The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-05-21
WAR CLAIM QUESTION
AGITATED IN CONGRESS

Washington May 20.-The war claim
conference of the Methodist church,
South, now in session at Dallas, broke
out In the House of Representatives last
week in a sensational manner. The bill
under discussion was the Washington Gas
Company bill, which Representative
Jenkins of Wisconsin followed and Sc
verely criticized Mr.. Sims position. and
in the course Of his remarks used this
language "TIe (Slms) Is only consistent
when he is voting for the M. q. Church
to rob the treasury of the United States"
Upon the conclusion Of Mr.. Jenkins
remarks Mr.. Sims got the floor on a ques-
ton of privilege and resented bitterly the
institution that he had participated in any
conspiracy to rob the treasury for the
benefit of the Methodist church. He gave
a history of the claim and the represen-
tations which were made to him wnich
led him to support the bill. He asserted
that had he known the true status or the
transaction at the time the bill was pend
ing he would never, have supported 1t;
that he in common with every member
who had voted for the bill had been
lnisled about It,
Representative John Wesley Gaines OF
the Nashville district, the author OF the
original bill then got the floor under
unanimous consent and made the follow
ing statement, which was listened to with
deep interest by the house.
II exceedingly regret that the GENTLE
man from Wisconsin (Mr Jenkins) should
have said of my colleague CMr. Sirns) that
he is only consistent when he is voting
for the Methodist church to rob the
treasury Of the United States In ex-
planning his relation to the passage of
the bill providing for the payment of this
claim my colleague states that he based
his support of the measure upon informa-
ton received from me and from the letter
which he has Just read, written me by
Messrs. Barbee & Smith.
Now I desire to say that the claim is
meritorious, as I will show later on and
which 1 demonstrated when the matter
was pending in the House. I introduced
the bill for it's payment which became the
law.
"The information which had in refer
ence to the payment of this large fee to
Major Stahlman was received from
Messrs Barbee & Smith In person, while
the letter they wrote me led me to believe
very naturally that Major Stahlman was
In Washington on other business, which
was the case. 1 then thought and still
think that he would incidentally, or as a
friend of the church, aid In the passage
OF this Kill.
'Messrs. Barbee and Smith stated to
me that Stahlman was to receive no
compensation for his services and Major
Stahlman said to me himself and to
many others of this house that he was
not to receive one cent for his services.
Relying upon this information. 1t was
natural for me and proper to repel the
charge that this huge fee was to be paid
Major Stahlman. 1 had known DIR. Bar
bee a number of years; he was my
neighbor; he had been the pastor of the
church I attended, officiated at my mar
people, while Mr.. Smith was my Sunday
school superintendent.
II relied implicitly upon what they in
person said to me and what they wrote
me in this letter and I submit, Mr.
Speaker, If l cannot rely upon men OF