The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-21
URGES SOLDIERS TO DESERT.
AND sTIRS THE REPUBLICANS TO
FRENZY.

Atrocities and Justtfies Them in
Deserving.
Washington, Feb. 20.-The House fin
ally passed the sundry civil appropriation
bill to-day and entered upon considera-
ton of the general deficiency bill-the
last of the general appropriation bills.
Mr.. Lentz an Ohio Democrat, who, IN
this and the previous Congresses has
vigorously attacked the administration,
furnished the sensation of the day. He
used a newspaper paragraph recounting
the death of Charles Lyland, territorial
judge of New Mexico, who had been
member of the Legislature which elected
Senator Hanna, as a text for charging
corruption in that election. This called
forth a severe rebuke from Mr.. Cannon.
Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio, attempted to re-
ply and the two Ohioans were anxious
for the fray, but Mr.. Cannon would not
permit it. He thought if dirty linen
was to be washed the gentlemen should
hire hall. Later Mr.. Lentz made a sec
ond onslaught of a more sensational char.
acter on the troops in the Philippines and |
brought upon himself the whole Repub-
lican side of the House.
After the sundry civil bill had been re-
ported to the House and passed, the
House went back into Committee of the
Whole and took up the general deficiency
appropriation bill.
Speaking to a pro forma amendment,
Mr.. Lentz attacked corruption in high
and low places, charging that judicial
place had been given Mr.. Lyland in re-
turn for his vote for United States SEN
ator.
Mr.. Steele Of Indiana, made the point
of order that Mr.. Lentz was not speaking
to the subject under consideration, but
was Jumping on a dead man
II am not jumping on a dead man"
replied Mr.. Lentz. but on man who is
so alive that he will ride down Pennsyi-
.vania avenue with the President one
week from Monday"
Malicious Falsehood Charged.
Mr. Grosvenor sought TO reply to Mr..
Lentz who refused to allow him to do
so. Mr.. Grosvenor then angrily, declared
that the gentleman from Ohio, MIR.
Lentz, had been guilty of a malicious
falsehood. "And he knows it, added
Mr.. Grosvenor
a
when the paragraph providing that not
over $50 should be paid for the apprehen-
sion of a deserter from the army, was
reached. This paragraph was seized upon
by Mr.. Lentz for a base for an attack.
He declared that reports were coming
: back from the Philippines that our sol
diers were killing prisoners. and said that
he knew of a letter received by the father
of a soldier in the Philippines telling of
how native had been buried alive by
his captors and then beheaded.
Justified in DESERVING.
If that was the sort of civilization that
was being carried into the Philippines,
Mr. Lentz declared, it would take $1,000 to
prevent our soldiers from deserving Again
and again he shouted that they were justi-
fed in deserting.
Mr.. Lentz' remarks aroused the House
to fever pitch. Mr.. Graham. Republican
Of Pennsylvania, chal enged Mr.. Lentz 10
produce the letter he had referred to,
which Mr.. Lentz replied could not be
produced without getting the boy into
trouble.
Mr.. Cannon in impressive tones declar
ed that a gentleman who would rise. in
his place in the American Congress and
advise men who had. enlisted under the
American flag to desert might be safe
here, but il they should say the same
things in the Philippines they would be
tried by drumhead court-martial and
shot.
This statement brought forth a round
of applause from the Republican side.
Ordered to shoot Man and Beast.
But Mr. Lentz returned TO the assault
He read newspaper account of letter
alleged to have been received by the fa-
ther of soldier saying that the soldiers
were ordered to shoot every man and
beast they found. Mr. Lentz declared
that he could not be browbeaten. If such
orders had been issued, he said. this
Congress collectively should be ashamed
to face the world. He charged that our
soldiers were guilty of murder and said
that the time had come VIII n the country
was entitled to know the facts and not
to rely upon "censored press"
Mr. Cannon said the gentleman was
lashing himself into passion. while the
men he s.andered were busy in the per-
formance of their duty.
Mr. Cannon said that in his lifetime he
had heard more eloquent men than the
gentleman from Ohio encourage desertion.
when the life of the nation was at
stake" said he, "men all over the North
stood behind the firing line and eucour-
aged desertion. 1 leave the gentleman
to the contempt of an indlgnan! people,"
concluded Mr.. Cannon, amid a whirlwind
of applause.
The COpperhead Issue Raised.
WAS the gentleman on the firing line?"
cried Mr. Lentz.
1T matters not where I was" replied
Mr.. Cannon. II was not dis,oya1 then !
nor now" Renewed Republican ap,
plause)
Mr. Mahon, Republican of Pennsylva-
mia. challenged Mr.. Leutz to bring in a
resolution to ask the Secretary OF War
whether such orders as he had referred
to ever had been Issued. The result, ne
said. would show the report a a,falsehood.
"I have heard such speeches as the gen.
tleman delivered before" he continued.
"They are but revamp of the copper
head speeches from lssl-65. The copper
head charged every sin in the calendar
to the Union soldiers. The boys In the
Philippines are deserving because you en-
courage them 70 desert, and the man who
encourages them is worse than the de-
serter During the rebellion / thought
n 5000 or 10000 OF the copperheads had
been shot we would not have been trou-
bled with desertion. Some Of these men
sun llye-thank God, very few. ZAP |