The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-04-22
WEST POINT TO
COST MILLIONS
-k
Military School Improvements
Amount to Appalling Sum.
NEGRO QUESTION AGAIN
LAW MAKERS VIEWS ABOUT
CoLoRED PEOPLE.
NEGRO QUESTION AGAl

Z Z
w today entered upon consideration
Of the military academy bill. In
addition 10 the regular items. it con-
tains provision for the extensive i'm
provements OF the grounds and build
ings at West Point These improve
uents are to cost IS 500 900, of which
Sc 00o, 200 is appropriated in the bill
During the general debate on the mill
itary academy bill, Mr.. Gilbert of Ken
lucky precipitated a discussion on the
race question.
Upon the conclusion Of district bust
ness, the house went into committee Of
the whole and entered upon the discus
sion Of the military academy bin. The
debate was limited TO an hour on each
side.
Mr. Hull in charge of the bill, in a
brief preliminary statement, defined its
features, the increase in the pay Of
cadets and the adoption of a plan for
extensive improvements at West Point
These improvements, Mr.. HUI said,
would cost when completed Sc, 500 0O0
of which $5,090,S26 was appropriated by
the bill.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the com
mittee on appropriations. characterized
the proposed expenditure at West
Point as the ''rankest kind of extrava-
gance."
Replies to Funston.
Mr.. Gilbert Of Kentucky took occa-
sion to reply to some remarks recently
made BY Mr.. Gillett OF Massachusetts,
Mr.. BromweH Of Ohio and General
Funston, which he thought reflected
upon his state. In the course of his re-
marks. Mr. Gilbert said that in Ken
lucky, 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, meaneSt, most ig-
nOrant white man in the world to the
most cultured negro in America Gen
tlemen on the other side could not cry
down the faint 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 as strong in the north as in the
south. he declared, and al talk to the
contrary was "hypocritical rant and
rot"
Mr.. Gilberts remarks drew a reply
from Mr.. GiIlett Of Massachusetts. Mr..
Gillett said he was willing to admit
the prejudice against the negro in New
England. He thought that. perhaps
there was a greater physical TcpUg-
nance toward the negro there than in
the south. but because one man per-
sonaily felt q prejudice against the ne
gro he did not think he HAD right TO
attempt TO enforce il upon oilers
Mr. Bartlett Of Georgia Interrupted
TO ask whether, some time ago, Booker
Washington was not refused lodging at
the hotels in Boston.
Negro Question Discussed.
Mr.. Ginett replied that the incident
referred TO occurred at Springfield, not
Boston, and he explained that Mr..
Washington was refused lodging at
two hotels because they were full and
could not accommodate him, but he
said the proprietor Of one of them
made every effort to secure lodging for
him elsewhere. and invited him to come
to his hotel for his meals.
Mr.. Gillett explained that in New
England they could Understand the
prejudice in the SOU & Rinst the ne
gro and against negro domination, but
the people of his section insisted that
social ostTacism snoMd ne be visited
on those who did not share these preju-
dices. When a negro man raised HIM
self above his fellows and led pure,
clean, manly life, he thought MS worth
should be recognized.
He did not sympathize with a state
Of society which accepted a man whose
hands were stained with the blood of
lynching. OF with election frauds, but
who rejected a worthy man, simply be-
cause his color was black
do not dodge this issue" cried Mr..
Gilbert. Did you ever invite a negro
to YOUR table,"
7 never have replied Mr.. Gil
lett, but I never have been mean
enough to criticise man who has
done So"
Mr. Cochrane of Missouri made a
speech in which he argued that il was
the bounden duty Of the government
TO stop the shipment OF war material
to South Africa. He declared that
within forty miles of his home there
was a British garrison engaged in buy
ing war supplies. and said the existence
Of a camp near New Orleans was no
tOriOus.
After completing twenty-four OF the
thirty pages Of the bill, the committee
rose. The agricultural appropriation
bill was reported.
Al : O'clock the hOusp adjourned