The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-08
Congress Gives 100000 to the
Aississippi's Victims.
A MESSAGE FROM M'kINLsY.
Cases of D~.fisstion Beyond the
pile. TO he Distrfbufed Under Di-
r~efion of the Secretary of War
Against the Appropriation

WASHINGTON, April 7-goth houses
Of congress today acted on q resolution ap-
psropTlzt3ug So 90 for the relief OF suf-
ferers by food Early IN the day President
Mckinley transmitted TO the senate and
house the following message;
Information which las recently come
70 me from the governors OF Arkansas,
Aisslssappk ano Louisiana. and from PROM
inent citizens OF chose states warrants the
conclusion that widespread distress. In
Nolv4nE the destruction OF a large amount
Of property and loss Of human he has re-
suited from the floods which have been
suomergsEg thai section OF the country
These are stated on reliable authority 20
be the most destructive foods that have
ever devastated the Mississippi valley.
the water being much higher than the
highest stage Il aas reached before.
Prom Marion. Ark, north Of Memphis.
20 Greenv1lIe. Mss. a distance Of more
than 80 miles by river. IL Is reported there
under water. and q territory extending
from loo miles north Of Memphis 10 Do
miles south. Of five 10 forty miles vide, IS
submerged Hundreds Of thousands OF
acres OF cultivated soil with growing crops
are included IN the submerged territory.
In this section alone there are from 5o,vo
10 81 20 people, whose property has been
destroyed and whose business has been
suspended. grown crops have been r1-
sned. thousands Of cattle have been
drowned and the inhabitants OF certain
great maJoFtty Of the sufferers are small
farmers. they have thus been left entirely
destitute and Viii Dc unpTepared for work
even after the Hoods have subsidized.
The entire Mississippi! valley In Arkan-
sak is flooded and communication with
many points cut or. In Mississippi a like
condition exists. The levees Of Louisiana
with a single exception have held, bur the
water Is rising and the situation there IS
reported as being extremely critical.
Under such circumstances the citizens
of these states look for the cooperation
and support OF the national government
IN relieving the pressing cases of destitu-
are beyond the reach Of their local ef-
forts The authorities who have eommu-
nIcated with the executive recognize that
their first and most energetic duty Is 70
provide as far as possible the means Tor
caring for their own citizens. but nearly
ali OF them agree In the opinion that after
their resources have been exhausted a
sum aggregatiag al least sl5p.Wn ana pos
sibly sase0. VIII be required for immedi-
ate use.
'sPrecedents are not wanting that in
such emergencies as this congress has
taken prompt. generous and intelligefI
action, involving the expenditure OF con-
sidera bic sums OF mI3ey Win satisfactory
issulIs. In 1874 s7so,eeo was appropriated.
and in ISs2 $4,000 was appropriated Tor re-
lief IN the same direction, besides large
sums in other years The citizens relief
committee OF Memphis. which has taken
prominent action. has already cared Tor
from 600 TO 7.goe refugees from the Hood
ID distrI,,ts' and shey are stfll arriving in
that city in large numbers daily supplies
and provisions have been seuf 10 the va
rioux points in Arkansas and Mississippi
hy this committee. but the most that can
be done By these efforts Is TO partly relieve
the most acute eases OF suneflng. no ac-
ton has yer been taken for the great ma
j0rfty OF the Inhabitants living In the IN
terror. whose condition has already been
.siTn<ier these conditions and having ex-
erted themselves 10 the fullest extent,
the local authorities have reluctantly
confessed their inability TO fnrther cope
with this distressing situation unaided by
relief from the government. II has there
fore seemed to me that the representatives
OF the people should be promptly Informed
OF the nature and extent OF the suffering
ana needs OF these stricken people, and /
have communicated these facts IN the
hope and belief that the legislative pranch
OF the government viii promptly rem
the states named.
Executive Mansion, April I. 1897
In the senate the reading Of the mes
sage was followed 10y the unanimous pass
age OF joint resolution, offered oy Jones
of Arkansas. appropFiating sl50.e9 20 be
Immediately ayailable for the food SUI
ferers.
