The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-21

The Houses Talks Little Politics and Passes
the Pension Appropriation Bill.
WASHINGTON, April 20-On motion OF Mr..
McRae, of Arkansas, Senate bill was passed
authorizing the Kansas City, Texarkana 6 Gulf
Railroad Company to construct bridges over the
Red and Little rivers IN Arkansas.
On motion of Mr. Anderson. OF Illinois. Sem
ate bill was passed extending the system OF
beacon lights to the Illinois river.
On motion Of Mr.. Townshend. of Illinois,
Senate amendments were concurred in to the
Military Academy bill
The House then resumed consideration of the
Indian appropriation bill, the pending question
being on the motion Of Mr.. Randall. of Pennsyl-
van:a to strike out the Choctaw judgment SEQ
tions The motion was lost and the bill was
passed.
Mr. Townshend, OF Illinois, from the committee
on military affairs, reported his bill placing Gen.
w F. (Baldyl Smith on the retired list with
the rank of major general Placed on the private
calender motion to proceed to the consider
alton of private business was defeated by the
managers of the various appropriation bills, and
on motion of Mr.. Blanchard, OF Louisiana, char
man of the committee on rivers and harbors,
the House went into committee of the whole on
such measures. The first bill on the calendar
the pension appropriation bill, and Mr..
Blanchard showed disposition to object 60 its
consideration in the interest of the river and
haroor bill. but in view of the statement by Mr.
Foran of Ohio that it could be disposed of in an
hour, he withdrew all objection, and the pension
bill was taken up.
MIR. Henderson, of Iowa, in speaking of the
BILL alluded to the recent action of the House in
regard 10 the purchase OF bonds with the sur
plus in order to dispel the doubts in the mind
of the President to his authority to purchase
bonds, such authority having been conferred in
an appropriation bill. In examining the arrears
of pensions act It would be found that there was
no Limitation as to the time when claims should be
filed. The only limitation ever placed upon that
was found in appropriation bin He felt
it be his duty to call the attention OF the ad-
ministration to this fact, for fif sthe President
had trouble in buying bonds with the surplus he
should have equal difficulty in not allowing
without expression of opinion of the House,
go into the market and buy bonds he had no
right, if he was logical and consist
ent, to withhold arearsg es OF pensions
He appealed TO the President to be consistent
and come up like little man aud allow arrears
of pensions to the boys who hied their claims
within the provisions of the act That should
be done until ceclaratory act was passed. say
ing that he must be governed by the provisions
OF the appropriation bill. He controverted the
claim that the soldiers getting better
recognition from Democratic administration
than they had from Republican administrations.
and he cited statistics to show that when the
number of claims filed were compared with the
number of certificates allowed, the record of the
Republican party and its administrations stood
unchallenged for acting in tie interest of the
of the Mexican pension law by the Pension
Office. So rapid the Pension Bureau, he
said, in recognizing claims under this law. that
pensions were allowed before the claimant ever
pnt in his claim. and certificates were issued
when the beneficiary did not know he was q
claimant In proof of this assertion he sent to
the clerks desk and had read an article In
Chicago paper TO the effect that Commissioners
Black had issued a pension certificate to exCon-
gresham Col w. r. Morrison, Notwithstanding
that he informed that Mr. Morrison's name
did not appear the list of applicants, and that
Colonel Morrison had returned II. stating that
he had never applied for pension.
Mr. Macdonald, OF Minnesots-Would Mr..
Morrison have refused it il he had been Re-
publicanf
Mr. Henderson, do not know how that might
be This | do know: That Colonel Morrison
never asked for a certificate and If my friend
were as sensitive about the administrator of the
Pension Office as he IL eager 10 be smart, he
would give attention TO the matter before the
House.
that II is not true.
Mr. Henderson-I am smart enough to say
that it is true, and ask the clerk to read the
copy of that letter from Colonel Morrison. The
letter was from Colonel Morrison 10 the Chicago
pension agent, returning the certiacate OF pen