The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-29
THE SENATE.


Trying to FIX Up q Pension Bill That VIII
Meet tho Presideuts Approval.
WAsHINGToS. Feb. 2S-Among the bills re-
ported from committees and placed on the cal
endsr was one providing for the investment Of
certain funds in the Treasury with an amend
nent striking out the provision to allow national
banks to issue circulation to the amount of their
bonds deposited.
The resolution offered last week by Mr.. Hoar,
to continue the investigation of last session
into certain events alleged to have taken place
in Texas, in the petition OF Stephen Hackworth
and Others was reported back from the com
rnittee on contiDgent expenses and agreed to.
Among the bills introduced and referred TO
committees was one by Mr.. Sherman, authoriz-
ing the issue of circulating notes TO national
banks to the par value Of bonds deposited there
Mr. Paddock addressed the Senate on the sub
ject of inefficient postal servic in the Western
States. He denounced the management Of the
Postoace Department for the last three years
as q fsilure-probably more conspicuous fail
ure than any OF the other shortcomings of the
present administration.
Mr. Wilson, of Maryland, gave notice that he
intended to submit some remarks to the Senate
Oh the same subject.
The Senate joint resolution in relation TO the
claim of John Read against the United States
for the alleged use of projectiles for rit1ed ord
nance was, on motion of Mr.. Hampton, taken
from the calendar and passed.
On motion OF Mr.. Eustis, the Senate bill for
building for postoffice United States courts and
other government uses In New Orleans, not TO
exceed in cost 81. 100000, was taken from the
calendar and passed
The following bills were also passed:
To authorize the Secretary Of War to convey
to the city of Austin Texas, the arsenal block
authorize the Omaha. Hays City g. Southwest
ern Railroad Company and the Chicago, Kansas
81 Western Railroad Company to build their
roads across the Fit Hays military reservation
The Senate then resumed consideration of the
bill granting pensions to ex-soidiers and sailors
who are incapacitated for the performance of
manual labor and providing Tor pensions 70 s ae
ors. the question being on the adoption OF Mr..
Calls amendment making the bill apply also to
those who served in the war with Mexico flor
thirty days., or in any Of the Indian wars. The
amendments was agreed TO.
Mr.. Cullom said it seemed to him that the
further the country got away from the late war
the less being done or attemp pied to be done
for the ex-soldiers. Instead of increasing pen
sions. Congress has been going the other way
and diminishing them. IL seemed to him that
the time lad come when Congress ought to at
tempt TO do more for the soldiers instead Of at
tempting to do less, as appeared to be the case
in the pending bill. He said no thought the
Senate had better hesitate before inserting in
the bill provisions for Indian and other wars,
and should provide in it exclusively for ex-
soldiers Of the war of the rebellion.
ManQDrS0n Appeared senate
the bill rs it had been formulated by the pension
committee Of the G.. A, r. He would be glad to
see q bill passed in the nature of a service PEN
sion bill. but he did not think it well to en-
hoped the Senate would retrace its steps and not
agree TO the amendments adopted in committee
Of the whole.
Mr.. Davis, who has charge of the bill. coin.
cided with Mr.. Henderson in the opinion that
all Of the amendments adopted yesterday should
be struck out, and the bill left as reported unan-
IL e. - ske<
had been prepared he said, by a committee rep
resenting 400, 600 members Of the G. A. r., who
knew the wants TO be remedied and the needs to
be supplied. They had said 1--WE will be con-
tent with this. We ask no more for the present
We trusts the future for the further relief to
which we are entised."
thing Of a juggle concealed in the bill. The
effort seemed to be to get up bill not to meet the
wishes Of Congress, but TO meet the wishes of
somebody else The Senate was asked not to
change the bill by dotting an ii" or crossing
80. and yet no one was able to say what the g.
A. r. desired to accomplish by it He asserted
his conviction that the G. A. Il. did not want
this bill. He believed that somebody was going
to be 'cheated--either the pension committee Of
the G. A. r. or the q. A. Il. itself" The cues
ton Who was going TO be cheated
Mr. Henderson contradicted the statement
that the G.. A. r.. did not desire the passage of
the BILL and said that the vote in 2 716 posts had
been LOG, l60 for the bill to 5000 against it.
Mr.. Plumb repeated his belief that the g. A.
n did not indorse the bill as it stood. But,
whether it did or not. he was in the Senate to
losislate and consider what was due to the ex-
soldiers of the Union and to an enlightened pub
lie opinion. In conclusion, he called on the
Democratic members of the committee on PEN
sious TO express their views as to the bill
Mr. Faulkner, member of that committee,
said that Gfter q careful analysis and explana-
ton OF the hill he had given it his support in
committee and would give it his support in the
Senate, unless the amendments now in 1T
retained. II these amendments were retained
he would vote against the passage of the bill.
He declared that If the bill passed with the
amendment of the Senator from Kansas. strik-
ms out the word Totally" before the
word ''incapacitated." the annual pension
list would exceed $3.50 00O,0 600. If the bill
were defeated the responsibility would not rest
on the Democratic side OF the chamber. Il
would rest on those Senators who had put
amendments into the bill with certain knowl-
edge of its being vetoed; who had done ii with
their eyes open and with the understanding
that not only consistency but the conscious
sentiment OF duty, even although election
coming on this year. would require the
same to be done now as was done last session
with like bill
Mr.. Plumb asked Mr.. Faulkner whether.
der the bill as reported by the COMMITTEES, per-
son who could perform any manual labor would
be entitled to its benefits.
Mr.. Faulkner replied in the negative.
Mr.. Plumb inquired whether there would be
any grading of pensions under the bill
Mr.. Faulkner again replied in the negative.
Mr.. Plumb asked Mr.. Faulkner whether he
believed the President would veto the bill,
Inc presiding 0fncer Mr.. lngallsl mere inter-
fered. and said that it had been always held TO
be a breach of order to refer in debate to the
action of theiexecutive
Mr. Plumb EXPRESSED his regret that the Chair
bad not thought when the Senator from
West Virginia was speaking.
The Presiding Oficer-Ths Chair had in
tended, before this to say, and takes occasion
now to say, that it has never been held to be in
order. in debate in the Senate. to refer to the
opinion OF the executive, or TO the action of the
executive, rs an argument aeairst pending legis-
lafion.
Mr.. Faulkner said that he had no opinion
whatever on the subject, and had expressed
none.
MIR. Plumb said that he had understood the
Senator from West Virginia to say that consist
ency, IL not principle, even IL there was per-
haps an election Observation-Disclosures he might
have meant by that-would require the bill to
be vetoed, and that there had been effort to
get bill which the President would sign, other
wise the bill never would have got vote in the
other side OF the chamber. "And to that COM
plexiou had II come at last The Republican side
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