The National tribune., 1886-07-22
TIE 18TH CONGRESS.
The House Passes a Pension Bill Over
the Veto.


] House tried three times before a bill was found
! that would command the necessary two-thirds
l In the affirmative. The first called up was that
of Elizabeth Luce, whose husband. a member of
Co. L, LIST Ohio J.. A., died two or three years
ago. The President vetoed this bill on the
I ground that the death of the claimants husband
was not traceable to his service in the army.
/ A majority of the committee reported favor
] ably, Notwithstanding the Presidents objec-
tions. Mr.. Matson, chairman of the committee,
made minority report in favor of sustaining
the veto. The bin failed on vote marked by
party lines except that six or eight Democrats
voted aye with the Republicans.
The next case was that of Catharine Nc
! Carly, which has been heretofore commented
upon. Her husband died while in the field as
the result Of dose Of poison taken by mistake.
As in the other case, majority OF the commit
| tee reported favorably, and Mr.. Matson pre-
| scented an adverse minority report. 1t was
urged in the latter, as in the veto. that death
was caused by the soldiers carelessness, and
the Government was In no way responsible
therefor. The bill was lost by vote varying
but slightly from the other.
The last and successful bill was that granting
a pension to Jacob Romiser, the Maryland
minute-man who responded TO an emergency,
aud while in the ranks was frightfully wounded
through the head by bullet from gun acct
dentally discharged by one Of his comrades.
| Romiser had not been mustered into the serv-
ice, and on this fact were based the rejection of
the claim by the Pension Bureau and the veto
! Of the bill by the President. There can be no
question that the case is thoroughly meritori-
Gus one. The committee reported unanimously
| in favor of Its passage, and the bill was advo-
Gated by Mr.. Morrill,, Of Kansas; Mr.. Matson,
of Indiana, and Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky.
Mr.. Reagan, of Texas, opposed it, making the
ridiculous argument that the wound, being &C
| cidental, was not received in the line of duty.
/ Inv IN
Randall Pa and Dowdney IN. " cast the
only votes from the Northern States against
the bill. The other negative votes were Mis-
souri,, Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas and Mis-
sissippi, 2 each; Tennessee, Louisiana and
North Carolina, each: Georgia and Alabama.
) each, and Texas, s.
During the consideration Of these bills Mr.
Mills of Texas, occupied the chair as Speaker
/ pro tempore. He made a ruling that cut of
the majority of the committee from saying a
word in favor Of the first and second bills. His
decision was contrary to the rules of the House.
and the injustice was vigorously resented by
/ the Republicans. AT times the House was in
such an uproar that business was wholly sus-
pended till order was restored. Mr.. Mills at
length manfully acknowledged the error and
reversed the decision, eliciting great applause
from the Republicans.
Representative Morrill,, of Kansas, from the
Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported back
w. Farris, Of Missouri, with the recommends
ton that it be passed over the Presidents veto.
Representative Conger reported back with a
similar recommendation the bill granting a
pension to David I. Elderkin, of Iowa, and the
committee agreed 10 take the same action in
the case of the bill granting pension to Sarah
Ann Bradley, Of Ohio, who had husband and
four sons in the army. The President vetoed
this bill on the ground that the husband did
not die Of disability contracted in the service.
but the committee does not regard that fact as
essential, and holds that the evidence that the
claimant is dependent is sufficient TO warrant
the allowance Of the claim.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE SURPLUS.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday the House con-
sidered Mr.. Morrison's joint resolution provid-
{ ing that all the surplus in the Treasury in ex-
cess Of the Sl00,00O,000 required to be kept as q
reserve fund TO secure the greenbacks, shall be
applied on the payment Of bonds. thus Teauc-
ingthe debt, in sums not less than $40, 600 900 q
month. The surplus is now about SI75 060, 900.
The debate On the resolution was by far the
most interesting Of the session on any financial
topic. Ii called out the strongest men Of both
partics-Hiscock, Reed and Mckinley on the
Republican side, and Morrison, Randall, Hew-
lit and Mills on the other. Mr.. Hewitt did not
60 with his party, however; he spoke aud
voted against the resolution. The subject
awakened lively interest, causing fuller at
1 bcBQaDct IN the mouse IMAM Tor many weeks.
All remained till the last moment and when,
at few minutes before o'clock, the final
vote was taken ga members responded TO their
names Some 20 Others who were present were
paired.
The best speech Of the debate was made by
Mr.. Mckinley, Of Ohio. 1t was short, not ex-
J ceeding 90 minutes in length, but was crisp,
pungent and humorous, fairly electrifying the
House and elicitng great applause. He showed
, the want Of harmony between the Administra-
ton and the majority Of the Democratic party
in Congress on the financial policy that should
be pursued. He said the President in his mes
sage 70 Congress last December asked it TO do
three things-retre the greenback currency,
stop the coinage Of silver, and reform the tariff:
yet the House, with Democratic majority OF
40, had not passed a measure favorable 10 any
one Of them. So far as the tariff is concerned -
he said, "yoH have done nothing under the
leadership Of Col. Morrison and we are waiting
10 see what you will do now that Col. Randall
has undertaken 10 lead" This provoked great
laughter, in which Randall aud Morrison hear.
tiy joined.
hir. Reed and Mr.. Hiscock argued that the
carrying out Of the resolution would dshonor
the obligations Of the Government and impair
! If not wholly destroy, its credit abroad, as /,
! would necessitate payment Of bonds in silver
whereas the Government had bound itself Il
Z pay them in gold.
: favor of the resolution, arguing that there wa.
4 no substance 10 the objection urged against II
D by its opponents The entire House enjoyed
the somewhat anomalous scene presented in
a this debate Of Randall and Morrison uniting il
tbeadgocacy OF measure Of financial policy, anC
: Hewitt opposing them with full power of brair
and tongue. In fact there were no party lines
y speeches ia favor Of the resolution being mad,
b by Cannon, Of Illinois; Henderson, Of Iowa
l. and other Republicans A large and yarieG
= assortment Of amendments were offered by golt
s men, silver men and greenbackers proposing I.
c change the resolution 10 suit their own peculia
L views, but the majority stuck closely 10 its tex
= and voted them all down. 1t was apparen
}. from the FIRST that the resolution would pass
d although the majority as shown by the las
" roll call-lnore than three-fourths-was large
y than anyone expected. OF the 200 yeas Of
b the passage Of the resolution, l46 were Demo
? Gratis and 63 Republicans Sixteen Democrat
(. and 49 Republicans voted may"
MRS. HUNTERS PENSION CASE.
In the case of Mrs. Maria Hunter. widow q
Gen. David Hunter, for whose relief the Hous
passed bill granting a pension OF $50 pc
month, which was vetoed by the President
ID Chairman Matson, OF the Invalid Pension
w Committee has presented a report 10 III
House. in which he sustains the Veto II
Q, says the effect Of the bill would be to give th
claimant $50 per month more than the sum a
lowed by the general law; that il is not allege
~ that the widow needs any increase, aud tina
the committee has barely tolerated the il
crease OF pensions Of widows of officers. IL
also true that the claimantfR annlfratfnu r.,