The San Francisco call., 1896-04-17
SOLDIERS HOMES AGAIN
Continuation of the Argument
on Some of the Alleged
Scandals.
THE MANAGEMENT UNCHANGED
Irregular and Negligent Methods
Employed in Keeping the
Accounts.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 16.-The
fight against the reelection of General W.
b. Franklin as member of the board of
Managers of the National Soldiers Home
resulted in the defeat of those opposed to
him. the House to-day voting SO to 149 to
continue him on the board, as recon-
mended by the Committee on Military
Affairs. There was three hours debate
before vote was reached, trayersing
largely the same ground gone over yester-
day, the administration of the Leaven-
worth Home and the policy of the board
in retaining Colonel Smith as governor
being the principal point of attack. Tracey
(R.) OF Missouri, Hepburn (R.) of Iowa.
kirkpatrick (R.) of Kansas, Calderhead
(R.) of Kansas, and Blue (R.) of Kansas,
favored the amendment proposed by the
latter to substitute the name of General o.
.. Howard as manager in place of General
w. b. Franklin, and it was opposed by
Mahon (R.) of Pennsylvania. Grosvenor
(R.) of Ohio, Ray (R.) of New York, Sperry
R. of Connecticut and Hull (R.) of Iowa,
chairman of the Com mittee on Military
Affairs.
The resolution named General w. B.
Franklin and George w. Steele to succeed
themselves, General I. J. Henderson of
Illinois to succeed John c. Black and Gen
eral G. L. Beale of Maine to succeed Francis
Fessenden.
By request of Henderson (R.) of Iowa,
chairman of the Com mittee on Judiciary.
it was agreed by unanimous consent that
Wednesday and Thursday of next week be
set aside for consideration of the bank
ruptcy bill, the vote on the passage of the
bill to be taken the first thing Friday after
the reading of the journal.
The debate on the resolution providing
for the election of members OF the board of
managers of soldiers homes was then re-
sumed, Tracey (R.) of Missouri, the first
speaker, opposing the reelection of Gen
eral Franklin.
Tracey said he had personal acouaint-
ance with but two members of the board of
managers and that his opposition to the
reelection of Franklin had no basis of per-
sonal feeling. What he had to say had its
origin largely in the reports of the board.
The administration of the board, he said,
ought to show the cost of the maintenance
of the inmates of the homes.
81 make no charge of dishonesty" he
said, ''but 1 do say that there have been
loose, irregular and negligent methods en-
ployed in keeping the accounts of the
board; that it has grown into close cor
poration, which has grown up outside of
and independent of Congress, regardless
of criticism"
Tracey denounced the Kelley cure main
OF at ha un
showed that the average cost of it to the
soldiers who had taken it was $1OO. This
he said was wrong-absolutely wrong
and should be remedied.
Mahon (R.) of Pennsylvania, advocating
his amendment to the joint resolution
providing for Congressional investigation
of the Leayenworth home, Colonel Smiths
connection with it to depend upon the
hnding of the commission, said that it was
the only manly, fair way to get at the
truth. He would not vote to throw down
General Franklin on ex parte testimony.
Biue-I want to say to the gentleman
that any investigation Of this board made
by the Senate or in which it engages will
be roaring farce.
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio warmly defended
General Franklin and deprecated the
course of Blue in bringing ex parte affida-
wits to the House and making them part
OF the permanent records.
Hepburn (R.) of Iowa, supporting the
motion to strike General Franklin's name
from the joint resolution, said it meant no
reflection upon General Franklin. 1t
meant only that the House proposed to
exercise its Judgment and to replace him
nv q mr. fhnr CO
requited service.
The House, by a vote of 55 to 130, re-
fused to strike General FrankIin's name
out OF the resolution providing for the
election of managers of the soldiers
homes. A vote by ayes and noes was or
dered. The vote by ayes and noes was:
Ayes SO. noes 149. The resolution naming
Generals Franklin, Steele, Beale and 7. ].
Henderson was then passed.
The amendment was opposed by the
unanimous Democratic vote, and, except
McLaurin of South Carolina, sustained by
all the Populists, and the following Re-
publlcans voted for it: Allen of Utah,
Baker of Maryland, Baker of New Hamp-
shire, Barney, Bartholet, Blue, Broderick,
Burton, Calderhead, Cannon, Connolly,
Cooper of Wisconsin, Crowther, Curtis
OF Kansas, Dolliver, Doolittle, Eddy,
Ellis, Fletcher, Graft, Grout, Hager,
Hainer of Nebraska, Hartman, Hepburn,
Hicks, Hopkins, Huling of West Virginia,
Joy, kirkpatrick, Linney, Long, Lorimer,
Marsh, Meikeljohn, Miller of Kansas,
Miller Of West Virginia, Milne, Minor of
Wisconsin, Mosely, Northway, Prince,
Reeves, Shafroth, Snover, Spaldlng, Ste-
phenson, w. A. Stone, Sulloway, Thomas,
Tracey, Trelour, Updegraff, Warner and
Wood. The joint resolution was then
agreed to-electing General W. B. Frank
lin and General Steele members of the
board to succeed themselves, General Beale
to succeed Francis Fessenden and T. ].
Henderson of Illinois to succeed John C.
Black.
Half an hour was spent in unavailing
efforts To nass Sopoo ,orivata hi11s q nd OF