The Indianapolis journal., 1898-03-16
Measure for Relief of Heirs of Victims
Maine to BE Taken Up Next.
REPLY TO HENRY U. JOHNSON
MIR. TAWNEY'S ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
OF HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION.
Many Minor Bills Passed by the Sem
ate-NatiOnaI Quarantine Bill Dis
cussed for Time.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-The House
agreed to-day to consider the bill for the re-
lief of the legal heirs of the victims and
survivors Of the Maine disaster as soon as
the postoffice appropriation bill, which was
taken UP in the House to-day. is out of the
way. During the general debate on the
postoff1ce bill members eagerly took advan-
tage of the latitude allowed in committee
of the whole on the state of the Union to
discuss various political questions, and the
debate accordingly covered a wide range.
Messrs. Griggs (Dem., Ga) and Walker
Rep., Mass) discussed the conditions of
the cotton industry, and Mr.. Tawney (Rep.,
Mimi, a member of the ways and means
committee, replied to the speech of Mr.
Johnson (Rep., Ind), made some time ago,
against the advisability of annexing the
Hawaiian islands,
AT the opening of the session of the House
to-day the speaker recognized Mr.. Boutele,
chairman of the naval committee, to call up
the bill for the relief of the victims and sur
vivors of the Maine disaster. The bill pro-
vides for the payment to the legal heirs of
those who lost their lives a sum equal to
twelve months pay of the deceased,
and the reimbursement to the survivors of
the value of personal effects lost, not to ex-
Ceed in amount a sum equal to twelve
months sea pay. The continuance of allot-
ments to the families of the deceased for
three months was also provided for. Con-
sideration of the bill required unanimous
consent
Mr.. Loud Rep., Cal) said the bill was
important. There was a general law which
covered such cases. and a special act should
to
Mr.. Boutelle said that passage of the bill
was demanded by public sentiment all over
the country. He said there was a pressing
necessity for the relief of the sufferers of
this terrible disaster. Benefit performances
were being held and subscriptions were be-
ing raised all over the country for relief
of widows and orphans of the victims
Mr.. Loud objected.
THAT is the gentlemanS privilege under
the rules said Mr.. Boutelle.
Il object to the latter remark" said Mr.
Loud, and ask that it be stricken from the
1t was finally arranged, by unanimous
consent that the bill should be considered
was out of the way.
Mr.. Danford (Rep., o., chairman of the
committee on immigration, called attention
10 the fact that he had given notice some
time ago that he would to-day call up the
immigration bill. He asked what the par
hamentary status of the bill was, and the
speaker informed him that it was on the
speakers table, and could be called up at
any time when privileged matter was not
before the House.
then went into committee of the whole and
TOOK up the poStoffice appropriation bill
M MT LOUD In charge of the bill, explained
ltS provisions briefly 1t carried $95S 3O1 less
IMAM the estimates and $3, 296, 1862 more than
the appropriation for the current year.
~ Mr. Bromwell (Rep:; o. made an extend
ed speech against the appropriation for
New Orleans ~
The general debate was not confined to
the subjects in the bill. Mr.. Griggs (Dem..
Ga.) contributed some remarks on the
mooted question of the relative advantages
possessed by the cotton manufacturers of
tHe NOrtn ana South, to prove that the adj
yantages possessed by the latter were not
due TO the longer hours of labor of their
operatives. He predicted that the South in
the the, near future, would manufacture as
Wen as grow, the cotton crop of the world
he warned New England that she must
abandon the industry. Mr. CriggS criticised
some utterances of Speaker Reed and Mr.
D1ngley and created much enthusiasm on
the Democratic side At the conclusion of
MS speech an arrangement was made to
close general debate at o'clock to-mor-
happy day for the Republic when South
ern member arose on the floor and spoke OF
the great manufacturing industries of the
south in competition with those of the
North. 1t was a day we had been waiting
for since the Pilgrims landed. No section
would REJOICE mor@ that the South had en-
u.
shall suffer. from Southern competition,
temporarily said he, 1--WE may have to re-
duce wages temporarily we may have to
lose some departments of our industry per-
manently, but we glory in this Southern
competition because it shows the cementing
Of the common country we love so WELL"
(Applause.)
Mr.. Tawney Rep., Minn.) then got the
floor and replied to a speech delivered by
Mr.. Johnson (Rep., Ind.) several weeks ago
against the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands. He said in part: "Under the au-
thority of the Constitution and following
the leadership Of such republicans as
Grant, Seward Blaine and Harrison, and
in obedience to the platform of his party,
President Mckinley. has accepted these
islands, freely rendered to the United
States by competent authority The gentle
man from Indiana is apparently content
with q vigorous denunciation of this policy.
The logic of his position is the absolute
abandonment of these islands or 1t is moth
ing. Ever since the islands of Hawaii have
been factor in international politics, all
American statesmen and all political par
ties have regarded their commercial and
military advantages of such peculiar value
to the United States that they deemed it
necessary to adopt and enforce the policy OF
not allowing any foreign power to inter-
fere with. control or colonize them. Since
1842 nine Presidents have declared that no
foreign power should dominate the islands.
1T is true. as the gentleman from Indi-
ana says, the population OF the Hawaiian
islands is heterogeneous in character, but
so is the population of his and almost every
other State in the Union. 1t is not true,
however, that the native Hawaiians are an
illitreate race. The percentage of illiteracy
according the Hawaiian census of 1896. is
only very little less in the State of Indi-
ana than it is among the natives of these
islands / was surprised when there a short
time ago to learn that it was almost i'm
possible to find an adult native Hawallan
who could not read and write, and more
than one-third of them read and write the
English language.
Mr.. Tawney was warmly congratulated
when he concluded. At 5:10 p. m. the House
adjourned.