The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-20
THE FORTY NINTH CONGRESS
The Senate Determines that No Pension
Shall Be Less than 81 a Month,
And Finally Passes the Bill-The House Con-
tinues the Debate on the Proposed Sub
sidy to Steamships Carrying Mails
THE SENATE.


THE SENATE.
No Pension To Be Less than 81 Month
Final Passage of the Bill.
WASHINGTON, May 19-After routine bust
ness, Mr.. Hoar gave notice that tor morn
ing he would call up the bill dlsposing of the
Alabama awards
Mr. Frye called up the Staten Island bridge
bill.
Mr. Sewell objected to its consideration during
the morning hour
Mr. Frye moved that the bill be taken up, not
withstanding the objection.
The motion being agreed to. consideration OF
the bill was proceeded with.
Mr. Mcpherson moved an amendment provid-
for tunnel instead of bridge, and spoke at
length in support of his amendment.
At 2 o'clock, Mr.. Mcpherson not having con
Guided his remarks. the matter went over.
The pension bill was then placed before the
Senate, the pending question being the motion
Of Mr.. Mcpherson to recommit the bill to the
committee with instructions to submit to the
Senate an estimate of the expense that would
be incurred by its passage.
Mr. McPherson's motion to recommit was re-
jected-yeas H. nays 26
The question required on Mr.. Blairs amend
ment to Mr. Van Wyck's amendment Mr.. Van
Wyck's amendment is to add to the bill a section
providing that soldier under this act should
receive pension of less than So month Mr.
Blairs motion is 20 make the provision read,
''No pension paid under any law to any soldier
hereafter shall be rated at less than $4 a
month"
Mr. Blair modified his amendment so as to in
clude sailors. marines, etc.
Mr. Logan gave notice that when In order he
would move to make the amount Sc.
Mr. ingalls, said the amendments would intro
duce great inequalities in the pension system.
He thought the Senate had better adhere to the
original purpose of the bill-namely, to pension
the men who were disabled from earning a live
lihood.
Mr.. Van Wyck's idea was that the bill was in
tended to cover the cases of soldiers who, having
served six months, were now disabled from any
cause.
from any principle heretofore followed. 1t pro-
posed to pension men who had been six months
in the army who never have been in the field or
heard shot fred, and had not been injured in
service. He thought it was carrying pensions
to point for which there was no warrant. The
taxes to pay these pensions fell heaviest on the
poor people of the country. He would like to
tax levied on large incomes for the support
of these pensions. There was no more iusti
fable tax in the world than tax on men who
had made their money by watering stocks.
Mr. Bair's amendment was agrsaa to-
Mr. Logan then moved the amendment already
suggested by him, to make the minimum pension
hereafter payable under any law not less than
Sc month.
Mr.. Salisbury said that the whole object of
legislation in these times seemed to be- how we
could most rapidly spend the public money We
would hear nothing of this constantly-increasing
pension legislation if the soldiers had no votes
There seemed no way to stop this class of legis-
lation except by providing by constitutional
amendment either to deprive the soldiers of their
votes-whch Mr.. Salisbury would not favor-or
to provide that no man who had ever served in
Congress should be eligible to the presidency of
the United States. He thought the latter propo.
sition, If adopted. would stop these raids on the
Treasury. The country had provided, or should
provide for all men who had been wounded in
the war. This was bill for different purpose,
and went too far.
Mr. Logan defended the bill. He did not
think the old soldiers of the country should be
treated in the manner implied by the remarks of
the Senator from Delaware.
Mr. Salisbury disclamed any personal appli-
cation to the Senator from Illinois If that Sem
ator, however. took it as personal to himself, he
Mr.. Salisbury could not help it,
Mr. Logan replied that he had not taken it as
personal TO himself. He Mr.. Logan was not
the only person advocating this bill. Unfor-
tunately, soldiers in all countries, he said, had
always been pensioned whether they had votes
or not They did not have votes in all coun-
tries. Why should Senators favor pensions to
widows and childrena Did they have votes9
What caused Senators to vote for clearing out
small rivers9 Was it the soldier vote that In
duced that, toOs
Mr. Salisbury complimented Mr.. Logan's
services In the war, bnt saw no reason why he
should criticise Mr.. Saulsbury's course His
ISaulsbury'sl course had always been patriotic
Referring to a visit to Canada. during the war.
Mr. Salisbury said he had refused to see con-
federates who were there.
Mr. Logan said ne had not intended any re-
Election on the patriotism of the Senator
Mr. Camden would favor pensions for all who
were wounded in the war, but thought we
should stop there. He would oppose q service
pension.
Mr. Logan's amendment was rejected yeas
20. nays 81
The question REQUIRED on the amendment of
Mr.. Van Wyck, as amended by that of Mr.
Blair.
Mr. ingalls, moved to lay it on the table The
motion was not agreed to- The amendment as
amended was then agreed to.
Mr.. Salisbury offered an amendment providing
that no money be paid on pensions under the
pending bill till provision be made by law to
meet the necessary expenditures by tax on in
comes, specifically applicable for such payment
On motion of Dir. Blair this was laid on the
table-yeas 20. nays Is.
Mr.. Logan moved an amendment to extend
the provisions of the bill so as to cover men
who served three months He said he personally
knew many men who had only served three
months. who were as much entitled to a pension
as If they had served four years.
MIR. Blair hoped that this amendment would
be agreed to-
The amendment was agreed to by viva voce
vote.
Mr.. Butler offered as an amendment a pro-
vision for a service pension for the Mexican
veterans.
To this Mr. Conger offered an amendment ex-
Guiding pensioners under political disabilities.
Mr.. Blair. in moving to lay Mr.. Buffers
amendment on the table. said the House had
already passed Mexican pension bill, which
would be pressed in the Senate in due time.
The motion to lay on the table prevailed-yeas
3d. nays IL.
Mr.. ingalls,, in suggesting an amendment to
strike out the word labor and insert the word