The National tribune., 1886-07-01

Pensions has never tried 10 bring up, or 4 he las
U1ed we on tins side who stood ready and wiling
% assist him have never been able 10 discover thai
effort on his part
The gentleman tells ms that il viii take two. or
three, or four. or five hundred million dollars TO
pay these arrears Of pensions; and u would appear
from the statement that this vast amount oi money
was 10 be expended al once. But. sir, the Noinms-
siouer of Pensions, Gen. Black. told the Commit
tee On Invalid Pensions in conference which ne
had with that committeeman j betray no secrets
Of the oommiiiee-that his Office could not expend
more than S50.990098 per annum, that he thought
tle revenues Of the country sufficient and that the
demands OF The soldiers required the expenditure
Why, SIR, this question OF pensions Is not such
bugbear 10 the people OF The country as some gen.
] Nemen here seem 10 suppose II j. not bugbear
! 10 the people OF my own State; for to-day North
Carolina although one OF the states which gentle
men On the other side in the habit OF saying
wac robbed and crushed into the dust by the Re-
4 publican carpet-baggelsn and scalawags, lew
! les large tax upon the property holders Of the
! State-for wbnt? For the purpose Of paying pen
/ sious 10 Confederate soldiers. And every man.
! black and white, pays the tax cheerfuliy; not
nurmur has arisen. More than that in my own
County some Of these pensioners on the COnicder-
ate rolls are to-day occupying Federal positions;
and nobody complains, The Federal soldier IN
/ that state contributes his mite. Appiause.
Mr.. Cutoheon (Nich.):
Mr. Speaker. presume that all gentlemen here
1 have heard of that celebrated game which was
u carried on between the Oriental All sin. and Bil
I Nye, i'm which il turned out that An sin had "a
1 packs 81 cards up his sleeve, while playing that
game which he did not understand. Now, as TO
House have had "a packs up their sleeve Tor the
last few months and to-day they are trying 10 play
/ them upon us.
Tie frst INQUIRY that suggests itself to my mind
I 81, what has become Of the Committee ON ways
aud Means. and whether they have utterly abdi-
Gated their right and prerogative Of bringing reVe-
nue. bills into this House.
Ne were invited by the distinguished Chairman
OF the Committee on Ways and Means 10 be pres
ent this morning to vote upon bill 10 reduce the
I revenues Of the Governments We were informed
by that gentleman ON Thursday last that The pres
ent revenues Of the Government were producing
n surplus at the rate OF S39,91O000 year. he
wanted 10 reduce that surplus-to get rad OF this
$4,000 600 year I'm excess OF the economical wants
/ of the Government We came here TO meet that
proposition to-day. as we notified him we would
he here. But instead Of proposition TO reduce the
revenues OF the Government S30.OooOOO year or
thereabouts, we are met by proposition TO impose
internal revenue tax aud 10 increase the reye-
/ nues OF the Government.
Now. ] ask the distinguished Chairman Of the
I Committee on Ways and Means, did you not know
Oh Thursday last that the Government needed tins
4 increased revenue; and II you did not know u on
/ Thursday last, how and when did you find il out ?
/ On Thursday last, when you wanted TO reduce the
I TeVeaue, you knew what pension bills were pend
/ ind; you have known that for weeks past. Yet
only on Thursday lasi the Democratic leader Of this
/ House, backed up by Democratic caucus ana It's
4 members. came Ia here and asked US 10 take mp,
/ consider, and pass bill which would reduce the
4 revenues of the Government. Gentlemen Of the
Democratic side Of the House. this is mere bluff"
and II cannot succeed here. ~ the statement were
! not uDparliRmentary, would be inclined TO say
] 1isaa - a. chSSsp acmHeo6hSAs anu Sa' NSSSAfN
nobody.
We went into the last campaign with you in 1854
ana the principal Issue you rendered AS then was
/ surplus OF sgO0 $4,000 In the Treasury Here we
stand in the month Of June lSs6. with the deciara-
ton your part tact at least impliedy at least,
that there is no surplus, but there is deficiency
staring us in the face and we must resort to that
most odlous. that most offensive form OF Legislation,
the luternai-rcvenHe tax. 10 make good this def
I cheney which stares us ia the face
You want pension legislation, do you? Then
give us your pension Legislation. We invite you
we challenge you nay, We dare you now at this
day and hour. 10 bring forward your arrears-Of-
pension act and pledge you this side OF the House.
Bring forward your bill TO give pensions 10 those
who suffered anlputatiOn Of their limbs from
wounds received In The war. and we can pass IL IN
30 minutes. lAppiRuse. This is mere delusion and
n snare. You do not mean pension legislation. il
you do, bring forward your pension legislation. and
we VIII pass Il. Applause on the Republican side
Yes. viii pass il and put II into operation; and
when IL is determined there l. need for further
revenue we viii help you 10 get further revenue.
