The Washington herald., 1911-01-31

ton of a reformatory for the Dis.
trict on the Belvoir tract, three anc
a half miles from Mount Vernon
and the tomb of George Washing.
ton. The site has already been pur.
chased and paid for by the Commits,
sioners. The House went even fur.
ther than the mere turning down oi
this proposition.
By large majority, it adopted
an amendment to the District ap-
preparation bill prohibiting the To-
cation of any penal institution,
either in Maryland or Virginia,
within ten miles of Mount Vernon.
CARLIN AMENDMENT UP.
The question came before the House on
the amendment OF Mr.. Carlin. of Vir-
ginia, offered last Saturday, prohibiting
the expenditure of any appropriation pro-
y
Il reformatory within a radius of ten
miles of Mount Vernon. 1t was manifest
from the start that the question COM
manded deep interest. as there was an
unusually large attendance Of members,
even for Monday.
The debate of several hours was more
than spirited; it was in some phases
rather personal. and it was plain that
the feeling on both sides Of the question
had somewhat Of a bitter tinge The
supporters of the Belvoir site taunted the
opponents with being "sentimentalists, -
while the latter retorted that the other
side would sacrifice revered tradition and
hallowed reverences to the mighty dol
lar
In behalf Of the Cariin amendment,
money for the site had been paid. He
urged the House to set its face against
any prison near the tomb of Washington.
1t was proposed to violate the sacred
ness Of the most revered place in this
land; the home whence George Washing
ton went to take command Of our
armies in the struggle for our liberty;
the home to which he returned from
successful warfare, and which he again
left to become our first President After
his service as President. he retired to
Mount Vernon to pass his remaining
days
Taylor Defends Purchase.
Mr.. Taylor, of the committee, made a
carefully prepared speech in behalf of the
Belvoir site. but 1t was evident that the
of the House was against him
He declared. for himself and the Appro-
priations Committee, profound admiration
for the lhdies Of the Mount Vernon Asso-
citation. He entered into A detailed ac-
count OF all the proceedings and negotia-
tons that had resulted in the purchase of
currents in support Of that plan that
have been advanced by the District Com
missioners and the Appropriations Com
mlttee He said that about $4,000 had
been paid, and reiterated the declaration
that the topography of the land abso-
lutely shut off the proposed reformatory
from either the view of or unpleasant
proximity to Mount Vernon. He once
more gave the distance between the re-
formatory site and Mount Vernon.
Mr.. Hull, of Iowa, chairman of the
House Committee on Military Affairs, op-
posed the Belvoir site in an earnest ad-
dress. He objected to the location of any
penal institution in the vicinity Of Mount
Vernon. Then Mr.. Pearre, of Maryland,
took the same view. 'The government"
he said. cannot prevent the operation of
a beer garden at Marshall Hall which Is
owned: it cannot prevent the !
presence of a Jail in Alexandria, because
Il has no jurisdiction, but it can prevent
he erection of a penal institution within |
/ little over three miles of Washington's |
.omb." |
Appeals to Patriots.
II appeal" said Representative Sims, of |
Tennessee, Ito every man Of the North, |
he East the South. and the West who
las drop Of patriotic blood in his veins
lot to vote against the Car1in amend
nent. This amendment should not be
by dollars and cents. nor men
ioned in the same breath with money"
The same views were expressed by Mr..
Graham. Of Illinois; Mr.. Gaines, Of West
Virginia; Mr.. Garrett. of Tennessee, and
dr. Cooper, of Wisconsin
Chairman Tawney and Mr.. Bowers. of
Mississippi representing the Appropria-
ions Committee, tried in vain to stem the
ide, and the fight was practically over
7hen Representative Carlin. author of the
closed the debate He said
hat he had offered the amendment so
hat the proposition could be permanently
illed and not come back from the SEN
te through a legislative trick.
Praises Splendid Work.
He eulogfzed the splendid work of the
ldies OF the Mount Vernon Association,
Tho had saved the homestead without
skiing a dollar of government money.
Yonder." he said, ''only a short dis
ance away. we have expended millions Of
ollars for the erection of a monument
econd to none in the world, in response
, this sentiment which you would de-
Troy. (Applause.) Now you como and
~ that. although you have spent the
copies money for these great structures
, commemorate his memory, we win put
ear his homo where rest the remains Of
,e only woman he ever loved, and where
st his sacred bones. this reformatory
rat 1t may stand and smell In the nos
Ills Of the American people," (Applause)
Bill - Finally Adopted.
AZ finally adopted the bill prohibits the
)cafjon Of Q refo9ma4ory within . IA
~ af-tan miles -ef MosnE Hsnan. - j