The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-03
CONGRESS.
An Abstract of the More Important
Proceedings in Both Houses.
MEnxEsnAY. APRIL 8.


maa 10 refer the Presidents Message to the
Committee on Finance was taken UP and Seua-
for VOORHEES, made an extended argument on
the issues which the two great parties of this
country viii present To the people for decision
at the b3llot-boX next November. lie favored
Il revenue reform and the reduction of taxation,
and stated that the intelligent voters OF In
diana woud not consent to pay A per cent. on
their pioWshares and on farming utensils and
be consoicd by having cheap beer. whisky and
tobacco He was TO free-trader, but believed
in giving the protection necessary for our in
dustries Under and by virtue of legislation
for protection the favored few have amassed
gigantic fortunes, while the condition OF the
wage workers was continually growing worse.
Leaving the question Of tie tariff he proceeded
TO discuss the pension issue and stated that the
shameless aud brazen effort to peryert the noble
question Of pensions TO the base uses Of party
success rs made by the Republicans would not
stand examination. If the Democratic party
had failed IN It's duty to those who staked their
lives on the integrity of this Union let Il stand
condemned In history; but If. on the contrary,
the Republican party was responsible for every
evil Justly complained of IN cur pension laws,
and hsd made a mean and parsim0nious record
toVads the soldiers while bestowing muniicent
millions on corporations, bOGdh0lders, and mo-
nopoiists generally, then and in that case no
amount Of audacity and mcndacity combined
would avail 20 cover up the facts. No one could
question the fact that rank and bitter injustice
had been done TO The soldier by various pro-
visions Of law on the subject Of pensions He
had always held. held now. and should hold
with his dying breath that 10y every rule of
legal justice and moral equity known 10 honest
eonscieuces the pension Of the soldier should
have commenced at the sell-same hour when
his disability IN the service of his country &C.
Cured. and 10 his widow and children at the
i a. L. e -.
odi0us statute of Limitations on arrears Of pen-
sions which became a law In March, 1862 The
Rupblcau party was in the ascendant in every
department of the Government snd that law
was enacted by a Congress more than two-thirds
Republican In both branches aud was approved
and signed by a Republican President. And
when ~ January and February, 1873, great
step was taken towards paying all arrears Of
pensions, yet Senator ingalls, IN his eXtTaOrd-
nary speech Of March g. admitted that he as
Chairman Of the Pension Committee at that
time. consented TO the insertion Of the com
promise date Of Jgly /, lSS0, requiring all app
plicauts for pension 10 file their papers prior to
that arbitrary date or he forever barred of all
aTTearages il was this limitation of which the
soldier now complained. aud 1t, too. like the
original law, was Of Republican origin and
enactment
The Senator confirmed: Take the instance
Of the recruit who was examined carefully by
Government Surgeons and pronounced sound
and healthy when lie entered he army Can
there be anything baser or more dishonest Ia
the legislation Of this or any other country
thaR the law by which the Government is al
LEVIED 10 ransack neighb9rho0ds, Counties aud
States TO prove that the official certificates Of
its own legal authorities were false: TO prove
that while tie enlisted man was decided to be
sound enough to do battle for one two three
or f0Er years. vet too HmSound II the time Of
his enlistment aud throughout the war TO be
entitled 10 q pension when the war is over? 4
transaction # this kind between individuals
would enti;ie The one rcpudiatiEg his certificate
Of the facts and his solemn obligations arising
from them 70 2 suit of striped clothes in the
pcniiClit.ary. and the guilt 81 the Government
Is still greater. And where did this abolnina-
bic feature of legislation come from? Who
were Us authors? The records make answer.
Is was framed and fashioned Ia committee and
enacted iato law b. those who with venom
Gus Tongues TOW most loudly SANDER the Demo-
cratic party as the enemy Of the Union sol
diers.
The Senator proceeded 10 present statistics
showing that tho allowances Of pensions under
Gen. Black were much greater than under any
Of bis Republican predecessors. lie denounced
Gen. Grant for having vetoed the act eGualiz-
ing the bouutics If soldiers a measure In which
more THAN 100000 veterans were interested.
anu saat Atldl 4t<1tAEllt tat-kclaGQ Ld4 etEIE4
MANY more pension bills than any other man
who sat Ia TIC chair before him. The Senator
then cuiOgized the Democratic soldiers who
had FOUGHT 50 czceileutiy for the country. and
paid ; "a tribute 10 the services Of McClel-
lau and Hancock.
The Senate tacn proceeded to the considera-
tion of the bis loF tic forfeiture Of certain IN
earned railroad lands. A number Of amend.
meIts we.e submitted and ordered 10 be print
81 and tile Senate adjourned
In the House the tariff bin was taken uD. and
Mr Byuum addressed the Chair. lie said hC
was free 20 confess that the Mills bill did no,
meet his uBquali5ed approval. He believed
that duties on imports should he levied TO meet
the current cX gcnses Of the Government, and
that extraordinary expenses Of the Government
should be met by the collection Of internal
revenue. 50 far as could reasonably be done
dc would retain the present internal system o
taxation, or 50 much thereof as might he neces
sarr, UNTIL the last obligation growing out o
the late war was paid. But lac was willing {,
compromise in the construction OF tie passag'
or measure which would concede somethin;
70 the sentiments Of every class aud the pro
1uctious Of every interest IL the country. il
attacked the protective system and denied tina
wages werc affected By tie reduction Of duty
he ssic 'Iat the tendency Of wages since I5J
had been forward, but this was not the resul
Of protection, because the same increase hai
taken place elsewhere lie proceeded 10 gen
eralize The questions Of 0ver-production an
over consumption. but under the sharp interro
cation Of &essrs. Funston, Brumm and Farqu
har he involved himself in a logical tangle
from which he could not escape.
THURSDAY. April %
In the Senate bin was reported anpropri
sting $500 Tor an equestrian statue Of Gen
Zachary Taylor IN the city Of Washington.
At tie conclusion Of the morning bushes
tie presiding officer Senator Ingalls, took
position on the G00r aud said:
Air- President. shortly after the Senator from II
diana .5if- soFiecs) o. gan his speech yesterday
WAS called from the Senate 70 examine and sign
large nusller 81 enrolled bills for transmission
Tie President. had supposed from the motto
which Zee gave that illis speech was 10 he devote
10 the sui jcct OF tAe tariff and finance and wa
therefore somewhat surprised tins morning 20 b
ADVISED Us an stem Do the newspapers that hsl
been tiic Object % The Senator animal versions
"A casual examination ofL5s speech appears 10 IA
% disclose certain issi0us his part with rear
10 fAe relations 81 tle Democratic party To the sal
geci - pensions r. the war FOR the preservation
the onion. 10 the reconstruction Of the Souiher
States 90 thc solid South 10 the recent election
loui-afa, aud 70 the issues and results Of the 81
preaching, campaign which appear 70 70 iustii
some observations Of mine Ia reply. therefor
desire 20 give notice that Tuesday next at
o'clock w tlle Senate VIII indulge mel VIII NOV
10 proceed 20 the consideration 81 tie resolution
refer the Presidents Message. Tor the purpose {
enabling ine io submit some remarks thereon.
Senator Sherman, from the Conference Con
mittoe on the House joint resolution acceptin
the Invitation Of the French Republic 70 TAX
part IN the international exposition in Paris