The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-02-01
Takes Vigorous Stand Toward
General Miles
SOUTH is NOT PlCAYUN|SH
Does Not Want to Punish General
Miles Even If He Did Put ShackIes
On the Feet of Jeffer-
son Davis. !

Washington, january s1.-rhe treat
ment by General Nelson A Miles of
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confed-
eracy, during the time he was pris-
oner at Fortress Monroe Va, was re-
called in the House today when Mr..
Williams, of Mississippi, the minority
leader, tried to secure the adoption of
the Senate amendment to the House pro-
vision of the army appropriation bill re-
garding retired officers serving with the
state military.
All Senate amendments were disagreed
10 and the bill was sent to conference.
Messres Hull, Georgia, Capron, Rhode
Island, and Hay, Virginia, being appoints
ed conferees on the part of the House.
A protracted debate arose over mo-
ton by Mr.. Williams, the minority
leader, to accept with a slight modifi-
cation the Senate substitute for the
House amendment relating to retired Off
GERS serving with militia regiments. Mr..
Williams reiterated his belief that the
original House amendment was directed
at Lieutenant General Nelson A. Mics,
inspector general of Massachusetts.
McSSrS.
ate amendment, the former disclalming
that it had special reference to General
Miles. He said that if General Miles
had died months ago, the amendment
would have been offered just the same.
but he regarded it az unfortunate that
"a man of such a distinguished career
can always manage to get himself in the
forefront of public opinion. so that no
matter what Congress may propose to
do. YOU are always hitting General
Miles, He also regretted that nassa-
chusetts should have its politics revolve
around this man.
Declaring that the House provision was
in the interest of the people and 1t was,
democratic doctrine to save money MT.
Hay appealed to the democratic mempe =
shin to vote dowa che Senate amend-
rents.
Williams Makes Reply.
Mr. Williams, replying to both Messrs
Hull and Hay, said that he was not at
all afraid of the covert attack on MS
democracy.
atty or fealty as a southerner dislike
so much to stay under cover that we
might as well come out. | share the
feeling that southern men generally en-
tertain regarding General Miles con-
duct when he put shackles on the ankles
of Jeff Davis, end 1 do not believe 1t
will sound in history to his credit or that
If will sound in history to the discredit
of Mr. Davis tat he was compelled to
submit to It, old and helpless and sick as
ho was at the time. If the legislation had
heen pointed at anybody else than Gen
oral Miles, | would have taken the same
course that I have taken, except that
have taken it much more anXiously and
much more warmly.
II stand in the relationship to Jefferson
Davis that some of my critics do not
FIRST he was a Mississippian, and 1 am
one. NV grandfather was the senior cap
tain Of his regiment in the Mexican war,
and in the third place he was my friend.
as far as an old man could be friend of
2 child or boy If you want to punish
General Miles or anybody else for what
was done in those days; If history is to
hold out its condemnation, all right but
this is not the time nor the place, nor the
wsv to get even. The people of the south
dor't punish In little ways like that"
Receives Loud Applause.
Mr.. Williams received loud applause on
the democratic side when he took his
seat. The Williams amendment and mo-
tion were lost 10 to Ill. The other amend
ments were then non-concurred in and
the bill went to conference. After adop-
tion the conference report on the Philip
nine government bill, the House resumed
consideration of the postoffice appropria-
tion bill As in the case of other appro-
nriation bills. Mr. Littlefield, Maine, called
attention to the vast sum called for by
the postoffice bill. $3.50, 600. : If, he said.
annropriations were to be kept at their
nresent size there would be on the first
Of JuIy a deficit of $61, 100000. If the
amounts were not to be reduced, they
would have to be met by increased taxa
tion.
Mr.. Overstreet, Indiana in charge of
the bill, said that the various items in
the bill were justified by existing condi-
tions
How do you propose to raise the rev.
onue?" incurred Mr.. Cowherd Missouri,
Of Mr. Littlefeld, "if your party intends
IN stand pat?' adding that Mr.. Little
field stood high in the councils of the
administration, and ought to know.
The reply was that "the gentleman
from Maine is not advised as to what the
intention of his party is.
Asserting that he was in favor Of re-
trenchment in the matter of appropria
tions. Mr. Payne. New York. the ma
iority leader, said that Mr.. Littlefeld had
drawn too strong a picture of the pos
sihle state of the treasury on July l next,
because 1t had been shown that the rev.
enues during the last two or three
months had been increasing.
Payne Would Not Commit Himself.
Mr.. Payne would not commit himself to
reply to questiors by Mr. Spocner of Wis
consn and Gains of Tennessee as to
whether the House would pass a public
building bill and a river and harbor bill.
hut said that the present session would
te brought to a close with appropriations
for the next fiscal year that would be
within the governments income.
Charges that the republicans had
profigately expended during the last four
years hundreds of millions of dollars. Mr..
Moon Of Tennessee declared that if that
narty had been true to the people of the
United States, the deficiency that was
now threatened. and which was denied
lust before election, could not possibly
have existed The postoffice bill, he said.
except In few particulars, was as eco
rouical as was consistent with the service
10 be rendered, but he regretted that he
could not say the same of other appro-
priation bills which had passed. The