The Portland daily press., 1888-01-24
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Randall Stands by His Principles
and Disregards HIS Defeat.
The Tale Of a Widows Efforts to Sc
cure a Pension.
Items of Politics and Legislation
Over the Washington Wire.
Especial to the Press. ]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-The defeat OF
Randall and RandalPs man Dallas Sanders
for the Craftsmanship Of the Democratic
State Committee Of Pennsylvania, causes
great deal of talk in Washington. The inn
preston was at once spread abroad that the
defeat of Randall meant not only weaken
ing of his forces in the Keystone State, but
as well weakening Of his forces in the
House. This was the cry the morning after
the organization Of the State Committee, but
it was set back very quickly by the words Of
the man himself He declared, firmly and
unfinchingly. that the action would not at
all affect his action or attitude on the tariff
BILL Said he: "The events Of the day will
not alter my course in legislation one iota.
am governed by my own convictions, ma
turely formed and honestly maintained, and
not to be changed by the currents OF the day"
The fact seems to be, and it is gradually
being admitted on all sides, that the contest
in the State Committee was not at all one Of
tariff or Of the administration. 1t was
State fight, between rival factions, an old
row which has been continuing long time,
and which breaks out afresh now. Randall
has been very unlucky of late in party poll
tics in Pennsylvania. The men whom he
made by his influence have turned against
him. The plans he has laid have gone astray.
He has gradually been confronted with an
antagonism at which, at first, he could laugh,
but which. later, has become something hard
for him to meet and engage. The contest
has been growing hotter and hotter. Will
liam l.. Scott has increased his power as
Randall has fallen off, until the appeals OF
the two wings Of the Democratic party in
Pennsylvania for support in one way or an
other of administration help.haye become
very lively.
Pensions and Pensioners.
The pension question comes straight to the
front in all its vigor and freshness with the
appearance of new Congress. The bills
are coming in of all sorts and Sizes The
pensions committee has begun giving hear
ings. The Grand Army workers have been
before it this week, and their appeal was an
earnest one. They have this week brought
forward the new general bill which they en-
dorse. 1t is called general disability bill.
The clause which included the dependent
feature has been removed, so that it can no
ninth Congress, the ''pauper" bill The
measure has been modified in several other
respects, "untll," as one of its promoters
says, ''it win secure the favor OF the Presi-
dent" There is to be marked effort in
favor of the bill this year. The pension
committee does not seem unfavorably dis
posed toward IL, and the chances are that it
may get through the House
The difficulty in getting any pension bill
through both Houses is the number of other
pension measures which Will be In Its path
as rivals. There are enough already In
stock in the two Houses to take several
billonslout of the treasury II they are all
passed. There are some new ones among
them, but the large majority are all old ones.
Congressman Payson Of Illinois has one new
plan. 1t is to give so acres Of land to every
body who has served in the American army
or navy less than six months and was hon.
orably discharged.
Reports on Pension.
The bills are beginning to come into the
House and Senate. The following is an in
teresting Maine case, and gives good idea Of
their treatment. The following is from DIR.
Gallinger Of New Hampshire:
The Committee on Invalid Pensions, TO whom
was referred the bill (H. II. 363), granting pen
sion 10 Mrs. Eliza L. Mace, having considered the
same, respectfully report:
That this claim was fully considered by the
Committee on Invalid Pensions OF the FOrty-ninth
Congress and favorably reported, but was not
reached for consideration. The report was as
f0llOWS:
Claimants husband, Richard L. Mace, was
private in Company 1, Third Maine Regiment,
and was pensioned at So rate for injury of back
and spine. In surgeons certificate Of disability,
upon which he was discharged, his injury is de-
scribed as follows:
"Injury of the back from log falling on him,
consequent upon explosion of shell In rfe-pit
May 8, 1864, near the Wilderness. Result, par
tial paraplegia. Has been bedridden in the hos
pital since June last. Unfit for Veteran Reserve
Corps Disability total.
Pensioner died November IL, 1885. DIR. Lins-
colt, his family physician, certifes that
"The immediate cause OF his death was congest-
i've apoplexy, but that the remote or Indirect
cause OF death was disease of back or spine,
ceived while in the service of the United States"
DIR. Francis III. Russell also certifies:
THAT he has practiced in said MaceS family;
that he knew said Mace TO have been IN taillng
health for the past two years, on account OF dis
ease of the spine, which said Mace said was
caused by injury received while in the service OF
the United States: that he was not present at the
death OF said Mace, but that he was knowing 10
the fact, and that he has no doubt 1t was caused
indirectly from disease OF SPINE"
DIR. Linscott, in answer to official inquiry, says
that he can not state whether the hemorrhage
rejected upon opinion OF medical referee that
dier's death from congestivo. .apoplexy Is not re-
garded, from medical standpoint, as being Que
to the injury OF Qower portion Oh spine ior which
pensioned."
Both the home doctors, in supplemental afflda-
Wits filed with request for reopening OF the claim
reaf1rm with emphasis their professional opinion
that soldiers death resulted from his injured
back. 1t is case of disagreement of doctors,
and we feel justified In giving this needy widow
the benefit OF such doubt as there may be. by ac-
ceptng the opinion Of the physicians who saw the
soldier who treated him, and whose opinion Is
based On personal knowledge and observation.
As the facts in the case seem to fully warrant
of the committee of the Forty-ninth Congress- and
recommend that the bill be passed.