Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-22
START IN ON WEST POINT BILL
House Members Complete COnsidera-
tion On Most of ApprOpria-
ton Measures.

WASHINGTON, April 21.-The house to-
day entered on consideration Of the military
academy appropriation bill. In addition to
the regular items. it contains a provision
for the extensive improvement Of the
grounds and buildings at West Point. These
improvements are to cost $500, 900, of which
SO 900, 900 Is appropriated in the bill. Tween
ty-four Of the thirty pages of the bill were
completed.
During the general debate on the military
academy bill. Mr.. Gilbert OF Kentucky, pre-
cipitated a discussion on the race question,
which was participated In by Mr.. Gillett Of
Massachusetts,, Blackburn OF North Caro-
lima, w. w. Kitchen Of South Carolina, and
Mr.. Gaines OF Tennessee. Mr.. Cochran of
Missouri and Mr.. Gillett discussed the
question of alleged violation of the neutral
ity laws in connection with the shipment Of
mules and horses to South Africa.
Hull Explains His Bill.
Mr.. Hull, in charge of the bill, in a brief
preliminary statement, explained its fea-
lures, the increase in the pay Of cadets, and
the adoption Of a plan for extensive i'm
provements at West Point. The improve
ment Mr.. Hull said. would cost when com
pleted. $4,000, 900, Of which 5000, 1926 was
appropriated by the bill.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the committee
on appropriations. characterized the pro-
posed expenditures at West Point as the
"rankest kind Of extravaganza"
Mr.. Gilbert Of Kentucky took occasion to
reply to some remarks recently made by
Mr.. Gillett of Massachusetts,, Mr.. Bromwell
OF Ohio, and General Funston, which ne
thought reflected on his state. In the course
of his remarks, Mr.. Gilbert said that in
Kentucky, and in fact in all the south,
they looked with supreme contempt upon
the social equality Of the races. The
most ignorant white girl in his state, he
said, would Infinitely prefer to marry the
lowest, meansst, most ignorant white man
In the world to the most cultivated negro
in America.
Color Line IndeIibIe.
Gentlemen on The other side could not
cry down the "taint in the blood" He re-
called the fact that when a colored man
sat on the other side Of the house not one
OF his colleagues invited him to his house.
The prejudice against social equality was
az strong in the north as in the south, he
| declared, and all talk to the contrary was
"hypocritIcal rot and rant" Mr.. Gilbert
then turned to Mr.. Bromwell's fling at Ken
lucky politics and gave his version Of Tay-
lor's flight from the state after the murder
OF Goebel. He described Mr.. Taylor's APP
pearance at the Philadelphia convention,
characterizing him as an assassin" who
was made an idol in the north.
Mr.. Giibert's remarks drew a reply from
Mr.. Gillett OF Massachusetts,. Mr.. GIL
lett said he was willing to admit the
prejudice against the negro in New Eng
land. He that that perhaps there was a
-..... ukva4aaI rAnpuuanna tnuyard the
negro here than in the south, But because
one man personally felt a prejudice against
the negro he did not think he had a right
to attempt to enforce them upon others.
n Raises Cry for Beers.
Mr.. Cochran Of Missouri made a speech
in which he argued that 1t was the bounden
duty Of the government to stop the ship
ment Of war material to South Africa. He
declared tina within forty miles OF his
home there was a British garrison engaged
in buying war supplies, and said the exist
ence Of q camp near New Orleans was no
t~orious, He insisted that it was the duty
Of the admiRistration to prevent these vio-
lAtiOns of the law Of neutrality.
Mr.. Gillett of Massachusetts, replied Il
Mr.. Cochran, reading a letter Of the sheriff
a. Chalmette, La, to the governor Of
Louisiana. stating specifically that while
mules and horses were being loaded at Chal.
mstte there was no British military cam
there.
After completing twenty-fouT OF the thirty
paRes OF the bill the COMMITTEES arose. tn
agricultural appropriation bill was re,
ported. A Joint resolution was adopted Il
authorize the admission free Of the replies
OF the statue OF Rochambeau. At 5 O'CLOCK
the house adjourned.