Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-22
IN THE HOUSE.
Military Academy Bill Taken Up
Great improvements to Be Made.

Washington, April 21.-The House
today, entered on consideration of the
Military Academy appropriation bill.
In addition to the regular items it con-
tains provision for the extensive i'm
provement of the grounds at West
Point. These improvements are to cost
IS. 500,0 900. of which little over So, OO0,-
600 is appropriated in the bill Twenty
four of the 80 pages of the bill were
adopted.
During the general debate on the
Military Academy bill, Gilbert, KY,
2recipitated a discussion on the race
question, which was participated in by
Gillett. Mass. Blackburn. N. c., w. w.
Kitchen. n. c., and Gaines, Tenn.
Cochran. Mo-, and Gillett discussed
the question of the alleged violation of
the neutrality laws in connection with
the shipment of mules and horses to
South Africa.
Gov. Odell of New York, was on the
floor of the House during the early por-
ton of the session, today. Immediately
after the reading of the journal the
House proceeded to the consideration
Of the District Of Columbia business.
Upon the conclusion of the district
business the House went into commit
tee of the whole and entered upon the
consideration of the Military Academy
appropriation bill. Debate was limited
to an hour on a side.
Hull, in charge of the bill, in a brief
preliminary statement, explained its
features. the increase in the pay of
cadets and the adoption of a plan for
extensive improvements at West Point.
These improvements, Hull said. would
cost. when completed, $6,5O0,OO0, of
which $3,090.326 was appropriated by
the bill.
expenditure at West Point as the
''rankest kind of extravaganza"
Gilbert, KY, took occasion to reply
to some remarks recently made by Gill
lett, Mass, Bromwell, Ohio, and Gen.
Funston. which he thought reflected
upon his state. Gilbert said that in
Kentucky 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 would infinitely prefer to marry
the lowest. meanest, most ignorant
white man in the world to the most Gull
tured negro in America. The prejudice
against social equality was as strong
in the North as in the South, he de-
clared.
Gilbert then turned to Bromwell's
fling at Kentucky politics and gave his
version of Taylor's flight from the
state after the murder of Goebel. He
described Taylor's appearance at the
Philadelphia convention, characteriz-
ing him as an assassin" who was
made an idol in the North"
Gillette. Mass, said he was willing to
admit the prejudice against the negro
in New England. He thought that
perhaps there was greater physical
repugnance toward the negro there
than in the South. But because one
man personally felt prejudice against
the negro, he did not think he had a
others.
Bartlett, Ca. interrupted to ask
whether some time ago Booker T.
Washington was not refused lodging at
the hotels of Boston.
Gillette replied that the incident re-
ferred to occurred at Springfield, near
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 the hotel for his meals
Gaines. Tenn, asked if the Governor
of Massachusetts when he went to the
Nashville Exposition declined to take
was a negro.
III he did," replied Gillett, cit was
because he did not want to wound the
sensibilities Of the people of Nash
VILE
Proceeding, Gillett explained that in.
New England they could understand
the sprejudices in the South against the
negro and against negro domination.
but the people of his section insisted
that social Ostracism should not be WIS.,
tied on those who did not share these
prejudices. When a negro man raised
himself above his fellows and led a
pure, clean, manly life, he thought his
worth should be recognized. He did
not sympathize with state OF society
which accepted a man whose hands
were stained with the blood of Iynching
or with election frauds, but which re-
jected a worthy, pure man simply be-
cause his color was black. He object
ed to making objectionable the crime
of color
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