The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-08-14

living to-day. He needs NO lessons in
the art Of war from Turkey, Greece or
any other nation. No; he simply want
ed to take a trip through Europe, and
his wish was gratiied. He is going to
have a good time, and be received in a
princely manner by the princes of the
old world; and we T to pay the enOr-
kmous bills. The men whom we have
honOred and set up to run our govern
ment for us do not seem to care for ex-
penses, but it is time for the people to
begin thinking about these things in
detail, and to demand of their repre-
s%entatives economy in government II.
penditures.
You have often read or heard of Con.
gresham Holman, of Indiana, who was
called "the great objector," but you
probably did not know the man., He
was a democrat. / was a republican.
But we were good friends for many
years, until the day Of his daa last
April Some time in February last he
said to me: II began to be an objectOI
to all sappropriation bills, when / began
my second term in congress, in 1861. ]
came here in 1859, and was made a mem.
Der of the committee OH revolutionary
claims. Although the war had been
over for 80 years, there were claims
amounting to upwards of 500, OOO,O 90
referred to our committee. Nearly all
of the original claimants were dead.
The claims were kept alive by attorneys
and lobbyists. Our chairman opposed
them, and very few passed. There was
a smooth attorney, however, who told
me a pitiful story about an old lady
living in Virginia, who was almost
starving, and he excited my sympathies.
l studied the case, and made u favorable
report on it. Then l dismissed it from
my mind. just before the congress ad-
journed, President Buchanan sent for
me. ! went to the white house, and
there was the bill. 1t had passed both
houses of congress, and was before the
president for his signature. He asked
me If / thought he ought to sign the
bill. / told him hat l did not know
that the bill had passed, and declined
to advise him. He allowed the bill to be-
come a law, without his signature. by
giving it the ten days limit allowed by
the constitution.
I'm January, 1861, just before the
close of Buchanan's administration, /
was at the white house one day, and the
president said to me: Holman, l have
accidentally learned about the suffering
old lady in Virginia. She has been dead
for 20 years, and the entire $4,000 APP
propriated in that bill was drawn out
of the treasury by thai attorney, and
he alone was the beneficiary of your
benevolent report on the bill From
that time until the present, l have OBJ
jected TO all bills appropriating the
money of the people. 1t has been a mat
ter of conscientious performance OF
duty with me. / was guilty of COM
plicity in a scheme to rob the treasury
of $4,000, although l was an innocent
party; and / have determined to save
the people that sum Of money. For
t~unately. 1 have lived long enough to
save the people at least $50. 900 by
my objections to all sorts of schemes.
Newspapers and individuals have called
me all sorts of harsh names; but / am
on good terms with my conscience, and
am satisfied with my career"
Nobody has greater respect for the
military career and distinguished pub
lie services of Gen. Miles than the writer
of these lines. Nevertheless. he is trav-
cling at public expense, and at exag-
gerated expense, and his junket through
Europe is Tor his own benefit, rather
than for the benefit of the people; and
il is not right. It is reprehensible that
any man should be permitted to have
such a junket out Of the funds of tho
treasury of this republic.
SMITH n TRY