The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-07
THE HOUSE.
"A Refusal to Tackle the Presidents Vetoes
The General Deficiency Bill


The General Deficiency BILL
WASHINGTON, July 6.-Petitions were pre-
sented from the Pennsylvania knights of Labor,
asking legislation to promote the interests of
labor. Referred.
Mr.. Taulbee, of Kentucky, called up the re-
port of the committee on invalid pensions upon
the veto message of the President on the bill
granting pension to Carl w. Tiller. He dis
avowed any purpose of criticising the President
in the exercise of his constitutional right, or OF
raising any war on his methods style in the
vetoing of pension bills. He then proceeded TO
state the facts in the case, to show that the
President was acting under misapprehension
when he based his veto on the ground that the
claimant was not dependent upon his son-on
whose account the pension is clamed-for sup
port He also quoted from affidavlts to show
that while it was true that the son was borne
on the rolls as deserter, he Was at the time
that the charge made against him, confined
as prisoner in Andersonville prison. He adj
mitted that the President had acted honestly
upon the facts before him, but since the veto
additional facts had come to light showing
young lillers hospital record at Anderson
vile.
Mr. Warner, of Missouri, inquired whether
these additional records had not been accessible
to the President.
Mr. Taulbee replied that the records were
accessible to ANYBODY who would take the
trouble to 60 to the War Department and search
over the musty prison records of the Confed-
eracv; but the President had acted on the writ
ten statement of the Adjutant general that
there was no such record found in his Office.
Subsequent to the veto the record was found,
but the veto could not be Withdrawn
Mr.. Beach, of New York, suggested that it
would not be proper for the House to override
the veto on the strength of facts which tho
President did not have before him at the time
he withheld his approval from the BILL The
proper thing to do was to introduce new bill.
Mr. Matson of Indiana, moved that further
consideration of the matter be postponed until
Friday next and for few moments there was
much confusion in the nall Mr.. Matson and Mr..
Willis, of Kentucky, vainly endeayoring to
state the reasons why they desired the post
ponement, and the Republicans demanding i'm
mediate action.
The motion to postpone was agreed to-yeas
lit, nays 1l3.
The morning hour having been dispensed with,
the House went into committee of the whole
Mr.. Hammond, of Georgia, in the chair--on
the general deficiency appropriation bill.
Mr.. Butterworth, OF Ohio offered an amend
ment making appropriations to meet the claims
of certain insurance companies of Cincinnati,
but it ruled out upon point of order
The end of the bill having been reached, the
committee, In accordance with a previous
rangemeht. reverted to the paragraphs relative
to the State Department.
Mr. Cannon, Of Illinois, criticised the bill for
its siEA of omission, which, he declared, were
extraordinary. 1t omitted to appropriate for
salaries of ministers end charges d'affaires Cor
1885 and 1886, the deficiency being $50, $685. and
for deficiencies amounting to 500, 900 for the con-
tingent expenses of consuiateS. Other items
would increase the omission to 800 0C0
Mr.. Belmont, of New York, called attention
to the fact that the diplomatic and consular APP
preparation bill carried an appropriation Of
$3.50 600 for contingent expenses OF consulates as
against $1l0, 900 made in the bill of last year.
Mr. Burnes, of Missouri said that the com
mittee on appropriations had doubts as to the
legality of the expenditures which had given rise
to the deficiency The fault was not the fault of
the Secretary of State, but of the accursed sys-
tenn under which the department had been oper-
ated for twenty five years or more. There never
ought to be deficiency in the salary of con-
sui or minister. nor should there be q deficiency
in the contingent expenses. This uGbridied de-
partment of the govern ment felt that it was not
in accordance.with the dignity of the Republic to
live on $4,000 for the consular service. and,
therefore, regardless of the appropriations, it
spent $3.50, coo. He would have every depart
ment of the government live within the moneys
provided for its support by the Congress Of the
United States.
Mr. Cannon offered an amendment appropriate
ing $50 608 to meet deficiencies in the salaries of
ministers and charges d affaires. Agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Belmont, of New York, the
appropriation to supply deficiencies in the con-
tingent expenses of consulates for the year 1856
was increased from $22 900 to $40, 900; and for
the year 1884 and 1885 from 1892 to $37. 145.
On motion of Mr.. Belmont, amendments were
adopted approprating various small sums to
meet special deficiencies in the consular serv-
ice
The committee then rose and reported the bill
to the House
The first vote was taken on the amendment
for the payment Of the Old Colony and Pacific
Mail steamship companies for transportation of
marines to Aspinwall in 1885. 1t was agreed to,
yeas 157, nays SO.
Pending further action the House adjourned