Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-01-26
News by Telegraph
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
Arrears Of Pensions.
Fraudulent Claims Coming in by
the thousand.
Enormous Sum for Paying Claims.
An Effort to Drive Off Spu-
f.iOlls Claims.
End Of the Traversers' Trials.
End Of the Traversers' Trials.
The Disagreeing Jury Dis
charged by the Judge.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Arrears of Pensions-A Vast Number OF
Fraudulent Clafms-Heavy ExPendi-
ture Under the Act-The Electoral
Count-A Big Struggle Impending
Other Matters.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Davis, of
West Virginia, chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations has received detailed
statement from the commissioner of PEN
stems showing that the total expenditure to
be made under the arrearages of pensions act
will reach the enormous sum of 1921 ,O00,-
OOO.. The commissioner also ayers that one
tenth Of the applications presented for ar
rearages are fraudulent, and under the pres
eht law he has no means of ferreting out the
crimes. All the estimates heretofore made
of the cost of the arrearages act have fallen
short $500, 900 of the commissioners
latest estimate. The pension appropriation
bill is now pending before the Senate Appro
priation committee, and before it is reported
to the Senate some amendment will be de.
vised to at least make possible the detection
of pension frauds.
The House Committee on Elections this
morning voted on the case of Yeates VS..
Morton of the First district of North Caro-
ina and it was decided to seat Yeates, DEM,
by strict party vote.
Secretary Sherman was before the Senate
Finance committee this morning on the fund
ing bill. He made exhibits of the rates of
interest paid by foreign governments, any of
which, he said, could with credit approx
mating that of the United States float at
per cent. bonds; and whilst he believed that
such bond could be foated, he suggested
that the rate be fixed at 81 per cent, SO that
IN case of a failure to place the bonds at the
former rate the latter might be restored
The secretary will have further hearing to-
morrow morning.
The Senate devoted the principal part of
the executive session to a further discussion
of the publication of the Chinese treaties.
The Committee on Privileges and Elections
met to-day to consider the subject, but quo
rum was not present, majority of the mem
beers taking no interest in the affair. In the
Senate later the debate was of character in
dicating that there was a general disposition
to drop the whole matter.
It is expected that the House. which meets
at noon tomorrow, will have protracted
session, continuing far into the night There
are 149 Democrats in the city and MIR. Bright,
the absent member from Tennessee, is ex-
pected here tomorrow or next day. Con-
gresham Ewing, of Ohio was in at
tendance at to-day's session. All
pairs on the electoral joint resolution
have been broken and both sides are appar
say that with quorum present the Repub-
icans cannot successfully filibustsr over
twenty -four hours, and it is expected that
the Republicans will yield in presence
of a Democratic quorum before that time
shall have elapsed. The Republican leaders
declare that they will resist the passage of
the resolution as long as they have strength
to do so. The Republicans will oppose
the reapportionment bill fixing the num-
Der of members under the tenth
census, which was reported to the House
yesterday. The Republicans declare that
the majority bill gives the Southern States
twelve additional members and the western
and northwestern States receive under its
provisions only six additional members.
While there is some objection among Repub
hcans to the minority bill fixing the Repre-
sentatives at 319, they say that it at least
possesses the merit of fairness, dividing gains
equally among the sections. The Democrats
having quorum of members at present are
disposed, after allowing a reasonable time
for debate, to pass the measure. The Repub-
icans, however, intend to debate the ques-
ton of the restriction of suffrage in the
South and hope to consume enough time on
that subject in both houses to prevent final
action on the bill this session.
The second evening reception at the White
House this evening was very largely attend
ed. Many Senators, members, government
officials, ETC., with their wives were present.
The Marine band furnished the music.
The House Judiciary commi ttee, by vote
of to 9, decided to-day that the Senate pos
sesses the power of originating appropriation
bills. At the last session of Congress the
Senate originated and passed two appropria-
ton bills. They were sent to the House and
promptly referred to the Judiciary commit
tee for an opinion as to the constitutionality
of the Senate's action. The bills were after
wards passed in a different form in regular
appropriation bills originated by the House,
but the delay did not affect the
measures proper. The discussions
in the committee hinged on the
proper Interpretation of the clause of the
constitution which provides that all bills for
raising revenue shall originate in the House.
A majority of the committee holds that an
appropriation bill is not a bill for rails
ing revenue in any sense of the
term, while the minority sustains its
decision by precedents showing that the pow
er to expend revenue depends per Sc upon the
ability to raise it, and that the two powers
go together. There is little doubt but that
the House will reject the minority report if
hrouohf IN q vote