New-York tribune., 1896-04-03
THE HOUSE IN AN UPROAR.
LITTLE MATTER KINDLES A GREAT
FIRE
FIVE HOURS OF ANGRY AND EXCITED DEBATE
OVER AN APPROPRIATION OF s325Oo FOR
HOWARD UNIvERsITY-FINALLY 1T
is ADOPTED AND THE SUN
DRY CIVIL BILL
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIeUNE.]

DRY CIVIL BILL
PASSED
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.]
washington April This has been what Is
.eued Field Day" In the House of Representa-
,ives-a day in which the emotions and preju-
a,ces Of some OF the members find vent in hot
ond passionate and sometimes in unparamen-
,arv utterances;. "a day when every member pres
ent who is not taking part in the fray. feels his
nulse quickening and his blood tingling in his
veins as he watches the varying phases of the
contest: day when the gavel OF the presiding
officer cannot be heard above the din; a day when
the galleries fill at short notice with eager and
interested spectators and excited listeners; above
ALL day when the bone Of contention is so small
q. often TO be lost to sight In the angry eddies OF
the stormy food This has been such day.
WHAT CAUSED THE TROUBLE.
The trouble was caused by little item Of some
go 600 for the benefit Of Howard University. which
Is an institution for the education of pupils Of
both sexes. and all races and creeds. who may
resort 10 H. but which is primarily college fer
the instruction Of persons Of the colored race In
the higher branches of learning. The university
was established some thirty years ago by the
means and efforts Of the Freedmen's Bureau and
General o. o. Howard was its first president. Az
Ter the discontinuance of the Freedmen Bureau
and the winding up Of its affairs. Government aid
was withdrawn. but in 1880 IL was restored by an
appropriation by Congress. and from year TO
year since that time the appropriation has been
renewed The president Of the university is re
oulred 10 make an annual report TO the Secretary
~ the Interior, which report is published al the
expense Of the Government. Besides the money
appropriated by Congress. however. the institu-
ton has also received aid from several other
sources including the American Missionary As
ISOLATION. which has made yearly grant
This wear. for the first time 1t has been discov-
cred by good many prominent and influential
members of the House of Representatives-Re-
pubNcans as we'll as Democrats-that Howard
University is not only sectarian, but also pri-
yate institution Of learning. in aid Of which 1t
would be highly improper and grossly wrong for
Congress 10 make an appropriation. This was
the bone Of to-days contention. The Item was
refused admission TO the Sundry Civil bin by
hare majority Of the Committee on Appropria-
tons. but was inserted yesterday by the Com
mittee Of the Whole House with the understand
ing that II should be discussed to-day and that a
separate vote on 1t should be taken after the
bill was reported TO the House from the Com
mittee OF the Whole.
Mr. HAINER STARTS THE FIGHT.
The ball was opened to-day by Mr.. Haner. OF
Nebraska member Of the Appropriations
Committee in opposition 10 the amendment
Mr.. Hainer is a Hungarian by birth. and his
Magyar parentage was clearly indicated TO-
day not only by his firm, clear-cut features sur
mounted by thick coat Of dark hair cut POM
padour, but by his fiery and impassionec elo-
quence. for eloquent at times he certainly was
His speech was like a cavalry charge with
naked sabres cleaning in the sunlight. MT
Bartlett Of New-York who is also a member OF
the Appropriations Committee. met IT, and If he
did not succeed in wholly breaking its force, ne
did at least arouse the enthusiasm OF the friends
OF the appropriation, and call them TO the res
Before he sat down Chairman Cannon. Of the
Appropriations Committee, showed symptoms Of
great excitement. and as soon as ne could ob-
tain the hoor to speak everybody else was ex-
cited also. Cannon spoke all over and mem
bers clustered in front OF him and cheered rim
Every nerve in his mercurial BODY quivered
with excitement, and the very hairs or MS head
could have been numbered from the press gal
lery II ne could have kept one attitude long
enough TO allow II to be done.
Then came Sayers, of Texas. ex-chairman OF the
Appropriations Committee and leader OF the
minority in the present one. Major Sayers Is
man Of phlegmatic temperament and is usually
slow Of speech and quiet in manner Not so 70
day. He fairly outdid the mercurial Cannon. HIS
words came In torrent. or like hail OF grape
shot, with which he sometimes favored the
Yankees who faced the battery he commanded
during the war His State pride had been
touched by some OF Hainer statements which
were foreign to the subject under discussion
and which he denounced as untrue, as he
pounded the top OF desk with his cllnched nst
as though he had mistaken 1t for Hainer's head
OF course. Savers defended not only his own
State, but all the other States OF the South.
Quick and sharp were the passages between him
and the Nebraskan. who popped up and down
Ike jack-n- a-box.
DEAFENING DIN ON THE FLOOR.
At last the Texan sat down. and that Hotspur
Of debate pete" Hepburn, OF Iowa. rose 10 re-
ply. His speech was a perfect tornado OF de-
nuncaton. and before he had spoken three
minutes the Committee Of the Whole was In an
uproar and dozen Southern members were on
their feet trying to interrupt him, but wnat they
said, or tried to say, was lost in the hubDuo
Sayers. indeed was heard TO exclaim. MOI one
word OF truth in t-not one word or truth
Hepburn paid no heed either TO the attempted
Interruptions or to The tumut that he hao
raised, but finished what he had to say.
Then came Grove johnson. OF California VINO
delivered a seni-sarcastc speech. in which nc
tried to recall the subject OF discussion, but Detore
he had finished his Introductory remarks ana
said what the subject his time had expired
More time was granted however for the House
Is always generous field day, and then
he went to say that he was opposed 10 secta-
rian appropriations and TO tell now CaInoriia, can
after long and bitter fight, had embodied IN her
organic law a provision which prOniblted any
appropriation of public money for sectaran pur-
poses.
And so the fight proceeded for five hours or
more and then after the appropriation Dill hao
been reported to the House from the Committee
of the Whole. the amendment to appropriate
$32.500 for the benefit Of Howard University was
adopted yea and nay vote by l29 TO lO? ana
the Sundry Civil bill. carrying about $3O,oeoooo
was passed without a division. and peace ana
quiet again reigned. The field day" had ended.
THE DAY IN THE SENATE.
NO INDICATIONS OF VOTE IN THE DUPONT
cAsE-THE PosTorFICE BILL DISCUSSED.
Washington. April 2-In the Senate to-day MI
George Dem. Mss) finished the speech begun by
him on Tuesday and continued yesterday against