The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-22
THE ALIENS CLAIM BILL.
Defeated in the House by n Decisive
Majority.

When District business had been dis
posed of by the House yesterday Mr.
White moved to suspend the rules and
pass House bill 10 provide home in
the District of Columbia for aged and in
firm colored people, appropFiating for the
purpose the balance remaining in the
Treasury OF pay and bounty belonging to
deceased colored soldiers not claimed by
their heirs, amounting to $2500O0. OF
this amount 100000 is 20 be used in
building the home, the remainder to be
used as an endowment fund. The bill
places the proposed home under the care
of an association already organized, and
authorizes State associations 10 erect, at
their own expense, on the grounds of the
home memorials and monuments to the
gallantry and patriotism CT colored sold
iers. The motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill was agreed to, 135 to
50.
Mr.. Ray of New York moved to sus-
pend the rules and pass House bill giving
to citizens of other countries having
claims against the United States for dam
ages 10 person or property the right to
sue in the Court of Claims. This led to
a spirited argument. Messrs. Ray, Hit,
Adams, and Williams Of Mississippi ad-
vocated the passage of the bill, which,
they said, had been urged by several Sec
retaries of State, to relieve the State De-
partment and place the investigation OF
these claims where 1t could be best done.
in a judicial tribunal. 1t would, they
said, save money, put the United States
in proper attitude before other Powers
of the earth and was a perfectly safe
measure, for before any money could pass
q n 10 EOnVTRgS mi
pass an appropriation bill providing it.
Mr.. Williams wanted the bill to go fur
Their than it did-to give the court power
to render judgment, and to give the same
right to our own citizens to go into court,
prove their claims, and get judgment.
Every self-respecting Government, he
said, ought to provide a proper tribunal
for hearing the claims of citizens Of other
Governments, and Congress, he added,
ought to stop the justice of the peace
business of hearing evidence upon claims,
because it could not, in the nature of
things, hear all the evidence.
The bill was antagonized by Messrs. De
Almond and Mahon, and was defeated, 81
TO So.
A Senate bill to establish a branch SOL
diers' home at Johnson City. Tenn,
brought out the first speech by Mr. Rich
ardson, Of Alabama, General Wheeler's
successor. 1t was brief, TO the point, and
evoked applause, He was glad this OPP
portunity had come, he said. to testify his
appreciation of and regard for he old
Federal soldier. As an ex-'Confederate he
said there never had been any serious diff
ferences between the old soldiers on both
sides. When His Excellency, the Presi-
dent made his tour through the South
and said that the time had come, in his
opinion when the Government should take
care equally of the graves of Federal and
Confederate dead. he expressed sentl-
ment that would do much to obliterate
all animosities arising out of the conflict
between the sections. One of the first
bills he had introduced was to build
home in the beautiful valley of the Tenn
essee, to which Federal and Confederate
veterans should be admitted on equal
terms. The bill was passed.
A bill was also passed to increase the
salary OF Prof Brumbaugh. Superintend-
eut OF Education In Porto Rico. from SO COG
TO $4,000.
At sos o'clock the House adjourned TN
til today