The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-14

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ton is that before we spend our time legisiat-
ing over bills providing for an increase of she
police force of this District that the soldiers Of
this country shall at least have some time set
apart in which they may have the opportunity
OF presenting their claims.
] am not here now. sir, to present those
claims. The Limitation of time which is inn
posed upon me would make it scarcely posi-
bic to do now. That time would be too brief
to enter into an effort such Is that would re-
quire. But / am here pleading on behalf of
those men, and / voice the sentiment Of every
man on this side..of the Chamber when / de-
clare there ought 70 be some time given TO the
consideration of these measures
We hear quoted constantly the amount Of
money in the Treasury, and we are calling it
Surplus" Whenever gentleman on the other
side of the House says that the amount of
money in the Treasury is a surplus" and
that there is no use for it, | understand him to
mean that there IS no obligation resting upon
this country that will decrease that surplus
And 80 it is that we on this side have become
more anxious, Mr. Chairman. IA behalf Of the
soldiers Of this country; and they have also
become more anxious, seeing this condition of
things prevailing, and we believe that it is
time that public attention should be called TO
the matter 1t is not small thing that more
than $4,000 of our brave comrades are in aims
houses to-day.
But, Mr. Chairman, viii not spend further
time upon the question Of surplus. 1 want TO
say to gentlemen on the other side Of the
House that speeches. declarations and oratOry
will not meet this great question or this
emergency. 1t is not sufficient to say TO the
soldiers of the country that the Democratic
party has paid out so much of this money dur
ing the last three years. 1t does not meet the
~ II iS e.
come up from that side of the House and say
that they are anxious as Members Of this
side of the House are upon this great question
OF pension legislation, and that they ara ready
, to award proper pensions III proper cases. That
IL not enough. Dir. Chairman. The demand of
the hour is that there shall be time given to
the prusion legislation of this House and that
the Committee on Pensions shall have the
opportunity of presenting its business. What
has become Of their prayers2 Where are our
petitlonsP They remain unheeded and
charge that it is the deliberate and settled pur
pose of the Democratic party of the country TO
refuse any further material aid to the men
who fought to save the country. / hope l may
! be wrong fear / am right.
What has become of the prayer of the Pen
sion Committee, twice sent to the Committee on
Rules? Where is itY Other requests for time
have come promptly back into the House
Theirs alone has been met with absolute silence.
The Chairman Of the Committee on Pensions
has reported to this House most important
pension bill and fled report in It's favor
refer To the bill to repeal tne limitations upon
the arrears act. Will he be able ~ get that bill
| up for hearing2 l fear not.
Mr. Cannon: Sir. Chairman, want to say,
as one of the minority members Of that Com
mlttee, that for some weeks, "a far as / know,
there has been no meeting of the eOnmi; tee
on Rules; that with the other minority mem
Der OF the committee Mr. Reedl week ago
last Saturday We went together and requested
of the Chairman OF the Committee that a meet
ing of the committee BE- called so that these
matters might be considered and that We might
properly voice the side of the House that we
are supposed to represent, aud that since that
| time, rs far as / am concerned. aud presume
my colleague also. nothing has been heard
/ from the Chairman of the Committee on Rules
in reply 70 cur request TO call a meeting Of the
| same.
| Mr. Grosvenor: As was going to say when
| ! was interrupted, make reflection on the
/ COMMITTEES ON Rncs, except that l appeal to
| them to give as this time. ! want the Chair
man of the Committee on Pensions to hear
| what have 10 say. / want him TO understand
| that so far as the record goes, and / am bound
/ by the record, the Committee on Pensions have
/ done what they could; but 1 am further au-
/ thorized to make the suggestions which | do
! here because a week ago to-day the leader of
/ the House, the gentleman from Texas Mr..
| Mllsl, the Chairman OF the Committee on
| Ways and Means, secured recognition and
offered resolution to suspend the rules aud
1 assign all of the tins up to about the 10th OF
| July to other work Of the House, and
when we sought the privilege to amend
| it by introducing a single day, or two
! days perhaps, for the use oil the COMMITTEES on
| Pensions we were refused. So have a right
10 a,suae that the time Of this House, at least
up 10 tine 18th OF July, is not to be assigned to
pension bills. Iimpugn the motives of no com
| mitteeman, but am here to place in an endur-
ing form the record evidence that this side of
the House has made every effort in its power
to bring up pension bills for consideration, aud
! that We have been refused. And / state now.
/ Mr.. Chairman, that this side of the House has
been diigent in trying 10 bring this legisla-
| tiou up, and the Members on the other side
| have, as bOdy, been quite as diligent and
quite active to defeat as. And they are in
| the majority.
| ought to say, however. that on the question
| of amendment to tais resolution assigning the
| time up to the 18th OF June, we were not sup
/ ported by a single man on that side of the
/ House. Now, our mails come crowded with
demands and requests. There is no Member
| here that does not get from one to % letters a
| week asking him 10 call up such pension bill
"Call it up" they say land put it on its pas
| understand that under tais system (Of which !
am not complainingl the minority of which
we are members are utterly powerless to take
up pension bill. They cannot be heard to- day
at al, except by the viii and consent OF the
majority; aud the will of the majority upon
these questions is always expressed, and ought
TO be expressed. through the Committee on
Rules. / am not complaining of these regula
tions at all, but l am complaining that the
Committee on Rules does not bring in some
proposition here that would give Us some time
This much demand in the name of the men
who made surplus in the Treasury of the
United States possible This much / demand
in the name and on behalf of all the Republi.
can Members of this House, and on behalf o.
the comrades ali over the country who look tt
Congress TO make COED the promises of political
parties so oft repeated.
More then this do not ask. Less than thii
l will not accept without constant and persis
tent objection.
BOOK AGSENES.eSs ANEEkS FOIs