Mr.. Johnston Ind.):
MIR. Speaker. / was somewhat amazed at my col.
league from Indiana Mr. Matsonl Chairman OF tlle
Committed on Invalid Pensions, at being so
anxious 10 get al some Legislation In the interest o
the soldiers. lie has had control OF the Invalid
Pensions C0mmiIIee since this Congress met
On the first week Of this session there bal
introduced 10 pension the needy soldiers who are
now disabled. There was also aD effort made to
pass general pension act. Yet sir, he has not up
10 this hour asked Congress 20 set aparl "A single
day 90 consider either one Of those bllis-
when pension Legislation comes oak now from
that committee ID Il 10 come back coeped with
condition like this: say 70 you my brave boys
who carried the musket and knapsack, ] am viii
ing 20 vote you pensions II you couple with il ths
condition that can get The gentleman from Penn.
sylvania Mr. Randall high tariff man, and thu
gentleman from Illinois Air. Morrison free-trads
man, lf ] can get them 70 agree on some neasurs
10y which we can raise money enough am will
ing then 10 give yon pensions llRughter; but unit
can get the extremes of tue Democratic party u
meet and dwell togethe IN peace aud harmony
vii have 90 deprive " of sny such pension legis
latlOn. Laughter ma aPpGuse.l That In ths
proposition he makes here to-day.
Now, cir. ] have yet 10 learn that the men who
barred their breasts 10 the storm OF shot and shell K
save the Governments musa stand back while tb'
President while the Cabinet while all the ciyi
service q the Government permitted 10 draw
} their money out Of the common Treasury; tina
they are 20 stand back TO see " the extremes Of th
Democratic party can agree on some plan by wiicl
the money ~ a. be raised by additional taxation 70
the purpose Of paving these pensions. II the Law
D. not sufficient Cor the purpose now. II som,
amendment II necessary 70 raise additional none,
10 pay for the pensiOning of soldiers LET m.
suggest an amendment Let us amend the presen
law by providing that the entire civil list that tn
President aud the Gabinet aud the entire Congress
the senate and the House, shall stand back ant
not receive their salaries until the pension lst ha
been paid entirely. II such an amendment b
| adopted wall pledge you then the gentleman frou
} Pennsylvania and the gentleman from Illinois vii
{ agree some 10 pay their own salaries
Laughter and applause
] Mr. Bragg Wis.,:
y am exceedingly indebted 10 the dlsfinRuishc,
D gentleman from Maine Mr. Reed for his referenc
70 tie failure Of this ilonae 20 consent 10 the con
sderRtion Of "A revenue bin reported from the Com
G miitee on Mays and Means. am delighted at II
because II shows what sort Of conlempt the RepnL
Z licans Of tbs House feel toward those who bav
been recreaut 10 their faith 10 their pledges; tha
A while they are received with open arms and ar
2 probation for the acts they have done, they ar
thoroughly despised for their political recreaBcy.
Mr.. Speaker when came into this House, "A fc1
: Z moments ago. The distinguished gentleman fror
b Iowa lad the floor. and 4 stopped for n moment
G listen. for thought by accident had sirayed int
4 a canp-meeting But in a few moments saw il wa
the old hupy-borse bYOug out 10 be ridden rom
again and Pranced and posed Ia the presence Of IA
( american people for the benefit Of the claf8-ageT
newspapers. and o. circulate them among that cas
y ~ men whose votes they think can be bought b
Z Their pEetending = be the soldiers, friends
q Ter repeat OH" Many cries Of 'oh.
+. "Oht"l Who was Il when you had two-thiro
4 majority in this House, when the war was siill =,
cent, when men were suffering from wounds ever,
q wiiere-Nh0 was h that passed Limitation upo
c pensions and provided that every claim not prt
q sculed within i've years should only commence
n draw pension from the date Of tie filing Of the act
B VINO was thatf VIII you answer Inc2 "Oht
G. laughter II was the Republican party" Oh
d N bO wnS II that repealed that limitation upo
b peuanr their pension from the date Of their dis
y biiityP Itwns the Democratic party. Ohi"
'e Who Il that in their national convention
ie 1875 declared n favor Of the repeal othe limitatio
- oa the arrears. and one Of their candidates no
~ presiding IN one u the branches Of this Cover
ae inent, within 20 days nferward refused 10 10 10
Use platform ~ lis pAriyg II was one Of the gre
le iieIubieAn financial leaders who now occupies u
he position 81 Prcsi1rnt % the Senate.
y, Now, why is il hear all this taikg There
ID nothing in this resolution relating 20 the refusal
30 soldiers pensions. This resolution provides
means Of paying soldiers pensions. II il not 20 ,