The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-15
POSTAL BILL PASSED
SOUTHERN MAIL APPROPRIATION
STANDS.
BURLESToN ANSWERS MR.HITT
MIR. HAYS POSITION IN BOER RE-
LIEF MATTER.

Replying to Mr.. BurIesOn MIR. Hit
Read n Letter From Secretary Hay.
1t Seems the Latter Not Only Offer
ed to Issue Passports for DIR. and
Give n Letter of Recomm II dation.
He Only Declined to Request Per-
mission for the Parties to Go at
Will Through the British Lines.
Washington, March 1.-THE House
to-day passed the postoffice appropria-
ton bill. The only amendment of i'm
portance was one to incorporate in the
bill the provisions of the bill to CLASH
fly the rural free delivery service
passed a few days ago.
Mr.. Crumpacker of Indiana moved
to strike out the appropriation of $142,-
72S for the special fast mail facilities
from Washington to New Orleans. His
motion was lost, SO to Sc.
Mr.. Burleson of Texas renewed the
discussion of the case of Rev. Hiram
w. Thomas and wife, whose applica-
ton to the State Department for a re-
quest to the British authorities for
passports to enter the Boer lines in
South Africa flor the purpose of dis
tributing relief funds. was brought to
the attention of the house by him a
few days ago. Mr.. Burleson declared
that Mr.. Hits defense of the refusal
of the State Department to accede to
the request while it might have been
able was lame. The State DEPART
ment, he said, in declining the request,
did not plead the violation of internal
tional comfy as Mr.. Hit had done.
Mr.. Burleson denied that the hypothe
sis of Mr.. Hit as to our refusal to al
low Confederate sympathizers to go
through the lines during the Civil War,
was a parallel case and moreover,
he said, it was not an hostirical fact
He read a letter from a Union surgeon
stationed at City Point, Va, during
the war, who told of how the Union
forces allowed relief to pass through
the lines.
IF Gen. Sherman" asked he had
concentrated Southern women and chill
dren in camps, does anyone imagine
that the North would not have allowed
relief to be sent to them2"
- In conclusion Mr.. Burleson called
attention to a Berlin dispatch AN
granted permission for the distribution
of charitable gifts collected in Ger
many for the Boer prisoners.
Mr.. Hit of Illinois, chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, replied
briefly to Mr.. Burleson. He had read
letter he had received from Secretary
Hay. The letter was as follows:
"A few days ago a young gentle
man called and asked whether this
department would issue passports to
the Rev. Mr.. Thomas and Mrs.
Thomas, who were intending to go to
South Africa for the purpose of dis
tributing funds which had been col
lected in Illinois for the benefit of the
sufferers by the war. / said at once
the department would issue the pass
ports desired and that 1 would also
give Mr.. Thomas a letter commend
ing him to everyone whom l could
influence and asking their assistance
in his errand. Inquiry was then made
whether this government would ask
of the British government permission
for Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas to go at
will through the British military lines
and camps, "a suggestion which
thought impracticable.
This department is ready at any
time to consult with. a representative
of Gov. Yates as to the best means of
getting into the proper hands sums
contributed by charitable people in
Illinois for the relief of the sufferers
by the war in South Africa
Immediately afterward, Mr.. Hit
presented the resolution reported by
his committee, which called upon the
Secretary of State for the facts in the
case OF the application made to the
state department in behalf of DR..
Thomas and wife. The resolution was
adopted.