The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
d. G.,
MAY "a 1896

The most outrageous pension bill
hat ever received notice in Congress,
passed the Senate this week. If ii
could become IL law it would provide
for the payment of forty or fifty mil
lion dollars a year to men who once
fought in the Union Army, for no
The bill is, of c, urse, a reckless bid
for votes. The vaults of the United
States are the resource of bankrupt
politicians in Congress, and the cold
soldiers" are the chips with VIII 'ch
these demagogues play their game
This pension grab is the project of
Senator Blair of New Hampshire, and
it is difficult 10 see how any man of
ordinary Intelligence could II
the championship of such a measure.
There are some Republican Senators
WHO are compelled to be ashamed of
their vote for the bill, and doubtless
there are many who would not have
voted for it if they had supposed it
could pass The House. 1t practically
gives a pension to every man who is
needy if he served in tile Union Army
and is not entitled to a pension under
existing laws. All the impecunious
and incapable men who were on the
muster roll for three months would
be included in its provisions. Senator
Blair thinks there ore two or three
times as many, and hat no one IA
predict oil foresee what the leakage
from the Treasury would be if such
fantastic patriotism and charity were
once commenced.
Senator Logan has also been busy
in efforts 10 secure pensions for every
body who fought in the late war. or
who had a relative in the ranks. He
also proposes TO have it understood
that he is taking great interest in la
Dor problems that are agitating Con-
gress and tile country. and has pre-
sented amelhod of solution. His plan
is to have a permanent commission o!
five members appointed by the Presi-
dent and confirmed by the Senate.
The disputes between the employer
and employed are to be referred 10
this commission on the written con-
sent of those interested. | cannot
mention the many details of his plan,
which he has offered as a substitute
for the arbitration bill which recently
passed the House and is now pending
in the Senate.
Notwithstanding his efforts at pop
ularity there is 10 presidential candi-
date who has so much opposition in
the Senate as Gen. Logan. More of
tense has been shown him OH the Re-
publican side during the past winter
than at any time since he has been in
the Senate. There is a little coterie OF
of Western Senators who have made
a point of antagonizing him on every
possible question. The reason why
the Senate has done SO little this ses-
sion is on account of the lack of har
mony among the many Republican
Presidential aspirants. All of these
candidates fight each other and only
| unite to fight the senator from Illinois.
OF the 2.l00 nominations sent the
Senate by President Cleveland, 100
have been confirmed and but Ii re-
jected. Yet no one has heard of any
consignment of reasons sent 10 that
body by the President. And the Con-
g%ressional Pan Electric inquiry has
closed without startling develop
ments. The committee will present
their reports 10 the House by the mid
die of June, and the majority report
will exonerate Attorney General Gar
land from all blame OIL ccoun Of his
connection with the affair.
A bill has just been reported to the
House which provides against defects
in the existing law by creating and
defining the office of a second Vice
President in case of the removal from
office, death, resignation or constitu-
tional disability of both the President
and Vice-President. The proposed
second Vice-President shall be voted
for liz distinct ballots at the same time
and in like manner and for the same
term as the President and Vice-Presi-
lar ~