Evening star., 1911-01-30
HOUSE CALLS HALT
District Forbidden to Complete
Reformatory at BeIvoir.
CARLIN MOTION ADOPTED
Amendment by Mr.. Pearre Also Ap-
plies to Maryland.
PENAL INSTITUTIONS EXCLUDED
Action of House of Representatives
After Protracted Debate-Ap-
preparation Bill Considered.
PENAL INSTITUTIONS EXCLUDED

BY vote of 112 TO ~ the House today
prohibited the location Of the proposed re-
formatory of the District on the 1,5OO- ere
site three and one-half miles from Mount
chased and paid for by the Commission
ers.
The House did more than this. BY a
big majority it adopted the amendment
offered by Representative Carlin Of Alex
andria. prohibiting the erection of any
penal institution in either Virginia or
Maryland within ten miles Of Mount
Vernon. The workhouse at Occequan is
specifically excepted.
The Carlin amendment was not
adopted until the close Of a warm dis
cussion that lasted nearly three hours.
The members Of the appropriations
committee made a hard fight to sus-
tain the District Commissioners, but
did not have a chance. Those MEM
bers Of the House who announced
| themselves as sentimentalists SO far
as preserving the home and tomb Of
washington from dissertation is con-
cerned, were in full control.
Original Amendments Provisions.
The original Carlin amendment provided
only against the location of penal insti-
tuition in Virginia ten miles from Mount
Vernon. But by a vote Of ia to 13 the
House adopted an amendment offered by
Representative Pearre of Maryland, maxi
| ing the provision Of the Carlin amend
ment apply to Maryland as well as to the
| Old Dominion
An amendment offered by Representa-
tive Gardner Of Michigan to make the
protection against the erection of penal
institutions apply only to the twenty five
square miles Immediately surrounding
Mount Vernon was defeated. 1t was
/ pointed out by members that this would
permit the erection of undesirable insti-
tory on the Belvoir tract
| Many patriotic, sentimental and prac-
| tical speeches were made by some Of the
best takers of the House during the day.
| and loud and prolonged applause follow
ed the announcement of the vote which,
a majority OF the House hope and be-
lieve. is the first step in the necessary
congressional action to protect the home
| and tomb of the father of his country
from desecration.
When the House convened at noon
| there was some discussion as to whether
the District bill should be completed i'm
me6iately, or whether Representative Dali
Zell " pennsylvania should present from
the ,mmittee on rules a resolution pro-
viding for immediate consideration Of the
Longworth-Dalzell bill creating a perma-
nent tariff board. 1t was finally agreed
that Representative Gardner Of Michigan.
in charge of the bill. should have two
hours to complete that measure.
The District bill had been. completed
with the exception of an amendment.
| offered by Representative Carlin OF Vir-
1 OF nj ufraa pfi iny 0f
the proposed refornatory on the Bel
| voir site recently. purchased by the
Commissioners. The Carlin amend
ment. framed so as to meet the parlia-
mentary requirements as a limitation
upon the expenditure or money for the
proposed reformstory provides that no
penal institution. with the exception
| Of the workhouse at Occoquan. shall
| be established within ten miles Of
| Mount Vernon.
Discussion of Carlin Amendment.
| Representative Douglas Of Ohio urged
the adoption Of the Carlin amendment.
This House. he said, should set it's
face against the establishment Of this in
stitItion so near to this historic spot
4 have no intention of induiging in any
mock sentiment or heroics about Mount
! Vernon. but in my opinion it IS the one
| sacred homestead In the United States.
rendered SO by a thousand associations"
| Representative Taylor Of Ohio a MEM
ber of the appropriations committee and
| of the subcommittee which prepared the
| District bill. opposed the Carlin amend
ment and defended the action Of the
| Commissioners in purchas sing the 500
acres of the Belvoir tract.
| THE public Mr.. Taylor declared. has
| been msled as to the real condition This
opposition to the construction of the re-
| formatory on the site acquired is the re-
suit of misguided and misplaced senti-
/ ment.'.
! Mr. TaylorA Mad House employees bring
in an easel on which he placed good
sized map Of Mount Vernon and the coun-
| try Immediately surrounding ii, showing
the location of the workhouse and re-
formatory site. His explanation was
! ~ proportion of the entire House MEM
bership heard him throughout
| Representative Francis Harrison Bur
| ton of New York wanted to know how
law in Virginia. Mr.. TAYLOR replied that
the condemnation, had been done and the
Virginia courts held that the PROCEEDINGS
| were all right.
| he expected to show that the District
| OF Columbia could not operate the re-
formatory even II it were built He did
4 not explain at this time what he meant
| Mr.. .TGylor explained that. contrary to
an apparently general belief. hardened
| criminals were not to be sent to the re-
formatory. but that the prisoners would
be mostly boys and young men sent there
for their first punishment. He demanded
| to know why 1t was assumed that IL
| prisoners escaped they should invariably
| escape in the direction of Mount Vernon
| He explained, in answer to questions by
Representative Butler Of Pennsylvania.
that the reformatory. although three and
one-half miles by air line. was seven and
one-half miles by land from Mount Ver-
| non. and that it was impossible to see
| even the site of the reformatory from
the Mount Vernon property.
Mr.. Buffers Query.
| Mr.. Butt wanted to know If there
| was any other available site that the
District might secure. Mr.. Taylor said
| he was glad that question had been ask
| ed. for there was another site that had
| been purchased by certain parties at SO
an acre. and that q determined effort had
been made to sell 1t to the District at a
] greatly advanced figure. He said the
| owners of the property had been most
| persistent In endeavoring to induce the
| Commissioners to purchase their land in
| stead cf the Belvoir tract.
Referring to the alleged Dissertation of
| Mount Vernon by the presence of the re-
by land. Mr.. Taylor remarked that there
| was a jail In Alexandria. about the same
distance away. but that he had not heard
any one charge that this was q desecra-
ton Of the tomb Of the father Of his