Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-03
BENEFICIARIEs OF PENSIONS.
! Move on Foot to Increase the Allow
RDce to Children to So Per Month.

- -APNG On AuOb NO LnGTGAAe Aue AAAOW-
ADce to Children to sS5 Per Month.
WASHINGTON, March I'm the Senate
to-day Mr.. Van Wyck, from the Commit
tee on Pensions, reported, with an amend.
meut, the House bill to increase the PEN
sions Of widows and dependent relatives
OF deceased soldiers and sailors. The
amendment provides for an increase of
the pension Of minor children from 81 a
month, the amount fixed by the House, to
81 month. Mr.. Van WycA said he would
ask early consideration of the bill, and
would ASK the Senate TO increase the
minor enildren's pension to SO per month,
instead Of "a, as recommended by the
committee. he would also ask that in-
sane or helpless children should receive
the pension given to minor children be-
yond 1S years of age 90 long as their disa-
bllity or insanity should continue.
INVALID PENSIONS.
In the House to-day Mr.. Morrill,, of
Kansas, from the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, reported the bill extending
until July 1, 1883 the time within which
applications for arrears of pensions may
be fled, extending the provisions of the
arrears act to special pensioners, and pro-
Yiding that. in application for pensions
the person on whose account the pension
is claimed shall be presumed prima facia
to have been sound and free from disease
at the date OF entering the service. 1t
was referred to the committee of the
whole.
HENDERSON ANSWERED.
The House to-day went into committee
of the whole on the pension appropriation
bill, and general debate began,
Mir. Wilson, of West Virginia, made a
stirring speech in reply to the one made
a few days ago by Mr.. Henderson, of
Iowa, in which be defended the Commits
sioner of Pensions, and retOrted upon Mr..
Henderson his charge that by their vote
upon the increase of widows pensions,
the Southern members had unfurled again
the bloody shirt. He said that this had
been done by MIR. Henderson himself, in
the inference he drew from his analysis
of that vote, and by Mr.. Boutelle recently
in criticising the Southern people for raIs-
ing few modest monuments to their
friends who had died In defense of their
opinions.
Mr.. Matsou also defended Commission
er Black and the House Pensions Com
mittee.
- MR.. HAMMOND HEARD
Mr.. Hammond. OF Georgia. said that it
had been the principle of the Democratic
BdIbN WIEN III DONGI Indb MntI d ludu
became a public officer he might think
what he pleased, say what he pleased and
do what he pleased, but that his services
must be given to the public, and not to
his party. The President of the United
States stood to-day inviting the American
people to come back to the old paths, and
''ln them you shall find rest" Referring
TO the question Of widows pensions, be
said that that question had been up half
4. Al - 4 hrrN a ~
never been proposed to increase them
until now. This fact answered the argu-
ment OF the gentleman from Iowa MIR.
Henderson when be arraigned the South
ern members for voting against the in
crease.
NO NEED or A REPLY.
The stuff in his speech that the constl-
tuition had been invoked to protect that
vote did not need a reply. The bitter gall
against men whom he took daily by the
band as his friends did not need a reply.
The spirit of the speech, not only 1n man
uer but in cold printed words, carried
with il condemnation Of argument, and
needed no more reply than when he con-
signed Confederates TO h, and then in
tensihed hell by promise TO go there
with them. Laughter and applause.l
Mr.. Butterworth closed the debate in
long speech full OF humOr and sarcasm,
and generally very wide Of the question
under consideration. 1t took in the whole
range OF recent political events and par
ticularly dwelt upon the Ohio election.
At 5:15 O'Clock the House adjourned and
a Democratic caucus was annOu need
for tois evening.
WHAT THE REPORT SAYS.
The report submitted in the House to-
dav by Representative Morrill,, recon-
80 ~
pension act TO claims filed prior TO July [,
1888. Saws that the present law limiting
arrears to cases filed prior to June 80,
1850, is a practical and unjust
discrimination in favor Of por-
tion of our manned and disabed
soldiers and their dependent relatives,
and against another portion equally meri-
torious and deserving. Tue report gives
a statement as 10 the probable cost OF
legislation given by Commissioner
Black in his letter TO Mr.. Randall,
and saws this estimate, S222, ,00O, 600, is
largely IN excess Of what will be the actul
cost. The commissioner, the report saws.
also states that even with an additional
force Of 300, he could not possibly pay
over SOC, 900, 900 annually under the billif
became law. The report estimates the
total cost OF the bill at not above $780,
100000.
THE DEBT TO THE SOLDIER.
The report IN conclusion says:
The ability Of the country 10 pay this sum,
vast ~ - is, IL unquestiOned. The country
has paid three billions Of dollars for the use Of
money borrowed 10 carry on the war aud less
than $3.50, 10000 for the lives ana limb suffer
ings and -acrlnces. desolated homes, widows
aud fathe 4 ess children OF the brave men who
surrendered a their br ght hopes OF earthly
happiness TO defend and save their country.
II the bond holder had, from feeling Of patri-
Otism. declined TO present HE coupons until
the present time, he would not be told that the
statute oi limitations had rendered his bond
equally a. sacred and sDoud be treated with
equal Justice.