The herald., 1897-04-08

6
nrnment steamers and other boats on th
1fiesissippi in transporting and dls
: fributipg the supplies. and also sue
other means as he, might deem neces
sary for the purpose of distributing sur
plies contributes by the government q
individuals Catchings spoke briefly
the subject, saying that the preshien
Z had been in communication Win IN
<overnors of the flooded states and wa
n sympathy with legislation for thei
(. relief. He referred to the precedents 10
congressional relief in 1882 and 1883.
Walker. Republican, of Massacnu
setts. was Inclined to object wake
g said that Catchings should present som
reason why the states affected py TN
Hoods should not bear the expense o
caring for their own people, 10 whici
Catchings replied that there was no au
A 4horitv under their constitutions Tor TN
legislatures to disburse money for suci
nurposes. Moreover. the legislatures
were not in session and the governors
had no such authority
Walker made vigorous speech IN re
ply
at Weld to no man." said he, 'in my
,u;I,,ngness TO relieve suffering in every
legitimate way, but there is nothing
more abused, nothing more dangerous
in its use, than charity When the great
fare swept the city of Chicago the in
habitants of various cities came to the
relief of Chicago, but were that same dis
astrous fire to reach Chicago today, or
any other twenty cities, any one of those
cities or the states in which they are To-
Gated would decline assistance, feeling
that 1t was trenching upon their own
selfrespect and assuming duties that
belonged to the state, or the citizens OF
the state.
when the fire swept Boston and as
sistance was offered by other cities Bos-
ton thanked them for their kindness to
her, but declined to accept, claiming
the right as belonging to her own peo-
ple, which they would not forego. of TAX
ing care of their own citizens. The gen.
tlenlan says that the constitutions OF
those states give no right to those states
to assist their own people in circum-
stances such as they are now placed in
These are no new circumstances, and If
amendments were necessary to the con-
stitutions of those states, they should
have attended to the amendment to their
constitutions, or in some manner placed
ample power in the hands of the ex-
ecutives of those states. VIII he point
me to a line in the constitution OF the
United States which permits 1t? Is the
president'si message to be substituted
is any president message. under any
circumstances, to be substituted for
constitutional law? I believe there is
nothing that could come to the people of
these states that would have so good a
moral effect S to call upon them to take
care of the in juries now done and leave
them to do so"
Simpson-Why did not the gentleman
prevent 1t on Saturday, when he voted
money to send succor to the suffering
poor of India?
Walker-That was a national affair,
where private citizens had made con-
tributions from all states, and did not
then approve of that act l believe that
when any of our people contribute to a
people, anywhere, that the contribution
should cover the delivery of that charity.
/ am opposed to charity everywhere and
under all circums tances daughter on the
Democratic side) except where ii is ali
absolute necessity, and where the poor
and suffering cannot be alleviated in any
other manner. 1t is not for us to take
the money by taxation out of the pockets
of the people and distribute it in charity,
where we ought to be personally re-
sponsible for it.
Simpson-That is what is done for the
benefit of the manufacturers.
Gaines (Tenn-, Dem.) read a telegram
from the governor of Tennessee in reply
to a request for information as to the
conditions in that state. The governor
wired: In a deplorable condition. Bill
now pending for $4,000 appropriation By
the legislature"
Walker sarcastically asked if Gaines
did not think tho amount of the Tennes-
see appropriation should not be reduced
to 500.
The Mississippi sufferers having been
disposed of, Simpson (Kans., Pop) fur
nished the house with entertainments
He had endeavored to secure the floor
Immediately after the routine business
announcing that h,e desired to speak on
a question of the highest privilege.
"I have read an article in the Forum
by Senator Hoar, which reflects on the
house of representatives. and as men,
ber of the house ] desire to enter my
protest" He had been induced to waive
dealt with, but now he sent to the clerk
to be read an editorial from Wash
ington newspaper. This article declared
that the members of the house had been
robbed of their right to legislate by the
speaker, to whom it referred as "pollt-
ical cannibal autocrat."
When the clerk had read a reference
to what the speaker lin his own nowery
language calls retrospective legisla-
tion," Dingley interposed an objection
that Simpson had not stated any ques-
tion of privilege, but the speaker de-
cided the member from Kansas might
continue.
The newspaper article was exceeding
fiery In language and when it had been
read Steele Qnd., Rep) jumped 10 mis-
feet, shouting: This is no question of
privilege and 1 move that the house now
adjourn"
The Republicans were not ready to ad-
journ and there We're cries of NO. ma"
Speaker Reed very calmly ruled on
the motion, saying: THE motion cannot
be entertained at present"
When it was stated in a newspaper
during the Fifty-frst congress tkat
memb bers were seen drunk on the floor
Simpson said, that was considered a
question of privilege. The point he now
raised he declared, was one of higher
privilege. Thereupon he waved aloft
q copy of the Forum ana proceeded to
vaod rapidlv from an articla b, c.ora.~.