons that were manifestly sectarian. He
| had been brought up in an atmosphere
! where the churches, too, are of the poor
and did not go to the treasury of the
cities or States for aid, and he knewano
i reason why New Hampshire or any other
State should be taxed for the purpose of
helping religious organizations to carry
| on work of any kind, whether charitable
or otherwise.
Allison (R.) of Iowa defended the action
OF the committee 10 reporting the amend
ment. He declared the committee was
anxious to meet the views of the House,
but that they appeared to be impractical
BILE.
After further discussion the vote was
taken and it was agreed to-ayes IS, noes
3D. as follows:
| Ayes-Aldrich, Allen. Allison, Bacon, Bates,
| Berry, Blackburn, Gallery, Cameron, Carter,
Chandler, Cockrell, Cullom, Faulkner, Cor
man. Gray. Hale, Harris, Hawley, Hill, Jones
tArk), Kyle, Mcbride. Pascoe. Perkins, Petit
grew, Roach, Shoup, Stewart, Teller, Vest,
| Walthall, Wetmore, White, Wilson-35.
Noes-Bsker, Brown, Burrows, Cannon, Chill.
ton, Clark, Gallinger, George, Mills, Nelson.
PETER, Plat, Warren-13.
| In connection with the appropriation
for charities an amendment was reported
by the committee and was agreed to for
the appointment of a joint selection of
three Senators and three Representa- tives
to investigate the various institutions OF
the District of Columbia, and to report,
among other things, whether any of the
Government appropriations have been used
to maintain or aid any church or religious
denomination.
| The bill was then passed, and after a
short executive session the Senate at G
o'clock diourned until tomorrow.
|