Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-10
ACCUSED OF NEGLIGENCE.

| was justly entitled 10 pension because
| be had been inspired by the spirit OF the
minute men of Concord and Lexington.
! There We're many precedents for the
! bill. The very first Congress had passed
bill pensioning the minute men OF Con-
| cord aCd Lexington, and George wash
! lngton, unlike President Cleveland, had
| approved il. Thomas Jefferson, the father
of The Democratic party, bad signed bill
granting a pension to men who had never
been mustered into the army, and Andrew
jackson had signed similar bill. Abra-
ham Lincoln, in "A like case, had said that
he would not inquire whether man had
been mustered in, but only whether he had
done his duty. [Applause.
PARTY LINES.
If the members of Congress could not
rise above party feeling and go with jack
son, Jefferson and Lincoln and Washing
ton, let them 70 with Cleveland, and send
back this poor soldier who had never re-
ceived a dollar of pay, who had the scars
! the bullet lett, and who had twenty-five
years of neuralgia for serving his coun-
try. Every man who thought that the
fathers OF the Democratic party were in
stilled with the herOism OF Concord and
Lexington, would vote for the minute
man of 1861 who got bullet in his head
when on his way to join the boys IN blue.
[Applause.]
Mr.. Burrows. OF Michigan, also vigor-
ously assaIled the veto. and maintained
that there was no reason why the bill
should he referred to the committee.
SPRINGER TO THE DEFENSE.
Mr.. Springer said he would not discuss
the pending bill and veto message of the
President thereon except to call attention
to the fact that it was first vetoed in the
Pension Office in 1882 by Commissioner
Dudley. But the gentlemen on the other
side of the chamber had taken advantage
of the discussion to attack the President
and the Democratic party and to charge
that they were opposed TO granting pen
sions. Nothing could be farther from
the truth. During the entire eight years
of Gen. Grants administration only 542
private pensions were granted during the
FOrtv-seventh Congress, which was Re
publican in both branches, and only l5l
private pension bills were passed. But
during the last, or Forty-eghth Congress,
which contained majority OF Democrats
in this House, and when the gentleman
from Indiana, Mr.. MatsOn, was Chair
man of the Committee on Invalid PEN
siOns, there were 552 of such bills passed
and became laws.
THE WORK OF THIS CONGRESS
During this Congress, since December
last, Congress had passed 665 private PEN
sion bills, of which about 575 had either
been signed by President Cleveland or
had become laws without his action. He
had vetoed about ninety private pension
bills, but thIrty-three more had passed
and become laws during his administra-
ton up to this time than were pa ssed dur
ing the eight years of Sen.
Grants administration. Gen. Black,
Commissioner of Pensions, had
granted over 10000 certificates to
pensioners since he assumed the duties of
his office, being 10 per cent. more than mad
ever before been issued by any of his pre-
decessOrs during the same length of time.
The Treasury OF the United States attest
ed the effect OF Gen. Blacks increased
efficiency in the administration of the
Pension Office. The payments to pen
sioners during the fiscal year just ended
exceeded those of the previous fiscal year
by $S,600,0 900.
EXPENSES REDUCED.
But Notwithstanding this increase in
pension payments there had been net
reduction OF OfeXpenditures during the past
fiscal year OfoYer SIG, 600 900, as cOmpa ed
with the fiscal year of 1885. Excluding
pensions, the reduction OF the ordinary
expenditures for 1896, as compared with
1885, amounted to $24. 100000. This state
ment was from the Treasury Department.
Mr.. Springer asserted that the pension
office had been, previous TO Gen.
! Blacks administration, run in the
interest of the Republican parry.
During the last Presidential year the
number of claims of applicants for pen
siOns considered by the Examining Sur
geons in certain States was very signif-
cant. In Maine, contested State, there
were 779 cases considered IN each Con-
gressional district. In Massachusetts,
reliably Republican, where no special
political efforts were required, the num-
Der so considered was only 29I In each
district. In Pennsylvania, reliably Re-
publican. there we're only 332 considered
in each district, but in Ohio, where there
was great contest, the number was 500
in each district. In Indiana the number
considered was S2l in each district, while
in Illinois, reliably Republican, the num-
Der so considered was only AGO in each
district.
WHAT THE FIGURES MEAN.
Thus it would be seen that where there
were great political contests during the
last Presidential year the business of the
Pension Office was concentrated, to the
neglect of worthy applicants who hap
pened to reside in States reliably Repub-
lican or hOpelessly Democratic.
Mr.. MatsOn. Of Indiana. said that the
attempt at this time to pass the bill with
out referring it to The Committee on Pen
sions would result in vote to sustain
the veto, because there were gentlemen on
the Democratic side who were not satis-
fed to vote for bill without the veto
message having been considered by the
committee. He was in favor Of the bill.
He believed that it was right. He be-
lieved that this man onght to be pen
stoned, and he thought the President was
wrong, and when he had made up his
mind TO that effect he was not afraid TO
say so. He assured the gentleman from
Maryland mir. McCOmas) that the bill
would receive the early consideration of
the committee. The bill was referred.
This cleared the Speakers table Of veto
messages.
LIVELY COLLOQUIEs.
The night session OF the House was not
this evening the dull session wnicn gen.
orally chnractcrizes Friday night. It
was enivened by a speech from Mr.. Wal
lace, Of Louisiana. in opposition TO pri-
yaJe pension bill. In the course OF his re.
marks he several times refused TO yield
TO gentlemen who wished TO ask dues.
tions, and they retOrted by raising the
point thai Mr.. Wallace was not speaking
to the bil before the House. In n colo
quy between himself and Mr.. Grain, OF
Texas, both gentlemen showed a good
deal OF temper. Finally oil was
thrown upon the troubled waters by he
withdrawal Of the bill to which objection
has been made. The committee of the