The plans were changed, however when
a house resolution appropriating s9ae9
fer the Mississippi river and Red river
OF the North was received This was ac-
cepted in lieu Of the former resolution.
ard vas passed unanimously.
In the house after the presidents mes
sage had been read. Catchings OF Miss
txsippi asked consent for the immediate
consideration OK a joint resolution au-
tho-fzinr the secretary OF war TO aistrib-
ate rat4ons among the sufferers. Catch
insz spoke briefly on the subject. saying
that the president had been in coEnmuni-
cation with the governors OF the flooded
ste tes. and was in sympathy with legisla-
ton for their relief. He referred 20 the
presidents for congressional relief IN is2
and lSS7.
Walker OF Massachusetts, was inclined
to ohjeet. Walker said that Catchings
should present some reason why the states
affected uy the floods scouid not bear
the expense % caring for their own peo-
pie. 20 which Catchtngs replied that there
was no authority under the constitution
for the legislature 70 disburse money fer
s,sca purposes Moreover. the legislatures
were nog in scsSson. and ths governors
had no such authority
Walker made vtgorous speech IN reply.
lie said.
Il yield 20 40 man in my willingness 20
relieve Suffering ia every legitimate way.
pgt shere - nothing more abused. nothing
mere dangerous IN is use than cf}1fttS-
when the great Ere swept the clty o. thl-
cage. the inhabitants - various citteS cAu,e
90 the relief ~ Chicago but were that
snr1c disastrous ere 10 reach chicago to-
day or anF oEhEr one - TIE tSenty c1lles.
any one ~ those cities or the states IL
which tAey are located would Gscisne 2s-
assfen.ce feeling that s1 was trTnFfiEE
tsfsor their own self-TespecE and assuming
duties that hxiOnged - the state or tbc
clflze1s cf mat state y aen the IRE sWeF.
fs1sfon and assistance vas of1ered bt
other cities. Bos;an thanked them for thetr
kfutffesS 10 her nut declined 10 accept
claiming the gtsht a. belonging 20 hey owo
rssearsle which sheT woUt8 not foreE2. ct
fAktug care of their ewu csssEeus-
The gentleman says thst the ccustita-
flau az those states give Uo ri&at 70 taose
states 20 assist t1stT CwfC people In ct~~s4ln-
These are no nHS etrclfrtstatsees. ard 81
s s-4anssraenEs - ere necessary 10 shF Gausl.-
t8ssouS ~ these states taeS se9usa have
attended 20 Eha Amendment Of their cor
situations or In some sannef haFe placed
n-gsnsa tp5wrr tn ere AHa3s - she executives
% Those states Nal - po&at ne 10 .i-e
which permits lLf - tae Wres .8esgG fres-
S1Ea tu - eaaaf S. 9tesf-ks any president
message. arEtfr A1F care Esas3.t aots to ,ra
substituted for czansfl ltsstsQ-as tawsr ] aa-
tsa people - ktsese scEfeS tsat wo-l3 have
.s e5aBa S mora& gseel zs f8 tt1 uuon rhpr~
90 axe csfe - tne is.3aTies no~ do1s aaa
: rsrslss-Way ala not tAe xen.la-rs-
rrsvens e on saturday Hheu Ae votes
rsessn nes fa sru1 sJcaOr 20 tae slx eFtue pogr
af tna>af
EVslksr-T7ra- wks national aHet-
ysshe~s private citizens aa 8 usass cosrr.ss..-
stsrss fvem aa sgatee. ana / 1t4 nas t~ar
segsaave - ahag acz- ! believe Nssa ars-
= naFe gGss E6e rar.rse.srs2a saosls1 e-ste-
lhe fsflsve-s - tast Charity ar esnosssE
sa charity every @esrF Aa& as~se~ All rs~-
s-sl rs sarts-S tsaasalE~ @a tsan t3euCcr3.sc
stfeb excaa2t a1sFe u is al afseelate rs--es-
EsE ans = aaTa -ae Fse1r ara suffer. 8 csu-
-ssst ~ RatrVt4-tt ts sHy r.her Ezararr Fs