The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-05-14
WAR CLAIM STILL
CAUSE OF DEBATE
Bishop Gambler Gives Out His Letter
to Clay and Bacon and Reply
of the Senator's.

the Senate as entirely generating 4tho
church from blame In 3he case ana ~
eliminating the question OF returning the
money to the government. This seems
to me to be the obvious meaning Of the
resolution in response to the communtcar
ton Of the Bishops TO the Senate.
But find some extreme men stin 1u<'
sisting upon the necessity OF returniuG
the money to the Government. Such =
course appears to me to - entirely In
practicable. not to say imppssible. ana ~
being open to many objections Of both
right and proprtety. It might even IN.
some quarters be construed as q nagutpx
ofthe Senate by the church for the sa1es
of making a spectacular profession ~
extraordinary virtue.
Asked for Opinions.
'As you were member OF the commit
tee OF the Senate upon the report o.
which the action was tsken. I take the
liberty of addressing to you this inquiry.
If my view OF the matter is correct. If
1t will not give you too much trouble :
opinion. but the opinion of any other
Senators who may feel free to express
themselves on the subject"
When the facts connected with the pay
ment of the large commission were made
public. and criticisms found expresslcns
both on the floor OF the Senate and else-
where relative to certain occurrences st
the time Of the passage OF the bill, The
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South. addressed to the presto
ing officer of the Senate a letter signed
by Robert X. Hargrove, Secretary OF the
College of Bishops, Nashville. Tenn.
which, while affirming the business Of the
claim, insisted that the church could
rot afford to accept 1t as n gratuity Or
on conditions that reflects upon Its honor.
and that II. by affirmative action. II 10
declared that the passage Of the bill was
due to misleading statements. proper
steps would be taken for the return Of
the money to the Government"
This letter was referred by the Senate
TO the Committee on Claims. which CONF
mittee had made the investigation. Tho
committee, after full consideration sok
the same In connection with the investi-
CATION previously made. reported. on the
9th of January. 1899. the following reso-
luton to the Senate:
Resolved. That the report Of the COM
mittee made July s. 1s9S. be approved.
and that no censure should rest upon the
Methodist Episcopal Church. South. for,
tae nlisstatements and coneealments OF
Of book agents In connection with the
passage of the bill for the payment Of
the claim referred to in the letter Of the
BISHOPS now uuuef CuHSiutrdIous tuht
the injury resulting therefrom affected
only the beneficiaries of the fund and not
the United States. and the Senate should
take no further action in the matter.
After this resolution had been upon
the calendar of the Senate for nearly six
weeks. 1t was. on the 2lst of February
adopted by ptha Senate. nomine dissen-
tiente.
The letter signed by Senators Clay and
Bacon and concurred in by seventy-eight
other Senators Is as follows:
The simple statement of this history
of the case would seem to leave no room
for question of obligation devolving
further duty upon the ahurch in connec-
ton Herewith. The letter of the Bishops,
above quoted, was practically an offer
to repay the money to the government
so far as 1t conId be made through the
Senate Of the United States. The resolu-
ton adopted by the Senate was a dis
tinct reply to that offer. declining TO
recognize the propriety Of the repay
ment by the church of this money 70 tho
government. In View of this record. we
are unable to see upon what ground there
can he based the contention that the
church should make a second offer. and
invoke a second refusal from the govern
ment or any department thereof. the
report of the committee and the resolu-
ton, both adopted by the Senate In ex-
plicit terms exhonerate the church from
all blame or ground for criticism, Tor
anything which occurred In connection
with the passage of the bill and is clear
expression of opinion that there is no
obligation on the part of the church to
repay the money to the government or to
make further offer to do So"