Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-27

bill under the hve-minute rule begun. Dur
ing the debate Mr.. Burleeon OF Texas re-
newed the attack on Secretary Hay on ac-
count Of the allegations regarding the Boer
relief funds subscribed in Illinois. Mr.. Hit
Of Illinois replied briefly. saying there had
been no developments in the matter and the
secretary had done all that was possible.
Several other brief speeches were made,
some in criticism OF different provisions OF
the bill. At the beginning Of the session
the house passed the Bur1eson resolution,
calling on the president for information
relative to the application Of General Miles
to go to the Philippines.
Mr.. warnock of Ohio protested strongly
against the provision in the bill which de-
prived retired army officers from receiving
an increase in longevity pay after their re-
tlrement. He commended that this provi-
sion did an injustice 70 officers who were
rounded or had become disabled In the
service. The longevity pay, he argued,
should be increased up to the maximum OF
40 per cent allowed by law to active Of
1cers.
While Mr.. Warnock was talking about the
sanguinary battles Of the civil war and con-
trasting the percentage of loss with other
decisive battles Of the world, Mr.. Burleson
VI AaAoNu q ihuBh W aehlhB MIN W
furnish some comparisons with the bloody
battle of San Juan Hill. Mr.. warnock re-
piled that the question was somewhat en-
bsrrsssing, whereupon Mr.. Burlescn with
drew It. A moment afterward MIR. Burleson
asked for a comparison OF the brevets
granted at Gettysburg and San Juan. An
other laugh followed and Mr.. Warnock re-
piled that he knew little about the Spanish
war.
Mr.. Burleson secured the floor and re-
verted to the resolution passed by the house
some time ago calling on the secretary OF
state for information relative to the re-
fusal Of the State department TO grant a
request preferred some time ago, In behalf
Of Rev. DR.. Hiram w. Thomas and wife,
who desired to enter the Boer lines in South
Africa for the purpose Of distributing re-
lief to noncombatants. He said that 1t
was not a passport for DR.. Thomas which
was desired, but the good offices Of the
State department to secure a permit to
enable Or. Thomas to get through the Boer
lines. Mr.. Hays letter to Mr.. Hill. he de-
clared, was an evasion"
tribute to the Beers.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Burle.
son paid a high tribute to the hghtins
DUETS ~ bApIbSbeu lHt uOpo NudI Nut9
would keep up the struggle for liberty
until every British soldier was driver
from South Africa. He contrasted "thC
magnanimous treatment Of General Me.
thuen by the Beers with the horrible exc.
cution of General Scheepers by the Eng.
lish."
In concluding Mr.. Burleson predicted
that in less than one year there would b.
another interchange Of notes between the
president and a member Of his cabinet snt
the little pro-British secretary of state
the little author of Little Breeches,' would
follow the other cabinet officers Of a formei
president into private life"
Mr.. Hit of Illinois, chairman Of the for,
eign affairs committee, replied very brieh,
to Mr.. Burleson. Everything Mr.. BurlesoI
had produced. he said, had been presented
before. AS far as the charge of 'evasion'
on the part of the secretary OF state wa
concerned he said that the secretary's franl
letter completely disposed Of that. He hat
done all he could and was now In consulta
tation with Governor Yates, through who's
ipstrumentality the Boer fund had beef
raised. and no doubt a way would be fount
to get relief funds to the Beers.
Mr.. Patterson of Tennessee criticised tn,
general conditions in the Philippines an
charged that a state Of slavery exlsteC
there which should be remedied at once
Mr.. Kern OF Illinois spoke in defense O
the army canteen.
Mr.. Breazeale of Louisiana denounced
the action of the committee on naval affair
in refusing to report the several Schle.
resolutions, thus preventing the house from
expressing its sentiment on the subject
He referred to the unfair treatment re
ceived by Admiral Schley" and character
lied as most unjust the presidents rulinI
that the battle OF Santiago was a captains
fight.
The reading of the bill for amendment
was then proceeded with under the FIVE
minute rule.
The provision limiting the longevity pa.
for retired army officers to the sum allower
and paid at the date Of retirement went on
on a point OF order. Mr.. Stevens Of Min
nesota then offered a substitute, which
he said, involved two propositions, on
providing that nc further increase Of lon
gevity pay shall accrue to officers now Of
the retired list and the other that officer
hereafter retired shall not be paid an
increase Of longevity pay above the sur
paid at the date Of retirement. Til
amendment was adopted, and at 5 p. m. tn
house adjourned.