The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-27
A PENSION DEBATE
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
Interesting Discussion of the Bill Granting
Pension to General LOEan'S Widow.
The Grounds Upon which Some ssnA-
tors opposed 1.-THE BIZ Passed.

WARRINGTON, Jan. 26.-ln the SenAte 10
day, among the petitions and memoriali
presented and referred were the follow
ing:
OF the Chicago Board Of Trade asking
for rstaliAtory legislation against Fraucs
and Germany for excluding American
meat; several petitions from Pennsylva'
mia against the admission Of Utah as a
State, with polygamy; many petitions
from various States in fpvor OF prohibition
in the District OF Columbia; and one from
New Jersey in favor Of licensing railroad
conductors.
Mr.. Allison, from the Committee on
Appropriations reported back House bill
to carry into effect the provisions Of the
act Of the second Of March, 1887, in re-
ssrd to experimental stations at agricul-
tural colleges Calendar.
Mr.. Cockrell, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported q bill to author
izs the Chicago, Kansas & Western Rail-
road Company to build its road across the
Fort Hayes military reservation. Calen.
dar.
On motion Of Mr.. Quay, the Senate took
from the calendar and passed the bill in
creasing the pension for total deafness to
$50 month (from $l3) and allowing q
proportionRte rating for partial deafness.
He stated that the entire increased e1.
pense to the treasury under the bill would
not exceed 500 900 year.
The Senate, at 2 o'clock, by vote Of 65
to 7, passed the bill granting pension OF
s., 900 to the widow OF General John A.
Logan, and on motion OF Mr.. Vest the
bill granting similar pension to the
widow OF General Frank P. Blair was
passed.
Just after taking up Mrs. Logan's pen.
sion bill, Mr.. Berry opposed the bill on
the ground that any bill which gave the
wife OF q Msjor.General pension OF
s., 900 while the widow Of private soldier
got only $l2 month was wrong In prin.
Iciple; and also on the ground that the
widows OF two or three Msjor-Generals
should not be selected to meet this large
pension while the widows Of other Major
Generals got only $50 month.
"a pension" he said, twas not given
for distinguished services, nor ought 1t to
be regulated by tho rank OF the soldier.
It was given to prevent the widow of the
disabled soldier from becoming q charge
on the public. The pension to Mrs. Han
cock was not case in point because her
husband was in active service st the time
OF his DEATH"
Mr.. Hoar said that he thought the SEN
ator from Arkansas overlooked the princi.
ples on which the bill was based. II
compensation should be paid to the patri-
otic soldier as to the officer, the same
monuments ought to be erected to the one
/ al he nn1antnn
nounCsd, the same statues raised, the
same compensation paid. But It is I'M
possible to do that But it was to the in
terest Of the private soldier and OF those
who were concerned in his fame that
these conspicuous public honors ahould
be paid to the military leader In his life
time and that after his death, ample and
generous provisions should be made for
bis widow and orphans. It had been said
the secret OF Napoleon's success Os gen.
eral was that every soldier under him
realized that he carried q msrshai's baton
In his knapsack and uuqueGtionably there
was nothing more inspiring to the courage
and zeal Of private soldier than to feel
that by merit he might be promoted to
the chief places in military command and
that when 80 promoted he would occupy
a leading plate in the gratitude and aftsc-
ton OF his countrymen.
Mr.. Davis, who had reported the bill
from the Committee on Pensions, said he
had heard with extreme regret the OBJ
jsCtions made to 1t by the Senator from
Arkansas. In oil times nations had de.
lighted to do honor to their distinguished
citizens who, like General Logan, had Il.
lustrsted in many capacities the virtues Of
the institutions under which they had
been reared. The case OF General Shields
was parallel CASE to that Of General
Logan. Each had served in tho Mexican
war; each had been member OF the Sen.
ate; each had rendered distinguished
service in the War Of the Rebellion, and
each had borne to his grave the Gears Of
honorable wounds received in the service
OF his country. Mrs. Shields had been
given by Congress pension Of 500 q
month, and he did not know that any OBJ.
lection had been made to it. de knew Of
no finer example in history for the youth
OF the land than that offered by the story
Of General Logan's life.
Mr.. Reagan stated his reasons for voting
against the bill. The Senate ahould al.
always, he said, be glad Of an opportunity
TO honor those who had served their
country we'll and faithfully and to honor
their memory, but they should be careful
in doing that not to violate great funda.
dRmental principles or to endanger the
very character OF the government. The
founders OF the government had pro-
hibited Congress and the States from con.
ferring patents Of nobility, proceeding on
the idea that there was TO be no privi-
lodged class in the United States. For
three.quarters OF century that went on
but within the last quarter ot cen.
tury the principle had been disregarded,
and federal judges and military and naval
officers had been retired with pensions.
All this tended in the direction Of privi-
legged class, to be supported by the taxes
levied on other people. This was un.
American and not in consonancs with the
American system OF Government. It was
rather In accordance with the systems OF
Great Britain and other countries, where
1t was the policy to have privileged
classes. He would vote for no bill allow
ing any person to receive,psy from the
Government without rendering services
for 1t. He said that this was with all re-
Ispect to the memory OF General Logan and
with Rll respect to his excellent widow.
Mr.. Call said he would vote for the bill
with very great pleasure.
Mr.. Berry called for the yeas and nays
on the passage Of the bill, and the bill was
: passed-yeas 55, nays 7. The negative
votes were given by Messrs. Berry, Coke,
Oolquitt, Harris, Reagan, Salisbury and
Vance.
'On motion OF Mr.. West, a like bill in.
Creasing to s2,0OOa year the pension Of
the widow OF Gen. Frank P. Blair was
passed by q vote Of 81 to 8, Mr.. Salisbury
not voting.
The Senate then took up the Blair Edu.
cational bill, bat soon, on motion Of Mr..
Edmunds, proceeded TO the confederation
Of executive business.
When the galleries had been cleared
and the doors closed, Senator Bdmunds re,
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