National Republican., 1888-01-27
MRS. LOGAN'S PENSION.
THE SENATE PASSES THE BILL ALMOST
UNANIMOUSLY.
A Few Ex-Rebels Continue to Flight
the Dead Hero, but Arc Defeated by
Republicans and Union Democrats
The DOG Fight In the House.

Among the petitions Hand. memorials
presented and referred in the Senate yester.
day were the following
or the Chicago board OF trade asking for
retaliatory legislation against Frnnce and
Germany for excluding American meat.
OF meeting OF the Society Of Frlands at
Richmond, Ind, in favor Of peace arbitra-
tlon with Great Britain.
OF the faculty Of Franklin and Marshal
College, Pennsylvania, for an international
copyright law.
Several petitions from Pennsylvania
against the admission Of Utah as state
with polygsmy.
Many petitions from various states In
favor Of prohibition in the District OF
Columbia, andone from New Jerseyin favor
OF lie ensing railroad conductors.
Mr.. Al lison, from the committee on
appropriations, reported back House bill
to carry into effect the provisions of the act
Of I'd OF March, 1887, In regard to expert
mental stations at agricultural colleges.
Calendar.
On motion Of Mr.. Quay, the Senate
took from the calendar and passed the bill
increasing the pension for total deafness to
$50 month from $13) and allowing pro-
portionate rating for partial deafness. He
stated that the entire increased expense to
the treasury under the bill would not ex-
coed 100000 year.
The calendar was then taken up and the
bills thereon taken up in their regular or
der, those objected to being laid aside
without action. Among the bills passed
was the one granting to the state OF G AL
fornia 8 per cent. Of the cash sales Of pub
lie lands in that state.
When the uudervaluation bill was
reached on the calendar objection was made
| to its consideration under this rule; but
Mr.. Allison gave notice that he would ask
its consideration at an early day, The bill
giving a pension of $2,O 900 year to Mrs.
Mary A. Logan was taken up.
II Mr.. Berry opposed the bill on the ground
that any bill which gave the widow OF
major general q pension Of 81, 600, while the
widow OF private soldier got only $l2
month was wrong in principle, and on the
ground that the widows Of two or three
major generals should not be selected to get
this large pension, while the widows Of
other major generals only got $50 month.
A pension, he said, was not given for dis
tinguished services, nor ought 1t to be reg
ulated by the rank Of the soldier. 1t was
given to prevent the widow or the disabled
soldier from becominga charge on the pub
lie. The pension to Mrs. Hancock was not
case in point, because her husband was In
active eervice at the time Of his death. But
still there was no reason why that bad pre-.
cedent should be followed, and he objected
to the bill not from any feeling adverse to
the memory Of Gen. Logan (whom he had
always admired), but because he believed
the principle to be wrong. He objected to
1t In the interest Of the widows Of other Off
GERS and private soldiers.
Mr.. Stewart advocated the bill. He said
that Gen. Logan had been the idol OF the
volunteer soldiery. On all occasions he
had fought their battles in the Senate and
elsewhere. He believed that the widows Of
all private soldiers would rejoice in the
passage Of the bill. 1t was necessary for
the country to have some conspicuous ex-
amples-something for the young men
hereafter to emulate What (he asked)
would the country be without the name OF
Washington? What would It be in modern
times without the name of Lincolnt aud
what would It have been II 1t had had no
such men as LoganP The Senate should
recognize these facts, do honor to Gen.
Logan's memory, and show to the people Of
the United States that the Senate would do
all 1t could to reward those who furnished
conspicuous examples Of public services.
Mr.. Hoar said that he thought the senator
from Arkansas overlooked the principle on
which the bill was based. If mere desert
were the test the same rate of compensation
should be paid to the patriotic soldier as tc
| the officer: the same monuments ought to
be erected to one as to the other; the same
euloEltb pTOuUuuCtuS tut hum6 Sbdtuce
raised; the same compensation paid. But
j 1t was impossible to do that. But II was to
the interest of the private soldier and of
those who were concerned In his fame that
these conspicuous public honors should be
paid to the military leader In his lifetime,
and that after his death ample and generous
provision should be made for his widow and
orphans. 1t had been said that the secret
of Napoleon's success as general was that
every soldier under him realized that he
carried marshal's baton In his knapsack;
and unquestionably there was nothing more
iiyinspiring to the courage and zeal of a private
soldier than to feel that by merit he might
be promoted to the chief places in military
command, and when SO promoted he would
occupy leading place In the gratitude and
affection Of his countrymen.
Mr.. Davis (who had reported the bill
from the committee on penslons) said he
had heard with extreme regret the objec-
uons Nade to 1t by the senator from Arkan-
sas. In ali Tunes nations had delighted In
doing honor to their distinguished citizens,
who, like Gen. Logan, had illustrated in
many capacities the virtues Of the institu-
tlons under which they had been reared.
The case Of Gen. Shields was parallel case
to that OF Gen. Logan. Each had served
In the Mexican war; each had been q mem
ber Of the Senate; each had rendered dis
tinguished service In the war Of the re-
bellion, and each had borne to his grave the
scars Of honorable wounds received In the
service Of his country. Mrs. Shields had
been given by Congress pension Of 800 a
month, and he did not know that any OBJ
no finer example in history for the youth of
the land than that offered by Gen. Logan.
Mr. Reagan stated his reasons for voting
against the bill. The Senate should always
The said) be glad Of an opportunity to
honor those who had served their country
orI fatfl ,f,,ll nd fn fhafF
memory; but 1t should be careful In doing
that not to violate great fundamental prln.
ciples, or to endanger the very character OF
! the government. The founders OF the gov
eminent had prohibited Congress and the
states from conferriBg patents of nobility
proceeding on the idea that there was to
/ be no privileged class In the United States
\ For three.q quarters of century that went
4 on, but within the last quarter Of a century
the principle had been disregarded, and
|. federal judges and military and naval
4 officers had been retired with pensions
All this tended In the direction of privlleget
other people. This was un.Amerlcan aud
not In consonance with the American
system of government. 1t was rather II
/ accordance with the systems OF Great
Britain and of other countries, where 1t wat
the policy to have privileged classes. Ht
would vote for no bill allowing any person
to receive pay from the government without
rendering service for 1t, He said this with
all respect to the memory OF Gen. Logan
and with all respect to his excellent widow
Mr.. Call said that he would vote for tht
bill with very great pleasure. There wa
no foundation In reason for the objections
! made to it. There never had been, AMI
never would be government In which
merit was not rewarded, and there could b.
no society in which rewards We're not giyeI
to virtue. This was principle OF public
policy, which the people of free republl
shOula cheIish oven moro than the peonl