The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-14
A Field Day for the Frolic of
Free Lancers.
sI,o45, 900, 900 CONGRESS
SAVERS SCORES REED AND HIS
PLUNDERERS.
JUSTICE s4iRAs GETS A SWAT
De s. rmond in the Melee Takes a Hama
at the Ubiquitous income Tax
Decision--- Shouts of APP
plause for Cuba.
plause for Cuba.


Washington, D. c., Feb. 13.-This has
been field day in the House. The
sundry civil appropriation bin was before
.hat body for general debate. 1t was
used as basis for an attack by the Dem
3crats ON the vast appropriations made
by this Congress, which Mr. Sayers and
Mr Dockery estimated would aggregate
51,045000,000. The latter paid a high
tribute to Speaker Reed and acquitted
arm Of all responsibility for the large ap-
propria tions.
Once the gate was opened, the debate
naturally drifted into politics.
The relative merits of the Mckinley
| and Wilson bills as revenue producers
we're attacked and defended: the income
| tax decision and Justice Shias's change
of position came in for a share Of atten-
lion and Mr.. DeArmond, of Missouri,
concluded the day with brilliant plea
| for struggling Cuba, which won from the
House shouts Of approval. The intima-
lion was made that here was to be an at
tempt to pass the sundry civil bill under
suspension Of the rules on Monday, but
| Mr.. Cannon, who has charge of the bill,
denied this. There is evidently a move
of the bill, but, at present, it seems to
| lack the strength to carry it. Some Of the
interests which were not taken care of by
| the bin desired TO make their fight to
override the committee on the floor
Mr.. Cannon made the opening state
ment regarding the sundry civil bill. 1t
| carried S50,664, 143 about SS,000000 less
| than the estimates and about SIT 100000
more than carried by the bill for the
| current year. The increase was extra
ordinary, but he said. easy Of explanatio
| or the increase $15,531 600 was for river
| and harbor improvements, authorized to
| be placed under contract by the river and
| harbor bill Of one year ago, and S1,620,
| 100 for public buildings in the course OF
| construction, and $709300 for the ex
| penses Of United States courts.
Mr.. Sayers Dem, Texas) taking the
Sundry civil bill as q text. attacked the
| record Of this Congress In the matter Of
extrayagant expenditures. The appr0pria
tons for this Congress, he declared
would reach the unprecedented sum OF
one billion and 45,000000 dollars. He
asserted that it would be in the power
of the Republicans of the next Congress
to pass a tariff bill That would raise reve-
nue. enough to meet expenditures unless
| the majority In the next Congress re-
versed it's policy and adopted the old
Democratic doctrine of economical ex
penditure of the peoples money.
did not the Fifty-second Congress,
when all branches of the government
| were Democratic expend as much as the
Republican CongressY asked Mr. MilH
ken REP, Maine)
Not within S36,000,000 Of the amount
| expended by the Fifty-frst Congress. or
to be expended by the present Congress-
replied Mr.. Sayers.
Mr. DOcEery Dem Missouri who
| followed Mr. Sayers, said, in his opinion
| the expenditures of this Congress would
| reach 81, 050,000000, but he said he desir-
"a to acquit the Honorable Speaker Of the
House OF any responsibility. He com
mendcd Speaker Reed for his 'heroic
attitnde'' against this ''riotous assault on
the Treasury" While his party was re-
sp0nsibIe, Speaker Reed, he said, was not
entitled 70 share in the odium
Mr.. Catchngs Dem., Mississippi,
formerly chairman of the River and EIar-
| bor committee, entered into an ella aborate
defense Of the policy OF the river and
harbor improvements aud specifically
| defense Of the appropriations for the
Yazoo river and the Mississippi at Vicks-
burg. He was followed by Mr. Hepburn,
who denounced the last river and harbor
| bill not because Of the appropria tons for
great national projects, but because, he
said. the bin was made the vehicle Of
ruthless and reckless expenditures in in
significant improvements" He said Mr.
| Catchings's defense Of the Yazoo appro-
rrietfon only proved the truth Of the old
Biblical proyerb "'Fhe wicked flee though
no man rursueth."
Mr.. DeArmond Dem., Missouri, in dis
cussing the adequacy OF the Wilson law,
| also criticized the Supreme courts de-
cision, which he, as a lawyer. declared
was not above just criticism. He said
no one imagined when the law was
passed that the income tax would be de-
| claFed unconstitutional
Senator HILL your great Democratic
leader" interrupted Mr.. Hopkins, Rep..
| Tlinois), warned you that it was uncon-
stitutional"
"That statement is false" replied Mr..
| DeArmond "Mr. Hill was NOT a great
Democratic leader. He is NOT now
| Democratic leader at all. great or small"
| Applause on Democratic side)
ELOQUENT FOR CUBA.
Proceeding Mr. DeArmond drifted into
| some comment Of the growing power Of
| the judiciary, and the executive which
| lead to some remarks on the attitude of
the government toward Cuba that pro-
duced several wild outbursts Of applause
from the members. He spoke Of the fact
that newspapers and every piece of i'm
formation we got from Cuba told of the
story Of the barbarities and crueities
drawn from the depths Of the middle
ages.
Yes said he, diplomacy prates of
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