The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-20
The Nations SOlOns Wrestle With
The Vexed Question OF
Pensions.
AND INSTITUTE INQUIRY RE-
GARDING LANDS OF FOREIGN
CORPORATIONS.
With Telegraphic Mention OF Minor
Subjects from YariOuJ
Quarters.
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON. March 17-Henley
offered resolution authorizing an in
vestigation into the circumstances at
tendant in making the lease by the
United States to the Alaska CONNER
cial Company; also to ask duties from
that company to the United States
under its lease, with power in con-
gress to terminate it. (Referred).
The following bills were intro
duced and referred:
Belford: Requiring all land grant
or subsidy railroads to furnish the
secretary of the treasury full time
quarterly statement. under oath, of
their earnings and medicines.
By Woods and Calkins /: Granting
homesteads to soldiers in the late
war.
Hatch. of (Missouri): A resolution
authorizing the commissioner of agri-
culture to investigate and report upon
the influence and extent of specula-
tive transactions in cotton, corn and
other products of industry.
BY Buckner: A bill permitting the
citizens of the five civilized nations in
the Indian territory having organized
governments, to organize banks under
the provisions of the national banking
act.
Hewitt, of New York, to suspend
for two years the coinage of silver
dollars, and making it unlawful for
the secretary of the treasury to print
and issue treasury notes of the denom-
ination of 81 and So. This is the bill
recommended by the New York
chamber of commerce.
Randall, under instruction from the
committee on appropriations, moved
to suspend the rules, and pass the
special deficiency bill, appropriating
$1,679,0OO. After a half hours debate,
confined to the consideration of same,
which would be granted families of
deceased congressman, the motion was
agreed to-167 to 15.
Buchanan, from the committee on
naval affairs, reported a resolution ap-
propriating out of the contingent
fund $1,000 to enable that committee
to prosecute Investigations previously
ordered concerning the loss of the
jeanette. Adopted.
SENATE.
Allison presented joint resolution of
the general assembly of Iowa relating
to opleuTo-pneumonia urging the adop-
tion of means for it's extirpation
Mcmillan, Palmer and Manderson
presented petitions from citizens of
their respective states, praying con-
gress to repeal the sixteenth amend
ment prohibiting the disfranchisement
of citizens on account of sex.
Vest, from mercantile bodies in st.
Louis, presented petitions praying for
an ex tension of bonded period on
whisk key.
Hoar offered a resolution calling
upon the secretary of the treasury and
interior to report to the senate the
names of parties who have had pen
sion applications pending mere than
three years, and to show the condition
of such applications and the reason
why they have not been disposed of
Hoar said inquiries were very nu.
merous from all parts of the country
as to the pension cases undisposed of
No tragedy could be put upon
the stage, Hoar said, which could
appeal more to the feelings Of
right-minded men, especially Ameri-
can legislators, than the stories which
come to us day after day, week after
week, month after month and yea1
after year, of the hopes deferred, o1
the poverty, sorrow and agony of men
who had suffered wound and privatiOl
and gave up their strength and health
for their own country, and the widows
and orphans of those who had given
their likes for it. Hoar found no fault
with the pension Office, but something
should be done to help to forward the
deferred pension cases.
Dawes said the principal difficulty
was in pension claim agents who
were in pension claims by the thou.
sands and ten of thousands, If those
agents could be condensed or oblitera-
ted, and applicants deal directly with
the government or their members Of
congress, there would be more hope
for claims.
Salisbury said the chief difficulty
was with claim agents.
Ingalls, repelled the suggestion thai
large numbers of just and proven
pension claims were undisposed of ,anC
that hundreds and thousands men en-
titled to pensions were starving to
death mo Government could have beer
more liberal than that of the United
States, and there was no grounds fol
charging it with negligence in thi
matter. Such charges created a wrong
impression in the country. The diff
Guilty was that large numbers of ap
plicants had not proved any right Il
pensions.
ingalls, believed so few proven case
were at present disposed of in pension
Office that one weeks time would suf
fee for their disposal.
Mitchell thought pension attorney
ought to be called pension sharks.
They were parties who were princi
pally responsible for difficulties in tn,
way of settlement.
Resolution was referred to the com
mittee on pensions.
Van Wyck offered the following
resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved, that the committee ol
public lands be directed to inquire i
what manner large quantities of pul
lie lands became transferred to G
possessed by foreign corporations 9
syndicates, and what, if any, legisls
tion is advisable to prevent sue