Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-04
A TALK ON PENSIONS.
discussion In the House Drifts from APP
preparations to Pensions.

Discussion In the House Drifts from APP
propriations to Pensions.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3.-The house had
the general deficiency bill under consid-
GRAFTON nearly all day, but took up most
of the time discussing the attitude of
the Democratic and Republican parties
toward pensions and pension legislation.
The army appropriation bill, with senate
amendments, as reported to the house
from the committee of the whole, was
taken up.
Mr.. Sayers withdrew his resolution of
proposed instructions to the house con-
ferees.
The senate amendments were non-con-
Cured in and a conference c, ordered.
The house then went into committee
of the whole on the deficiency bill.
Mr.. Hovey of Indiana, in speaking to
the formal amendment, made a long
speech in reply to one he said purported
to have been delivered in the house
last Saturday by Mr.. Matson, on the
subject of pensions, and hat was print
ed in the Record on Sunday, in which
that gentleman had ~endeavored to show
the Democratic party was the friend of
the ex-soidier of the United States. Mr..
Hovey said that the Democratic party,
from the president down, was strongly
| opposed to pension legislation. The
Democrats of 1.-THE house worked s~tudiously
against all general pension legislation.
They did not dare to vote en- these gem
eral pension bills, because they knew
| that voting against them would be their
death knell. They were in danger of a
! veto, either from their president or their
constituents. Commenting on what he
termed the evils OF the present pension
laws, he asserted that those evils could
| be removed if three or. -four days were
given to the consideration of pension
bills. He analysed several of the presi-
| dents vetees, in which he said the presi-
dent virtually accused claimants and
witnesses of perjury. He asserted that
if Mr.. Cleveland were not shielded by his
presidential mantle, action for libel could
be maintained against him in any court
of justice.
Mr.. Mckinney of New Hampshire
commended that during the past three
years, under the Democratic administra-
ton, Union soldiers had received q
greater consideration than they had ever
received in a like period under Republic
an administration. He quoted from the
report, showing that during the last
three years of Republican administers
zion 191, 221 pension claims were issued,
against $685. 59 during the three years OF
the present administration. He argued
that President Cleveland had been much
more considerate of the rights of a soldier
than had congress. Referring to the
rebel flag episode, he Insisted that o {
single rebel flag had been given up by
this administration, except to loyal or
CARNATIONS from which they were pur
chased.
Mr.. Cutcheon OF Michigan contendet
that all pension legislation, with the ex
ception of restoring to the rolls some o
those who had participated in the re
bellion, was of Republican origin, ant
quoted from the Record the votes in tn
house on the new pension legislation 0
the past few years to show that tn
credit for this legislation belonged to tn
Republicans. Referring to the 'fbattl
l flagn order, Mr.. Cutcheon declared tina
President Cleveland had been forced t
! rescind it by the voice of the great loya
J North, which had come laundering dow
upon him like a Cyclone. The Confede,
: ates had defended their flag with courage
and blood, and life, and when their fla
went down, accepted the situation an
never asked them returned. 1t was bet
ter that these flags. should rot and b
moth-eaten in the attics in the war dc
: partment building, than to be returne
to the hands of the men who nae bravel
7 borne them They would never mea
again what they nee meant, and tn
Republican party did not propose tia
those symbols Of disunion and war upo
the Constitution should ever go BAG
into the hands of those who bore thel
on the battlefield.
This closed what Mr.. Buchanan {
l hy-,- Tar.a :, 11r - - ~ kIo1aa4.o--
ing business of the day, and consider,
!, ton of the bill was then resumed. Som
$ progress was made, when Mr.. Dockery
Missouri broughto On a short tariff debat
I by making a Few remarks about the su:
plus. This lasted but a few moment
and pending further discussion of til
general deficiency bill the committe
rose, and the house at 5 p. nj. %adjournet
sos