The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-12
President Roosevelt Unwilling to Re-
store the Name of John GLASS
to the Honor Roll.
MEETING OF THE CABINET
PHILIPPINE LEGISLATION AND Gu
BAN AFFAIRS DISCUSSED.
Hearings by Congressional Commit
tees-RepOrts Ordered on Two
Important Measures.

WASHINGTON, March II. - President
Roosevelt to-day sent his first veto message
to Congress- 1t was directed to the Senate
and the bill vetoed was the one removing
the charge of desertion from the naval rec
ord of John Glass. The message was as
follows:
There can be no graver crime than the
crime of desertiOn from the army or navy,
especially during war; ii is then high trea-
son to the Nation and is justly punishable
by death No man should be relieved from
such a crime. especially when nearly forty
years have passed since it occurred. save
on the clearest possible proof of his real
innocence. In this case the statement made
by the affiant before the committee does
not in all points agree with his statement
made to the secretary of the navy In any
should not have made effective effort TO
get back into the navy He had served but
little more than a month when he deserted,
and the war lasted for over a year after
wards vet he made no effort whatever TO
get back into the war. Under such circum-
stances it seems to me that to remove the
charge of deSertiOn from the navy and give
falsify the records and do injustice to
his gallant and worthy comrades who
fought the war TO a finish The names of
the veterans who fought i'm the civil war
make the honor list of the Republic, and
am not willing to put upon ii the name of
man unworthy of high position
After the message had been delivered
Senator Gallinger. from the committee on
naval affairs; read the report of the com
that statement IL appeared that Glass en-
listed in January. 1854. when only sixteen
years of age and that having witnessed an
act which compromised the second officer
Of the ship he was taken ashore in March
of that year by that officer and told not to
report again for duty. The committee say
that this order together with Glasss youth,
was responsible for his desertion.
x
The Cabinet discussed at length to-day
the Philippine legisla tion, and the necessity
of preserving the open door" features of
our policy in the Philippines exactly as
this government expects to have them
preserved in China and through the East
The Cuba tariff situation also was dis
cussed. IT is understood that the effort TO
secure reciprocity with Cuba is an admin
istra ton measure; that President Roose-
welt is carrying it out in pursuance not
merely of the policy but of the promise of
President Mckinley and with the most
for: that this administration. like the ad-
ministration the policy of which il is con-
tinuing, is pledged to the relief of Cuba.
xxx
The Senate committee on finance did not
complete the consideration of the war
revenue repeal bill to-day. A number of
amendments adopted at to-day
meeting. but they deal almost entirely
with phraseology, and the opinion is still
expressed by members Of the committee
that the effect of the BILL when reported
from the committee. will be the same as
was intended by the House. One OF the
amendments agreed on by the committee
changes the provision OF the bill affecting
tobacco. AS the bill passed the House IL
took no cogniZance of the reduction OF 70
per cent. made in the tobacco tax in the
last session or Congress, the effect of
which Ii is believed by members of the
hnance committee would be to reduce the
tax 10 $3.50 per hundred whereas the in
tention was to place ii at SO. the ante
war rate. The Senate amendment cOrrects
this error The committee also discussed
an amendment, leaving intact the tax on
bucket-shops, but IL did not pass upon it.
The House committee on interstate and
foreign commerce to-day began a series OF
hearings on proposed pure-food legislation.
The hearing was largely attended by rep
resentatives of the pure-food and drug or
ganizations, including DR.. William Frear
chairman OF the executive committee of
the National Pure-food and Drug Congress-
! and +. b. Thurber. president OF the Ma