Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-21
THE PENSION BILL
,ss Through the House-ssO. 900, 900

Goes Through the House. $50, 100000
Appropriated.
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-ln the House
q motion to proceed to the consideration OF
private business was defeated by the man
ayers of the various appropriation bilis,
and, on motion Of Mr.. Blanchard, Of Lou
isiana, chairman of the Committee on
Rivers and Harbors, the House went into
Committee Of the Whole on such measures
The first bill on the calendar was the
pension appropriation bill, and Me.
Blanchard showed a disposition to object
10 its consideration in the interests OF the
river and harbor bill, but in view of the
statement by Mr.. FOran, Of Ohio, that 1t
cOuld be disposed OF iu an hour, hs with
drew all objections and the pension bill
was taken up.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, in speaking to
the hill alladed 20 the recent action OF the
House in regard to the purchase of bonds
with the surplus in order to dispel the
doubts in the mind of the President as to
his authority to purchase bonds, author
i.y having been conferred in an appropria-
tion bill. In examining the arrears OF
pension act il would be found TIA. there
was no limitation As to the time when
claims should be tiled. The only limita-
tion ever placed upon that act was iound
in An appropriation. He felt ii to be his
duty to call the attention of the sdminiS-
tration to this tact, foe It tha President
had trouble in buying bonds with the sur
plus, he should nave equal difficulty in
not allowing arrears Of pensions.
He then referred 10 the administration
OF the Mexican pension law b. -" ~
Office. So rapid was the pension bureau,
he said, in recognizing claims under this
law that pensions were allowed before the
claimant ever put in his claim, and certifi-
Gates were issued when the beneficiary did
not know he wSs q claimant.
Mr.. Foran, of Ohio, in referring to Mr.
Henderson's remarks relative to the Presi-
dents doubt ~ to his authority to pur-
chase bOad, congratulated the country that
il had a chief executive who was over scrup-
ulous rather than reckless in his interpre'a-
tion of the law. II might be true as the
gentleman said, that claims under the
Mexican pension act were rushing
raridly, but it must be remember
ed that this was service pen
sion act and the applicant had
only to prove that be had served in the
Mexican war and WAS over 62 years old.
As matter of conrse such claims could be
rapidly passed upon. The general debate
having closed, Mr. CoDger, of Michigan,
offered an amendment providing that IN
all cases or pensions to widows, payment
shall he made from the date OF the death OF
Their husbands. Adopted. the commit
tee then rose. aud the bill which appro-
priAted $40, go 600, was passed.
The river and harbor appropriation bill
then came up for general debate. After
considerable discussion and without
making any progress, the committee rose
and the House took recess until I:3O,
the evening session to he for the considera-
ton of private pension bills. To-day
was the one huDdredth day Of
the present session. The total
number of bills and resolutions intri ducrd
in the Senate and house up TO this date Is
IL, 56S, exceeding by more than 1000 the
number presented in The first 100 days oil
the last Congress. So far tho Honse has
passed 425 bills aud the Senate s3l, and
lS5 Houss bills and 81 Senste bills have
been sent to tie President for his approval.