, 1884-03-23
House.

House.
This body went into committee of the
whole, Reagan in the chair, on the bonded
extension bill.
Herbert resumed his argument against
the bill, asserting it was only by holding
the d%istillers to the law that congress could
expect to realize on the production and
consumption. Permanent relief could be
accorded distillers only by compelling them
to conduct their business on Il sound basis
and the passage of this bill would lead to
an overwhelming demand for the repeal
of the whole law on whisky.
Mr.. Clay said the whisky industry was
made legitimate blythe government and de-
manded the same protection from congress
which was granted to any other business
or avocation. He denied that the pend
ing measure embodied special legislation
and maintained on the contrary its object
was made a general law and put whisky,
beer and tobacco on the same footing in
regard to taxation. 1t was a measure of
relief which would prevent a crisis in the
west and when congress could do this
without detriment to the public interest it
should be done.
Thompson supported the bill and said
the question of temperance was not in
volved in the measure, but if a few tenn
perance cranks in the house would vote
for the bill it would result in keeping the
whisky in bond and out of consumption.
Milliken inquired whether, if the bill
passed, the whisky would not be taken
out of bond in the course of time.
Thompson replied that it would pass
into consumption when it was called out
by some Temperance crank, for he had
never seen one of hat class who, before
making a speech, would not step behind a
door and wet his whistle.
Breckenridge favored the bill and made
an exhaustive speech, going into the his
tory of whisky Legislation and industry.
Hiscock and Ray, of New York, OPP
posed the bill, Ray protesting against the
government becoming a wet nurse for the
big baby whisky interest.
Findlay spoke against the bill. Before
the conclusion of Findlay's speech the
committee rose.
The committee on appropriations com
pleted the consideration of the pension
appropriation bill. The measure appro-
pirates $50, 6s4, 400 and provides that any
balance of the appropriation for the
current fiscal year that may remain unex
pended june 80, 1884, shall be reappro-
priated. This balance is estimated at
SOC, 900, 600.
The appropriations in detail are for in
salids, widows, minor children and de-
pendent relatives, and for the survivors
and widows of the war of 1912, $40 ,0o0,-
600 for fees and expenses of examining
surgeons, $500, 900; for pay allowances of
pension, for salary fees for preparing
vouchers, rent, fuel, lights and postage on
letters to the executive department and
to pensioners, l74,400; and for contingent
expenses and pension agencies, 10000.
The bill provides that the act relating
to claim agents and attorneys in pension
cases provided for June 10, 1878, be made
applicable to the county, arrears of pay,
lost horses aud county land cases and pen.
sion cases in which arrears of pension are
or shall be claimed or granted. The act
referred to provides that it shall be un.
lawful for any attorney, agent or any Other
person to demand or receive for his ser
vices in a pension case a greater sum thar
ten dollars.
1t also provides for a fee of ten dollar
prescribed by law, and shall not be pay
able to nor demanded or received by an,
agent or attorney in a pension
case until such claim shal
be allowed. Upon allowance of arrear
of pay in the lost horse, arrears of pen
sion and pension cases, the commiss
Toner of pensions shall direct that tn
SAINT shall be paid by the pension agent
This act shall apply to pensions as we
as to all future applications, provided
when pensioner obtaining pension or in
crease thereof on pending application ha
heretofore paid to his agent or attorney
sum equal to the whole or any part of th
fee allowed By this act, said pensione
shall be entitled to credit for the sam
against the sum which would otherwise b
payablel to such agent or attorney. Th
bill further provides that from and aft
July !, 1884, agents for the payment