The herald., 1896-06-07

over 81, 900 900; also objection to the pay
ment Of the Choteau claim for STA,
446, arising out Of the construction of
the ironclad battery Elijah. The veto
was applauded by that portion of the
house which opposed the claims and
which included many Republicans.
Chairman Cannon of the appropriations
committee arose after the reading and
said I'm my judgment IL the senate
amendment covering 700 items and ag-
gregating $2,000,000 had been fully un-
derstood, the house would not have
voted for it. II we had known that, fast
ened as leech under false pretenses,
the Choteau claim was included, do
not believe any member would have
voted for it,
If any of the senate claims had been
proposed In the house, Mr.. Cannon con-
tinued, they would have been stricken
out on point of order. He gave notice
that he would move to pass, after vote
on the veto, a bill precisely similar to
the one vetoed with the omissions of
the claims put on by the senate. Mr..
Richardson, Democrat of Tennessee.
suggested that as the president had not
objected to the southern war claims,
they should remain in the new bill, but
Mr. Cannon declared they would be SUBJ
ject to point or order
Mr.. Grosvenor Republican, of Ohio
said the president has illuminated a re-
ments for repudiating these claims, and
had deliberately misstated the facts, as
there were no insurance claims In the
amendment.
Mr. Cannon. chairman Of the commit
tee on appropriations, declared that
there were 100 insurance claims in the
bill Notwithstanding Mr.. Grosvenor's
denial He had differed from the presi-
dent radically but always respectfully,
but he agreed with the president in this
veto. This amendment never should
have gone on the bill. 1t is a white
sepulcher full with dead mems bones."
(Applause.)
The question Of passing the bill over
the veto was then put to the house and
the vote on the roll call was. yeas 40.
nays 149.
Mr.. Cannon then sent to the clerks
desk the substitute bill.
The vote on the passage of the bill
was. yeas 49, nays 43, q wide margin
over the necessary two-thirds to pass
bill under suspension Of the rules.
Loud of California, chairman Of the
postoffice committee, moved to suspend
the rules and pass the senate bill to
amend the law defining fourth class mail
matter. The amendment related sole
ly to franked matter sconfining it to
written or printed matter" At pres
ent all official matter can be franked
Loud explained that the mails were
gorged with all sorts of government sup
plies. Last year a million and q quar-
ter pounds went through the Washing
ton post office. Cannon said he could
see no reason why government matter
should not be handled by postoffice in
stead Of express. Loud replied that the
matter could be handled by the express
companis for fourth what it cost the
government. He volunteered the opin-
lon that 1t cost the government twice
as much to transport mail as 1t should.
The bill was passed.
Tho conference report on the sundry
civil appropriation bill was reported by
Mr. Cannon. TIE house voted to agree
10 the senate amendment, which au-
thorized liens on the arid lands ceded
to states by the Carey act to cover the
cost OF reclamation, after an amend
ment had been added, at the suggestion
OF Mr. Lacey of Iowa. vesting the sole
authority to make the liens in the states.
Ihe Dill was sent back for further con-
ference on the public building amend
ments. the house rejecting motions to
accept them. The house vote further
insisted on its original propositions in
the naval bill and sent 1t back to con-
ference.
The conference report on the most
office appropriation bill was adopted.
In explanation of the Indian appropria-
tlon Dill conference report which he
called up, Mr.. Sherman of New York
said that the house conferees had given
notice that It would never accept the
old settlers" or Cherokee claims pro-
vision. but had offered to refer the mat
ter to the court Of claims. This the SEN
ate conferees refused and compromise
was reached instructing the secretary
or the interior to retain the money so
that the question could be decided in the
next session. The compromise to end
appropriations for sectarian schools on
July l., 1897. inspired an eloquent
speech from Mr.. Fitzgerald of Massa-
chusetts. He asserted that millions had
been spent in building Indian schools
on the understanding that they would re-
ceive government aid. Millions of the
property of the Catholic church was to
be destroyed without Justice or fair
ness; hundreds Of children were to be
turned adrift without means for their
education. In Massachusetts the people
were pursued by q secret, un-American
order and while the Catholic church had
never interested itself in politics it
might be driven to adopt the same meth
DDS employed against it. The resolution
for the acceptance of the Marquette
statue, which passed the senate unani-
mously, had been smothered in the COM
| mittee of the whole against his protest.
Mr.. Cooper of Wisconsin, replying,
said: Il deny that this government
has any right to take my money to teach
the Catholic religion to a Comanche, or
the Methodist to a Modoc. 1t Is no part
of the duty of this government to teach
an Indian that the pope is infallible.
Other churches have voluntarily re-
linquished such appropriations. If the
Catholic church is such a patriotic in
stitution as it's cardinal in a public letter
has recently declared it to be, 1t will
cease asking money from the govern
ment to propagate its religion. The re-
port was disagreed to, $3.50, and the bill
was sent back to conference.
The conference report on the District
Of Columbia Appropriation bill was
agreed to and the bill sent back to con-
ference and at 7:30 o'clock the house took
a recess until 10 o'clock Monday.