The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-20
Penalty Attached by the House Re-
Earded as Far More severe Than
the Offense Warrants.
DISCUSSED NEARLY ALL DAY
MIR. DEpEw OPPOSED TO BRANDING
WEST POINT CADETS FOR LIFE.
Proposed Legislation Said by Mr.. Dam
Tel to BE More Suitable for
the Middle Ages.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-By the en-
phatic vote of IS TO ~ the Senate late this
afternoon rejected the conference report
the Military Academy bill. This action
came at the conclusion of spirited debate
on the provisions against hazing inserted
in the report by the conference committee
of the two branches of Congress. Discus
sion of the provision which was precipi-
tated at the close of yesterdays session
by Mr.. Daniel of Virginia, occupied the
greater part of the days session, and the
report of the conferees was rejected be-
cause it was regarded by large majority
of the Senate as too drastic, and, while no
instructions could be given. the conferees
by the Senate, it was understood that, to
secure favorable action by the Senate,
modified provision as 10 the penalty for
hazing would have to be presented and
agreed on by the conferees.
Messrs. Hawley, Chandler and Lodge ex-
pressed the opinion that the conferees had
gone too far, and said that. while hazing
should be suppressed. no perpetual stigma
should be put on convicted cadets.
Mr.. Depew, in opposing the hazing pen
atty, declared it had been adopted under
public clamor and that Congress had acted
upon Impulse rather than upon judgment.
He argued that dismissal from the acad-
envy ought to follow hazing, but the young
man, he said, should not leave West Point
with brand upon him; a brand that would
remain through life was going too far. He
suggested that conspiracy might be or
ganized against some cadet at the acad-
envy, so that by securing conviction of
hazing he would be posted a criminal
for life He could not run for Office, as the
brand would stand against him. And IL
would stand against him in his business. 1t
would be punishment almost equivalent
to the Russian method of banshing stu
dents to Siberia and to the mines for vio-
lation of college regulations.
Mr.. Allen had read part of the report of
the House committee which had investi-
gated the case of Booz, which, ne declared,
had no parallel in barbarity in prize fight
ing, in bear batting or in bull batting.
Mr.. Spooner said he would vote to recon-
NIT the report to the committee in order
that modification of the provision might
be made.
"BRUTES AND DOGS"
Mr.. Tillman interrupted to say that those
cadets who practiced hazing on their physi-
cal interiors were "brutes and dogs" and
he doubted whether the provision against
hazing could go too far. This school at
West Point" he asserted, "has become
disgrace in the eyes of the world on ac-
count of hazing."
Mr.. Wolcott thought Congress had
entered upon a trifling piece of business.
The enactment of the PROVISION would make
of the cadets milk sops and rriss. He re-
lated some personal experiences Of haz-
ing in his college days and rcmar l,eG that
some of the hazers won name and fame
While others went from bad to worse. come
eve finding finally the Senate of the
United States. He declared that for forty
five years every West Point cadet had
been hazed and in turn had Keen a hazer
Despite that the institution Lau developed
splendid lot of fighting material. Con-
gless was not justified in treating the body
OF cadets like lot of school hidren and
in bringing them up as weak and enervated
soldiers
Mr.. Daniel opposed the conference re-
pert and he said he doubted whether there
was any collection of 4oo young men in the
country which was not infinitely worse
than that at Wess Point He declared the
proposed legislation was more suitable to
the middle ages.
The conference report was rejected-yeaS
Is: nays, Pas follows:
Yeas-Allen. Carter, Cockre;l, Hanna.
Hansbrough. Harris. Kyle. McLaurin.
Money, Nelson, Pettigrew, Sewell, Shoup
Simon, Sullivan, Teller. Tillman, Warren
is.
Nays-Allison, Bacon, Bate, Berry, But
Ter, Caffery Chandler, Clapp, Clay, Gu
berson, Cullom, Daniel. Deboe, Depew, Dol
liver, Fairbanks, Foster, Frye, Gallinger
Hawley Jones tArk.), Kea-ns, Lindsey
Lodge, McCOmaS, McCumber, McEnery,
Mcmillan, Martin, Morgan Perkins, Platt
(conn), Pritchard, Quarles, Rawlns
Spooner, Stewart, Thurston, Turley, Vest
" gilmore, Wolcott-f2
The following bills were passed by unani-
NOUS consent: Authorizing the Pittsburg
& Mansfield Railroad Company to con-
struct a bridge across the h,onongahela
river in Pennsylvania; providing for an ad-
d:tional district judge in the district of
Minnesota and Nebraska; to extend to the
support of Everett, Wash, the privileges
merchandise without appraisement
Early in the day Mr.. Deboe, OF Kentucky
delivered his announced speech upon the
Nicaragua canal He reviewed at length
IN, proceedings which led up 20 the present
situation and strongly advocated the con-
struction of the waterway bv the United
States.
At effort was made to obtain considera-
ton for the bill reviving the grade of vice