The Charlotte Democrat., 1896-02-14
A Raid of Republican Pigotry.

on Wednesday last In the House OF Rep-
resentatives, when for the first time il
the history of this country, a genera
appropriation bill was defeated on itl
proposed final passage.
The bill in question was the Appropri-
alton bill for the District of Columbia
and it came from the Committee on Ap-
| preparations as framed by a sub commit
| tee consisting of Messrs. Grout, Blue and
Pitney, republicans, and Dockery and
Bartlett, democrats.
The District of Columbia is a peculiar
political and territorial organism, unlike
thai of State, and assimilated rather to
the Territories of the United States
| because it is governed directly by the
Congress of the United States or the
Federal Legislature, and not through the
| interposition of a State government.
One-half of tho expenses of the District
are paid by taxes levied upon the resi-
dents thereof, while the government of
the United States pays, from it's treasury,
the other one-half thereof.
10 the District of Columbia Appropria>
tion bill of this year, as in former years,
certain appropriations were made for
various charitable institutions in the
district which were under the manage
ment of private corporations or private
associations. The usual annual appro-
priations were not increased, and the bill,
in it's fo1m as reported was just and
equitable.
Some days ago, when the House re-
solved itself into Committee of the
Whole to consider the bill, Eugene J.
Hainer, republican representative from
the State of Nebraska, made violent
and vigorous attack upon some of the
charitable appropriations. In this attack
ne w&s not consistent, for he sought to
deprive certain institutions of any ap-
preparation, and yet spared others of no
greater merit. Hainer spared the first
institution reached, the Washington
Founding Asylum, which is said to be
under the control of Presby yterians. He
then moved to strike out the appropria-
tion for the Temporary Home for Dis
ahled Soldiers, but finding strong oppo,
sitlon, he withdrew his motion. His
motion to strike out the appropriation for
the German Hospital was not carried,
but he succeeded in striking from the bill
the appropriation for the Church Orphan
age of St. Johns Parish, an Episcopal
charity, and the appropriations for four
Catholic institutions.
Hainer was re-enforced by other re-
publicans, and when the bill was reported
back to the House from the Committee
of the Whole it presented a singularly
mutiated appearance. The charities
nominally controlled by Episcopalians
and by Roman Catholics had been
stricken from the list. The Home for
Destitute CoIored Women and Children
retained it's appropriation, and the Found
ling Asylum controlled by Presby terans,
had not been attacked.
The Germans, aroused by the loss of
their appropriation, made vigorous efforts,
and it is said that hundreds of kilograms
were showered upon Washington. AS
result, by a vote of the House, the apa
propriation for the German Hospital was
restored to the bill.
The whole fight was doubtless
prompted and stimulated by the A. P. A.,
or American Protective Association, and
the members who supported Hainers
efforts were Influenced by a desire to
please their A. P. A. constituents, and
thus to gain a cheap notoriety in their
several districts.
The President of the German Hospital
is, we believe, Hebrew, and through fear
of the combined Germans and Hebrews
the republicans dared not persist in their
attempt to exclude that appropriation.
The rights of all the charitable asso-
Citations were defenued in the House by
Gen. Wheeler of Alabama and Mr.. Bart
lett of New York. Mr.. Bartlett took the
broad position that no distinction should
be made in favor of any sect or any spe,
~ oI obo h,,k hok oil k>o
treated with equal consideration, and that
the effort to strike out the Episcopalian
and Roman Catholic charities was
prompted by narrow and bigoted spirit.
He said:
Just as l spoke yesterday in behalf Of
the appropriation for the Church Orphan.
age Association of St. Johns Parish, 1
rise now to speak in behalf of this Roman
Catholic charity. l for one am not afraid
to take my stand in behalf of all these
charities, whether they be for white or
! colored, whether they be for Jew or gen.
tile. 1 am in favor of each and every one
of these appropriations, whether the in-
stitution be under the management of
Roman Catholic or Lutheran or Calvinist
believe that we have the power to give
| the government aid which we vouchsafe
| W GuCSc iuSAlGullOnS3 W bu0
managers of these institutions for appor-
tionment, and l say that the sectarian
spirit is manifested by opposition to these
appropriations and not by those who
favor the giving of this money"
In the Committee of the Whole no roll
call can be had, and so the friends of
Hainer and the fri~nds of the A. P. A.
were not obliged to put themselves on
record; but when the bill came to the
House for final action and roll call was
had, many of the republicans were afraid
to be recorded as in favor of the A. P. A.
The democrats voted solidly against the
bill because of the conduct of the repub-
licans with reference to these charities,
and in their position they were re. enforced
by enough republican votes to defeat the
| measure.
The whole episode shows that many of
the republican representatives are in
reality hostile to the Roman Catholic and
Lutheran charities, but that they are
afraid to avow their natural hostility
when their votes must be made matter
of record.
A FLAGMAN KILLED.-W. T. Surles,
| fagmau with the shifting crew of the