The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-04
SECTARIAN AID
Was a Lively Subject in the House
Yesterday.
REPRESENTATIVE HAINES AT
TACKSlAPPROPRIATIONS

And Wins Decisive Victory, the House
Backing Him Up by Substantial INA
JorIty-Was the A. P. AS Hand In 1t
Probably Not-More Debate on the
Subject Will Follow Today-Capital
GIeanings.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRESS1
Washington, February 3.-One of the
| liveliest debates of the session occurred
today while the House was in COMMITTEES
| OF the whole considering the District of
Columbia appropriation bill. The debate
| was precipitated by Mr.. Haines, Republi-
| can of Nebraska, who moved to strike
out the appropriation of eighteen hun
dred dollars for the st. Johns Orphan
| Asylum. This is Protestant Episcopal
| institution, and Mr.. Haines avowed that
he wished to oppose an appropriation of
| public money for seotarian purposes. Mr..
Haines had said previously that he was
BORN AND BAPTIZED A CATH
OLIC,
and had respect for the work of that
church. But he should oppose in this
bill appropriations for the Catholic and
other seotarian schools of the District
! AS the debate progressed, it seemed to
be assumed that Mr.. Haines stood as
| representative of the A. P. A., whether
that Is true or not, much Of the support
which he got was undou btedly due to
| A. A fnf1nQnop For
bers OF the A. P. A. were about the capi-
tai. But the debate was by no means an
| issue between
A. P. A. ISM AND SECTARIANISM
No one argued that public money
should go to sectarian purposes, but
Messrs. Cannon of Illinois and Grant of
Vermont who had the bill in charge
| argued that these institution were do
ing work that must be done and that
| the government was not prepared to take
up alone. Therefore it was economy to
give these relatively small sums to the
various charities. Messrs. Cannon,
Grout and in fact nearly all who spoke,
whether Republicans or Democrats, ac-
oeded to the proposition that public
money should not be diverted to Sec
tartan purposes. No party lines were
drawn.
Talbert, South Carolina Democrat.
made one OF the most sweeping speeches
in favor of Stainer's moJion and the
charities were defended by Messrs. Can
non and Grout. Republican and by Mr..
Bartlett, Democrat of New York. A
German orphan asylum was also involved
and this was defended by Mr.. Bartholdt
Republican of Missouri, who said he was
Hebrew in religion and did not believe
in the use OF public money for sectarian
purposes, but he did not want to see the
charities crippled with nothing to take
their places.
Mr.. Meredith, Democrat of Virginia.
also defended the charities, although he
avowed himself a disciple of Thomas
Jefferson in regard to separation of
church and state. The first vote taken
was on striking out the appropriation
for the st. Johns asylum and Mr.. Haines
carried his point 1870 to 33.
Then the provision for the German
Orphan Asylum was stricken out 13O to
As. This was on a rising vote, the yeas
and nays not being in order in commit
tee Of the whole.
When thu committee arose it was con-
s1dering
PROPOSITION TO STRIKE OUT
the appropriation of nine thousand for
the Home for Destitute Colored Women
and Children. This is not sectarian, but
1t is private institution and Mr. Haines
held that it should not receive public
money. Mr.. Haines does not propose to
entirely deprive these institutions of gov
ernment aid, but announced that after
they had been stricken out, he should
move to give the aggregate sum which
they would all receive to the local dis
triot government board, known as the
Poor Childrens Guardians, to be by
them applied and distributed to the pri-
vate and sectarian asylums if need be.
His Idea seemed to be that in this way
there would be government supervision
of the expenditure.
Tomorrow several other sectarian in
stitutions will be reached in the consid-
GRAFTON of the bill, several of which are
Catholic. 1t seems probable that all will
share the fate which befell the Episco-
pal and German iSsttutions today.
THE BOND BILL
with Its free silver amendment came over
from the Senate today and was referred
to the ways and means committee. Mr..
Dingley has called that committee to-
gether for tomorrow forenoon. They
will. of course, report against the free
silver feature and the House will sus tain
them by large majority. Probably forty
or more Democrats will vote against the
Senate amendment. off setting the loss
OF some free silver Republicans.
Mr.. Hill. Republican of Connecticut,
offered in the House today bill amend
ing the existing laws SO to permit ma
tional banks to issue currency to the
par value of bonds deposited When the
currency is issued to the banks the secre-
ary of the treasury is directed to redeem
and cancel corresponding amount of
legal tenders. Should no legal tenders
be presented for redemption the secretary
is directed to redeem and cancel the notes
issued under the Sherman act. and to
carry out the provisions of the bill the
secretary is authorized to issue a three
per cent gold bond payable in twenty
years, to be sold as occasion REQUIRES.
The bill reduces from one per cent to
one-fourth of one per cent the tax on
national bank circulation
The Speaker laid before the House to
day a communication for Secretary Her
pert requesting an appropriation of $780,
900 to be Immediately available, for the
repair and construction of naval vessels.
The original appropriation for this pur-
posee is nearly exhausted only $50, 900