The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-24


His Cause-Committee of Appropriations
Report Rejected-Resolution to Pay DR..
Barnard $4,000 Passed--Other Matters
of Legislative Interest.
The chief interest in the senate yes
terday was the discussion of the Bar
nard pension resolution, and the pas
sage of the substitute bill offered by
Senator Warner, who espoused the
cause of the friends of the eminent and
venerable educator, DR.. Henry Barnard.
time before the hour of 1880 had arrived,
when the report (adverse) Of the COM
mittee on appropriation should be TAX
en- up as the order of the day, and Pres
ident Dewell suggested that as this
matter had been assigned as the spec
ial order it be taken up at that time.
Senator Converse, chairman of the
committee on appropriations, said that
the committee had made an unfavor-
able report because it had not seen its
way clear to do otherwise. There had
been but six persons before the COM
mittee at the time the hearing was
held, and one of these a gentleman
who had come in on other business,
and was pressed into service.
The senator said that it seemed to
him that the reports that public senti-
ment was so greatly in favor of this
resolution was an exaggeration, If not
a Misrepresentation. The claim had
been set up that DR.. Barnard desired a
pension for his distinguished services in
the cause of education. The committee
thought civil pensioning was un-
American, and precedent that It
would be dangeroussto establish The
members of the committee had heard of
pensioning the widows and orphans of
those who had given up their lives for
their country, and of granting pensions
to men who had distinguished them
selves in battle. The committee, the
senator said, had tried to see it's way
clear by putting the granting Of this
money on the ground that the dignity
and honor of the state would be jeop-
ardized If 1t were not granted. 1t had
been said that DR.. Barnard had claim
against the state. This was not shown
at the hearing. When DIR. Barnard was
secretary Of the board of education es-
tablished in 1888 to 1912, and he recefv-
ed the pay established by the law was
per diem and amounted to about 5000
per annum. An effort was made to
\, eJot t,,,r
but this was defeated.
Senator Converse quoted from the
stenographic reports of the hearing on
the subject 1t included detailed ac-
count of the present financial destitu-
ton of DR.. Barnard. In conclusion
Senator Converse appealed to the sena-
tors to stand by the committee and ac-
cept the resolution
Last week when Senator Warner ask
ed that the matter go over until he
should have time to look up certain
data in connection with the case which
he wished to lay before the senate,
everybody knew that the senator would
champion the cause of the father of the
common school system in Connecticut
with no half-heartedness, and that the
leader of the senate would make an
earnest appeal to his colleagues to right
long-enduring wrong. The news that
the subject was under discussion spread
rapidly through the corridors yesterday
morning, and by the time Senator Con-
verse had finished his explanation of
the committees doings the senate lob
bies and the floor were crowded with
eager listeners.
Senator Warner in the beginning of
his speech paid a high tribute to the
committee on appropriations and to the
senator from the Twenty-fourth dis
trict, its efficient chairman, Of whom
the leader of the senate said: Though
he is young in years, he wears the
mantle of the senate with all the digni-
ty of Roman SENATOR
He recognized the hostility of the pub
lie to pensions. He also thought that
the report of the committee was en-
titled to consideration, but this report
was not infallible, and there may be
good reasons why the senate should not
give it their approval. The committee
of education, nine members, favored
the appropriation, and the nine mem
bers of the appropriations committee
were opposed-an even thing. Senator
Warner gave an interesting story of the
services of DR.. Barnard half a century
ago, spending eight of the best years of
his life and spending his own money
when his salary of 1888 year ran
short Senator Warner related CONVEX
sations with men who had personal
knowledge of DR.. Barnard's work He
had been influenced by what they told
him and he was proud to admit it. DR.
Barnard incurred expenses in his school
work far in excess of the salary he re-
ceived from the state. This fact was
stated in the report of a legislative
committee In 1S41. Senator Warner
said that If there is no precedent then
it is time to make one. A Barnard is
born but once in century. Retiring
judges of our courts have been pension
ed, at 1000 per annum, under the guise
of referees" but they are seldom call
ed upon to give an service to the state.
They are civil pensioners in every sense.
In conclusion Senator Warner offered
a substitute resolution paying DIR. Bar
nard $4,000 to compensate him for ex-
penditures on account of the state.
Senator Converse demanded the yeas
and nays on the passage of the resolu-
tion, and it was passed by IL to s. The
vote was:
Ayes-Senators Plimpton Goodrich