The morning times., 1896-09-27
In Politics..

In reply to a letter frcm Mir. F. X. Baker,
of Tacoma, VAST. scUai ,or aulkner. chair
man OF the Dunocrauc COBsressioiiakC com
mittec, replies as follows.
'"Hou. +. K. Baker, Tacoma. WASH -
MY Dear Sir; / arn III I,celp, Of your
favor Of the 4th, ircloSlng copy Of letter
written to you by MIR. ". Holloway OF Fri
day HarDor, s,atDg that Senator J. L.
Wilson Is stunping tlis part IF the-State
just now and one of his pet staten ents is
to the effect that Mr.. bryan, when in the
House OF Representatives, voted against the
teaching OF the English language in the
public schools OF New Mexico, saying he
did not think it necessary. You desire to
be Informed II tue statement is correct. ..
Mr. Bryan was member OF lie Fifty
second and Fifty-third Congress, and in
each OF these Congresses voted in favor OF
the passage of the bill for the admission OF
New Mexico into tue Union as State. In
the Fifty-secopd Congress the bill passed
without any record vote, June 6. 1882. Mr.,
Bryan took no part in the debate. In the
Fifty-third Congress- the bill (H. r. 363D
'toeuable tue people of New Mexico toform
a constitution and State government, and
to be admitted into the Union on an equal
footing with the original States, passed
June IS, 1894. While the bill was under
consideration June %, 1s9i. an amendment
was offered to tie proposed provision of
theCoDstltution relating 10 Tie pubnc schools
providing that the English language should
be taught in all Of the public schools.
This amendment WAS opposed by the
Committee on Territories. wIicn had re
ported the bill Mr.. Joseph. the delegate
from Mexico, opposed it, He said, the
English language is JaUgu5 in every public
school within the Territory 1t was fur
ther stated In debate that the adoption OF
the amendment would be an unjust thing.
1t was shown that no such provision had
lar vx-Ii iph
Texas, California, Colorado, or louisiana
each OF which had large population
that did not speak English into the
Union. The amendment came from the
enemies OF the bill. 1t was opposed by
the Committee and the delegate from New
Mexico; it was Unnecessary and was an
unjust imputation upon the people of New
Mexico. 1t was accordingly voted down,
Mr.. Bryan voting against its adoption and
Mr.. Wilson, of Washington, In favor of 1t.
1t was rejected by vote of yeas "a, nays
117. Mr.. Bryan took no part in the
debate. The bill then passed without any
record vote. The presumption is that Mr.
Wilson, as well as Mr.. Bryan, voted for its
passage. l send you copy OF the bill.
The proceedings will be found in the Con-
gressloual Record, Fifty-third Congress,
Second session, Vol. 26, part z, pages 6S1O,
69l6 and 6968.
1T is obvious that Senator Wilson wishes
those who hear his speeches to believe
that Mr.. Bryan was opposed to the teach
ing Of the English language in the public
schools of New Mexico, whereas the fact
u, as stated by the delegate from New
Mexico, the English language is taught
in every pubic school in the Territory,
and will continue to be taught, although
Observation-Disclosures TO was not adopted.
No vote cast by Mr.. Bryan and no. word |
uttered by him can be found to sustain |
Senator Wilson's charge, and you should |
promptly denounce 1t. Yours very truly,
CHARLES j. FAULKNER, |
Chairman"