Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-13
UP TO MEMBERS OF HOUSE
Bill Appropriating $135, 900 Is Fav-
ored by Senate Committee.
Location Of Casket Is Such That
Middies Are Forced. to
Pass It Daily.

1t seems quite probable that before the
adjournment of the present session of
Congress there will be. appropriated the
money necessary to complete the crypt
under the new chapel at the United States
Naval Academy, Annapolis, to make it
fitting for the final resting place. of the
body of JOHN Paul Jones.
There is. apparently no. disposition
among even the economists of the House
Of Representatives to. object to. the. pro-
posed appropriation of 1850 for that
purpose. $4,000 of which is. really by
way of a personal contribution from Hor-
ace Porter, former United States ambas-
sador to France, and president general Of
the Sons Of. the American Revolution. Mr..
Porter spent that sum out Of his private
purse; in carrying on the extensive in
vesugations preliminary to the recovery
Of the body, which lay in an unmarked
grave in an, abandoned and built-over
cemetery in Paris. :.
When steps were taken In Congress to
repay the $4,000 to Mr.. Porter he sug
gested that the sum be added by Con-
gress to whatever appropriation 1t con-
templated making for the completion of
the crypt. AS the accepted sum was
100000 it is now intended by Senator
in charge to endeavor to secure an ap-
preparation of $135,OOO for the purpose.
Will Pass the Senate.
The Senate. March ., 1903, passed a bill
appropriating that sum for the compile
ton of the crypt, but Congress adjourned
before the House found time to act on
the measure. December last Senator
Rayner Of Maryland introduced bill
along similar lines, proposing to appro-
pirate a like amount for the purpose.
Wednesday of this week the measure re-
ceived a unanimously favorable report
from the naval affairs committee and,
it is understood. will be passed by the
Senate at an early date.
When the bill reaches the House 1t
will probably be referred, inaSmuch as 1t
carries an appropriation. to the House
committee on appropriations, of which
Representative James A. Tawney Of Min
nesOta Is chairman.
While Mr.. Tawney is an economist and
has the reputation of watching all pro-
posed expenditures from the federal treas
ury with a very jealous eye. he has an
nounced himself as not at all opposed to
the Rayner bill.
Indeed, he favors 1t. for it is his opin-
ion that the proposition to provide final
resting place for the body of the naval
hero who first flung to the breeze on a
United States vessel the historic Stars
and Stripes has been much too long de-
layed.
At present the casket containing the
remains Of John Paul Jones Is in the
dormitory at the Naval Academy, with
the Union Jack over It, half under the
steps and half exposed. where 1900 mid
shipmen pass and repass it a number of
times q day.
Served Country in Dark Hour.
When the Rayner bill comes up on the
floor OF the House 1t will be pointed out
by the members in charge OF it that John
Paul Jones served his country In it's dark
est hour Of peril, absolutely without pay.
When he took the Serapis into port,
with the survivors OF his own crew and
all the prisoners. there was no money
even to pay for the food for these men,
and he was obliged to resort to expe-
dents to raise the money.
His property In Virginia good lot of
houses, a mill and his barns, were all
destroyed by the tories, and he was pen
niless. He died before his accounts were
settled by the government, and he was
buried in foreign graveyard, where his
body lay until four years ago.
1t remained for Horace Porter to de-
Identifying the body, and then there was
an enthusiastic hurrah. for the dead hero.
Then followed lapse into the same old
lethargic negligence, which. however,
bids fair to be disturbed very soon by
legislative action, which, in the opinion
Of many, has been delayed far too long
already.