The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-27
THE FIPTIETH CONGRESS.

THE FIPTIETH CONGRESS.
The Senate Passes Bills Giving $4,000 PEN
sions Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Blair.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Among the petitions
and memorials presented AMI referred were the
following:
OF the Chicago Board of Trade. asking for re-
taliatory legislation against France and Ger
many for excluding American meat.
Several petitions from Pennsylvania against
the admission of Utah as State, with polygamy
Many petitions from various States in favor
of prohibition in the District of Columbia; and
one from New Jersey in favor of licensing rail-
road conductors.
1Ir. Allison, from the committee appropri-
atoms, reported back the House bill to carry
into effect the provisions of the act of the I'd of
March, 1887, in regard to expsrim entail stations
at agricultural colleges Placed the calendar.
Mr.. Cockrell. from the committee on military
affairs reported a bill to authorize the Chicago.
Kansas and Western Railway Company TO build
its road across the Fit Hayes military reserva-
ton Placed on the calendar.
On motion of Mr. Quay. the Senate took from
the calendar and passed the bill increasing the
pension for deafness to $30-from $13-and al
lowing 6 proportionate rating for partial deaf
ness. He stated that The entire increased
perse to the treasury under the bill would not
exceed 500, 600 a year. ~ es..s@
The calendar was then taken ND and the bills
thereon taken up in their regular order, those
objected to being laid aside without action. the
following bills were passed:
Senate bill to extend the limits of the port OF
Portland, Ore, port of entry. Senate bill to
amend the act of the 10th of jane, 1880. to
immediate transportation of durable goods lex
tending the act to Seattle and Tacoma. w. IT,;
to create port of delivery Port Angeles IL
the District of Puget Sound. w. T.; granting to
the State of California per cent of the net
do oft aaaO f dc in AFT
State; the Senate bill to authorize the exami-
nation OF vouchers of the State of Missouri for
sums due by the United States on account of
payment to militia forces during the war of the
rebellion
When the differentiation bill was reached
the calendar. objection was made to its con-
sideraton under the rule; but Mr.. Allison gave
notice that he would ask its consideration at an
early day.
The bill giving a pension of So 900 year to
Mrs. Mary S. Logan was taken up.
Mr.. Berry opposed the bill, on the ground
that any bill which gave the widow of majo
general a pension of 50, 600, while the widow of
a private soldier got only $12 month, was
wrong in principles; aud also on the ground that
the widows of two three major generals
should not be selected TO get this large pension,
while the widows of other maior-eenerals got
only $50 month. pension, he said. was not
given for distinguishes services, ought 1t to
be regulated by the rank Of the soldier. II was
given to prevent the widow of the disabled
soldier from becoming charge the public.
The pension TO Mrs. Hancock not case il
point, because her husband was In active service
at the time OF his death. But. still, there was
no reason why that bad precedent should be
followed He objected to the bill. not from any
feeling adverse to the memory OF General Lo-
gan, whom he had always admired. but because
he believed the principal wrong. He objected
to it In the interest of the widows of other OFF,
and of private soldiers.
Mr.. Stewart advocated the bill. He said that
General Logan had been the idol of the voun-
teer soldiery. On all occasions he had fought
their battles in the Senate and elsewhere. He
haI ava6t hat wi nj al Yriv afa
would rejoice in the bill. It necessary for
the country to have some conspicuous examples,
late. What, he asked would the country be
without the name of Washington What would
it be III modern times without the name of Lin
coin. and what would 1T have been if 1T had had I
no such men as Logana The Senate should
recognize these facts. do honor to General
Logan's memory and show to the people of the
United States that the Senate would do all it
could do TO requite those who furnished con-
spicuous examples of public service.
Mr.. Hoar said that he thought thu Senator
from Arkansas overlooked the principle on
which the bill was based If mere desert was
the test, the same rate of compensation should
be paid to the patriotic soldiers as to the officer.
The same monuments ought to be erected TO the
one to the other; the same eulogies pro-
nounced; the same statues raised; the same
compensation paid. Butt was impossible to do
that But it was TO the interest of the private
soldier and of those who were concerned in his
fame that these conspicuous public honors
should be paid to the military leader in his life
erous provision should be made for his widow
and orphans. 1t had been said that the secret
of Napoleon's success as a general was that ev-
cry soldier under him realized that he carried q
marshaTs baton in his kuapsack; and upques-
tionably there was nothing more inspiring to the
courage and zeal OF private soldier than
promoted to the chief places in mill
tary command. and that when promoted
he would occupy leading place in the gratitude
and affection of his countrymen
Mr. Davis, who had reported the bill from the
committee on pensions, said he bad heard with
extreme regret the objections made to it by the
Senator from Arkansas In all times nations
had delighted in doing honor to their distin-
euished citizens, who, like General Logan, had
illustrated in many capacities the virtues of the
institutions under which they had been reared.
The of General Shields was parallel case
to that of General Logan; each had served in
the Mexican war, each had been a member of the
Senate, each had rendered distinguished service
in the Of the rebellion, and each had borne
to his grave the scars of honorable wounds
ceivsd in the service. of his country. Mrs.
Shields had been given by Congress pension OF
800 month. and he did not know that any OBJ
lection had been made to it. He knew of no
finer example in history for the youth of the
land than that offered by the story of General
Logan's lite.
Mr.. Reagan stated his reasons for voting
against the bill. The Senate should always, he
said be glad of opportunity to honor their
memory, but it should be careful in doing that
not to violate great fundamental principles, or
to endanger the very character of the govern
mentr The founders of the government had
prohbite Congress and the States from confer
ring patents of nobility, proceeding the idea
that there was TO be no PRIVILEGED class in the
United States. For three-quarters of century
that went on but within the last quarter of
century the principle had been iisregarded and |
federal judges and military and naual officers
had been retired with pensions. All this tended
in the direction of privileged class, be sun
ported by taxes levied other people. This
was unamsrican, and not in consonance with
the American system of government It was,
rather, in accordance with the system of Great
Britain, and of other countries where it was the |
policy TO have privileged classes. He would |
vote for no bill allowing any person to receive |
pay from the government without rendering |
service for it He said this with all respect to |
the memory of General logan and with all re-