The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, May 22,s 1sse.-Tba
most outrageous pension bill that ever
received favorable notice IN congress-
passed the senate this week. IF n
could become a law it would provide
for the payment of forty or fifty mill
dollars year to men who once fought
In the union army, for no other reason
than that they poor. The bill is,
of course, a reckless bid for votes. The
vaults of the United States treasury are
the resource of bankrupt politicians in
congress, and the cold soldiers" are the /
chips with which these demagogues !
play their game.
This pension grab is the project of
senator Blair of New Hampshire and it |
is difficult to see how any man of ordi-
nary intelligence could assume the
championship of such a measure. There
are some repub lican 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
II they had supposed it could pass the
house 1t practically gives a pension
to every man who is needy If he served
IN the union army and is not entitled to
pension under existing laws. All the
lmpecunloGs and lneapab BILE men who
were on the muster roll for three
months would be included in its pro-
visions. Senator Blair thinks there are
a quarter of a million of such, but 9TH
ers think there are two or three times
as many and that no one can predict or
foresee what the leakage from the treas
ury would be if such fantastic patriot
ism and character were once COM
menced.
Senator Logan has also been busy in
laff0 IT,
who fought in the late war, or who
had relative in the ranks. He also
proposes to have it understood that he
is taking great interest in labor prob
: lens that are agitating congress and
the country, and has presented a meth
t cd of solution, His plan is to have
[ a permanent commission of five mem
bers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the senate. The dis
| putes between the employer and en-
4 ployed are to be referred to this COM
mission on the written consent of
those interested. Iicannot mention the
: many details of his plan, which he has
5 offered as a substitute for the arbitra-
j ton bill which recently passed the
house and is now pending in the
:. senate.
notwithstanding his efforts at pop
1 ularity there is no presidential candi-
q date who has so much opposition in the
J. senate as Gen. Logon. More offense
has been shown him on the republican
side during the past winter than at any
;, time since he has been in the senate
There is little coterie of western sena.
g tors who have made point of antago-
e nizing him on every possible question
n The reason why the senate has done sc
+. little this session is on account of the
lack OF harmony among the many re-
y publican presidential aspirants. All o
q these candidates fight each other anC
2. only unite to fight the senator from IL
d linois.
> OF the 2,10O nominations sent the
senate by President Cleveland I,70(
D. have been confirmed tand but Is rejec
ted. Yet no one heard of any cOnsign
ment of reasons sent to that body by tn
president. And the congressional pal
electric inquiry has closed without an.
startling developments. The commit
l. tee willSpresent their reports to tn
n house by the middle of June, and tn
majority report will exonerate Attor-
new General Garland from all blam
20 on account of his connection with tn
s. affair.
K A bill has just been reported to tn,
house which provides against defect
in the existing law by creating and de
v fining the Office of second vice presi
v dent in case of the removal from OF
flee, death. resignation or constitutions
disability of both the president and vic
president. The proposed second vic
J. president shall be voted for in distinc
is ballots at the same time and in likt
"a manner and for the same term as tn
, president and Woe president.
- Secretary Manning continues to i'm
e prove in health and President CLEVELAND
B. continues to hold his tri weekly hand
shakings at the white house, and to b.
- congratulated on his alleged matrimo
y NAL future. Among the four hundred
@ people who called yesterday to pay
ii their respects to him was an elderly la
= dy with bent figure. Said she, 'r
am glad you have concluded to marry
, Mr.. President. l think every maj
1. ought to get married" sis that so p
replied Mr.. Cleveland Is he turned hi
y attention and his hand to the next ont
in the line.