Evening star., 1902-01-15
Ex-coNFEDERATEs / HOMES
REPRESENTATIVE DE ARMoND on
MIR. RIxEY,s PROPOSITION.
House Continues Debate ON the PEN
siOns-Discussf0n Takes a
Wide Range.

continued in the House yesterday afternoon
| after The Stars report closed. Mr.. Glib
son Tenn.), member of the invalid PEN
sions committee replied to some of the
criticisms to which his committee had been
subjected during the debate. Speaking of
the Philippine policy. of the administration
he said that the republicans believed in re-
tanning the archipelago and questioned the
loyalty of every American who desired to
relinduish them
Mr.. Wheeler {Ky.} interposed to say that
he questioned not only the loyalty but the
intelligence of any who would utter
such sentiment on the floor of Congress
1T has been the favorite practice of the
democratic party in the SOUTH replied Mr..
Gibson, Ito charge every man who loved
his country with ignorance" With some
display of heat he said he would hurl the
epithet back into the face of the gentleman
from Kentucky.
Mr.. Wheeler explained that he did not
mean to charge those in the south who
had followed the Union flag with ignorance.
He had only meant to brand as ignorant
those who charged disloyalty to men who
believed it bad policy to retain the Phil
lDpine Islands.
Soldiers Homes for COnfederates.
Mr.. DeArfnond tMo.) approved the sug-
gestion of Mr.. Rixey (Va} to open the
doors of soldiers homes to ex-confederates
He took issue with those who had declared
that the confederate soldiers had sought to
destroy the government of the United
States. The leaders of the lost cause he
said, believed implicitly in the theory of
secession and the rank and file not indulg-
ing in fine spun theories, finding that war
had come, fought for their homes and fire. |
sides Most of those who had participated |
on both sides had passed over the river
and since this suggestion to allow those !
on the losing side to enter the homes for |
the winners had been made, it was worthy |
to be considered III calmness and charity
He paid high tribute to Mr.. Rixey, who |
had made the suggestion, and TO MIR. Gard
ner, the Michigan republican, who had in |
dorsed 1t. Those two men, said he were
typical of the better sense and the better
sentiment of American statesn1 1anship
When a man like Mr.. Gardner could rise |
above the petty chickering's of todaya nd for
getting the animosities of the past, remem- |
Der only the valor of his countrymen and |
express such sentiments as he had Mr.
DeArmond said ne hailed it as the dawn !
ing of a brighter and a better day Mr.
DeArmond proceeded: |
Mr.. Chairman, think the time has al
ready arrived when in the north and the
south there is a common sentiment of pride |
III the glory and manhood of the American |
the time has come now with a great many.
and, If we do not realize it, our children |
will, when some of the leaders of the south |
will be pointed to, north and SOUTH east
ana west, as the brightest ornaments of |
time - ea~-ssss-, -
Il believe that in all the Christian era
there has not arisen leader Of men with !
ali the better elements of manhood, q |
nobler and more magnificent specimen of |
the best that manhood can do in it's proud |
est and most glorious and successful mo-
nents than General Robert E. Lee Cap
plause) /
70 l.,
bill and the advocacy and support of it,
There can be no greater charity to the
federal soldier; there can be nothing bet |
ter for the soldier of the north or the
south than to furnish him home when
there is no home elsewhere. Far better
than to dispense the pensions with a lavish |
hand. or deal them out sparingly, is it to |
furnish these old soldiers with the sur
roundings Of the household where the
blasts of winter have no terror for them
ana Where they may prepare for the final !
grand march across the river'N
Mr.. Snodgrass tTenn) discussed the legal
ana constitutional phases of the proposition !
to admit ex-confederates to Union homes. |
He took the view that the care of Union !
soldiers by the government was in return |
for services rendered the government and |
that II the homes could be opened to needy |
ex-confederates they could be opened to
any other needy American citizen
Protests From Ex-COnfederates.
Mr.. Lamb Va) opposed the Rixey sug-
sesIioh, contendinS That the Union and con-
federate veterans could not live in har- |
mony together, because the former would !
be in the soldiers homes as az matter of |
right, while the latter would bes there as a |
matter Of charity Mr. Lamb read teIe- |
grams received from ex-confkderates in |
richmond protesting against ,the RiXey |
proposition.
Mr Hooker Miss.), the one-armed con- /
federate veteran, in brief bat vigorous |
speech, argued that the confederacy had
not attempted to destroy the foundations of |
the FEDERAL government, but to pseserve and |
defend the principles underlying the Dec
tuition of 17S9
The committee then rose The Speaker
announced the appointment of Messrs
DICK tOhfo) Giflet (Mass) and Sulzer
N4o as visitors to the Military Academy,
and Messrs. Dayton Wa), Coanor 1owa) |
and kehoe QAy) as visitors to- the Naval
Academy |
At 4:So pm. the House adjourned