The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-07-08
Soldiers Pensions.
The following is the proposed amendment
10 the rules of the House, submitted by MI
Morrison of Illinois:

Morrison of Illinois:
Resolred, That it shall be In order, when any
general bill proposition to increase tue rates Oh
amounts Of pensions, TO grant pensions 10 per
sons not previously entitled thereto by law Is uos
consideration, to amend the same 50 ar 10 proNl.,
by taxation or otherwise Tor tue pay ihens ~
but no such amendment shall be in order unless lh.
net revenue provided for shall be thereby sci aPaI
for the sole purpose OF paying such inereaseu pen
sions.
Mr.. Burrows in his remarks upon the
proposition so aptly showed the true III
wardness of the matter that we give oui
readers the benefit of his remarks III iuli as
follows:
"Mr. Speaker, in the course OF nearly
eight Years experience as a memoer Oh the
House of Representatives l do not remem-
Der to have ever heard a proposition SO mon
strous as the one We are now called upon 10
consider. For the first time, i believe, IL
the history of legislation IN this Govern
meut il is proposed to embodY in the rules
of the House of Representatives provision
making it in order when a certain class OF
bills is under consideration involving an
expenditure of money t. offer an amend
ment to such measure proposing an increase
of taxation sufficient to meet the probable
requirements of such enactment.
Nearly one hundred years have gone by
since the organization of the first House of
Representatives. and for the first time IN the
history of this legislative body 1t Is pro-
posed to make il III order TO attach To
general law Froyiso raising sufficient reve-
nue. TO carry that law into execution. L
repeat that in the whole history of written
or unwritten American parliamentary law
this proposition can find no parallel.
But if there was anything needed to in
crease the iniqrity of this proposition 1t is
found in the language of the proposed rule,
which restricts its operation to pension
bills. Why this invidious distinction? Why
select the Union soldier as the object OF
your attack 1t will not pass without no.
tice that the majority OF this house propose
TO apply this rule only to legislation looking
to the relief of those who sacrificed every
thing in the defense of their country.
Look at this proposition for one moment
It is well known to the country that there
are certain measures for the relief of soldiers
pending in this body to-day that are de-
manded by the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie and the majority of this House hesitate
TO adjourn without taking favorable action
upon them. How then can the majority
seem To favor these measures and yet accom-
plish their defeat ? This rule solves that
question. Let me illustrate Here is Sen
ate bill 1886. demanded 10y the Grand Army
OF the Republic, demanded by every sent-
ment Of honor and iustice--it has passed
the Senate and ought TO pass this House
which declares that those soldiers who sur
viyed the shock of battle, and returning took
up the burdens of life where they laid them
down 10 answer their country S call, but who
have been overtaken by misfortunes and
deprived of health or limb. are forced in the
unequal conflict to labor for the necessities
OF life or take shelter in an almshouse.
Adopt this rule. and when this measure
comes up for consideration it will be in or
der TO amend 1t by proposition to raise
revenue which would az once launch Us on
sea of debate upon which the bill itself
would surely be wrecked.
Here are fathers and nothers who though
their sons lost their lives in the defense of
the country cannot under the law to-day
draw pensions because they are required to
prove that they were dependent at the time
their sons went into the service. They were
not dependent at that time; but misfortunes
have since overtaken them, and in their old
age they stand with empty hands pleading
for charity. Senate bill 1886 proposes to
provide for thts' aged dependent parents.
and instead of passing the measure as you
ought, you meet this humane measure with a
rule that it shall be in order when that
measure comes up to submit proposition
to increase the tax on whiskey or tobacco or
impose some new tax, knowing that in the
discussion on the tax the bLl will fail
Thousands of pension claims are today hung
up in the Pension Department because the
law requires that the applicant shall show
that when he went into the Army he was of
sound bodily health.
Tho Senate in tic hill 1880 90 -, ,bot ,o
quirement is unjust; the fact that the soldier
was received into the service after examina-
ton made at the time shall be taken as DTi-
ma ftcie evidence that he was an able-bodied
man, and in the absence of fraud the Oaus
should be upon the Government 20 show
that such was not the fact. These men to-
day In their old age, are denied their pen
sions because of this requirement. You now
propose to say by rule that when thiC meas
ure comes up for consideration it shall he
III order 10 submit an amendment raising
revenue, and thereby complicate the matter
aud insure its defeat Now, every msmber
of this House knows that the moment YOU
adopt this rule, and allow upon these pension
bills such an amendment as proposed. it
means the defeat of every one of these naea-
sures and that in my humble judgment is
the deliberate purpose OF il.
The gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA INr. |
Randall when the arrears of pensions bill
came in here succeeded with his party lash,
which he Yields with such master hand, in |
driving that bill back into committee. The
gentleman from Indiana Mr. Matson says
It's his intention to have that measure CON |
sidered. Considered when and how? After |
you have adopted a rule which in its appli- |
cation you know will insure its defeat. If |
you In good faith intend to consider and
pass these measures, you shall have no such |
hollow excuse as that they cannot be reach.
ed. say to you now that we give you leave
to take up any one or all of them to-day, this
hour, and put them on their passage. Ask
unanimous consent this moment to take
up Senate bill 1886 and 1 pledge my word
there will be no objection on this side of the
Chamber. L challenge you to make the re-
quest now, and then let's see who objects and
who will stand by the soldier in the passage
of just pension bills.
But why do you not select as the subject
ct proposition of this kind something be-
sides these pension bills, this proposed pen
sion legislation? Why do you not take the
river and harbor bill, with its $4,000. 900 of
appropriations? Why do you not take the
public buildings bills, and say that on those
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