The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-13
SUNDRY CIVIL BILL
Item for Maintenance of White
House Caused Spirited Debate.
Mr.. GAINES COMMENDED
People Should MOI Be Taxed for
Presidents Entertainments.
FOR RELIEF OF PHILIPPINES
The Item ApprOpdating Three Million
Dollars Was Agreed 10.
THE PENSIONS DAY WAS CHANGED
From Fr5ay to Saturday, in Order &c
Continue Consideration Of the
Pending Bill.
FOR RELIEF OF PHILIPPINES
The Item ApprOpdating Three Million
Dollars Was Agreed TO.
THE PENSIONS DAY WAS CHANGED
From Fri5ay to Saturday, in Order &c
Continue Consideration Of the
Pending Bill.

Washington, February 1.-THE house
made slow progress with the sundry civil
bill today. covering only twenty-seven
pages and leaving Nlrty pages still to
be disposed Of. The delays today were
occasioned by rather protracted discus
sion Of the item in the bill for the mainte-
nance Of the White House and considerable
debate on the item appropriating 100000
for the relief Of distress In the Philippines.
Mr. Gaines Dem, TENN and Mr.. Fitz-
gerald Dem, n. " criticised the greatly
Increased cost OF maintaining the White
House An amendment to cut In half the
appropriation for the relief Of distress IN
the Philippines was defeated. but the Ian.
guage Of the paragraph wac modified to re
qulre annual reports OF the expenditure OF
the money.
Rev. DR., Couden the chaplain OF the
house In his invocation today, referred TO
the fact that this was Lincoln's birthday.
The conference report on the bill to Gre
ate general stan In the army was
adopted.
After come further routine business Of
minor character the house went into COM
1ottee Of the whole and resumed the con-
! slderation of the sundry civil bill, When
the item appropriating $4,000 for the care,
/ repair and furnishing Of the executive man
| slor, to be expended as the president might
determine was reached, Mr.. Gaines CTenn)
| asked why this appropriation had been In
creased from $4,000 Mr. Cannon replied
by calling attention to the enlargement OF
the White House and the construction OF
the new executive Offices. These changes,
| he said, increased the expenses.
Mr.. Gaines read from the report OF Col
one Bingham, superintendent Of public
buildings and grounds, extracts ascribing
the increase Of the expenses at tho White
House to the large amount Of entertaining
done by the president. Mr. Gaines said he
did not believe the people should be taxed
for these endless chain entertainments.
He said he was sorry 50. much had been
spent to remodel the old White House.
Mr., Cannon, replying, said he was glad
the old White House had been overhaued
but he confessed that the executive offices
had disappointed him, 81 think" he said
1--WE we're entitled to better building fol
the money"
Mr.. Cannon recalled the fact that during
Jackson's administration the landscape gar
dcning Of the White House grounds was
political issue He mentioned this, he said
to show that the American people some
times ran amuck."
Mr.. Fitzgerald a. " referred to a news
paper report that Colonel Bingham's trans
fer had been due to his holding up certain
vouchers in connection with the Whit,
House improvements and his opposition I,
the character of the improvements He ais,
; criticised the language of the appropriation
FOR the care, repair and refurnishlug,
which he did not think actually described
the purpose for which the appropriation 1
{ made
"Wlll not the gentleman state that Colo
mel Bingham states that he WAS transferred
at his own requests" asked Mr.. Graham
( (Pa).
5 oh" replied Mr.. Fitzgerald, at is tn,
I comomn thing for officers whose future Il
( in the service TO make statements exon
Grating their superiors. But, In my opinion
: It reflects on the president Of the United
= states to have 1t intimated that an office
is being coerced into approving expendl
lures his Judgment does not sanction"
Mr.. Cochran CAio) thought the subJec
raised by the pending item was worthy o
serious consideration He inyoighe'
: against the growing extravaganza in Off
cial circles, the constant demand for In
creased salaries and allowances. He dc
scribed official functions as attempt Z
Initiate court circles abroad. He said tina
fifty years ago the White House reception
were very different and far simpler tina
they are today. 1t was fact, he said