Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-01-26
WASHINGTON.
TUESDAYS NEWS AT THE CAPITAL OF
OUR COUNTRY.
The Enormous Drain Upon The Treasury
by PsnsiOns-The Great Frauds
Perpetrated Grant Retire
ment Bill Defeated
in the Senate.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
WASHINGTON.
sherman Gives His Views on the Fund
ing Bill.

sherman Gives His Views on the Fund
ing Bill.
WASHINGTON, January 25.-The Sen
ate Committee on Finance to-day,
heard Secretary Sherman on the Fund
ing Bill. He took the position that it
should be amended so as to make the
funding bonds redeemable after five
years, and payable in twenty years,
from the date OF the issue, and to bear
interest at the rate not exceeding 81 per
per cent. The rate TO be fixed in the
discretion OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. He expressed the opinion that
the Treasury funding certificates pro-
posed by the bill, which he thought
should be described as Treasury notes,
can be floated at 3 per cent. interest
without any change in the House provi-
sion, for theiS redemption at any time
after ono wear from their respective
dates OF issue.
In Favor OF Seating Yates.
WASHINGTON, January 25.-The Com
mittee on Elections of the House, to-day,
decided by strict party vote to report
in favor of unseating Representative
Martin, Republican, sitting member,
and seating Yestes, Democrat, OF North
Carolina, the contestant.
Assistant Justice Swayne,
of the U. 5. Supreme Court, has hand
ed in his resignation to the President.
The Pension Bill
already passed for the current fiscal
wear aggregated s5O,OOO,OO0. 1t will in
crease each year for decade, instead OF
decreasing. The trouble is that too
manv pension claims are rushed through
Congress after having been rejected in
the Pension Office. Congress ought
not to be permitted to pass pension
bills at all. The upshot will be
that at no distant day the
bill OF Representative Warner, OF Ohio,
looking to the establishment OF a PEN
sion Court. will receive serious consld-
Grafton. II Commissioner Bentley is
correct in his estimate, and there is no
legislation checking the payment OF
claims under the arrears OF Pensions
Act, the Government will have paid out
to meet such claims sum In excess OF
the entire greenbsck circulation OF the
United States.
The Alarming Statement
is made officially by the Commissioner OF
Pensions that it will have cost the United
States, when it makes all the payments
on claims arising out OF the Arrears OF
Pensions Law, 1921 900 900. To reach
this aggregate the Commissioner foots
up the amount already paid, and esti-
mated the balance by the number OF un-
settled claims pending in his office.
This data he has sent to the Chair
man of the Senate Commit
tee on Appropriations. II the Com.
missioner's estimates are reliable,
they serve to show how little Congress
knew what it was doing when the act
was passed. 1t was estimated that the
claims under the law could be met with
$40, 900, 900, and because Secretary Sher-
man held it would cost much more, he
was set upon rs an enemy OF the bill.
1t is not communicated officially, but
the Commissioner told your correspond
ent today that many OF the claims un-
der the act already paid, and which
would hereafter be paid, were fraudu
lent. The pension office has no means
Of detecting such frauds under the pres
ent laws. Any two persons willing to
commit perjury can manufacture the
evidence upon which to file a prinld
tdcie valid claim. An effort will be
made to tack on to either the legislative
or sundry civil appropriation bills what
is known as the sixty surgeons bill. II
adopted the Commissioner thinks 1t will
check many fraudulent claims.