, 1890-12-06
PENSION LEGISLATION
The Appropriation Bill Passed
by the House.
A Deficit of s32,OoO,oOo Pre-
dicted.
Proceedings in the Senate and
Other Items.

WAsHIRGToN, Dec. 81 Cutcheon Of
Michigan called up the senate joint reso-
luton authorizing the secretary of war to
issue a thousand stand of arms to each of
the states of North and South Dakota,
Wyoming and Nebraska.
On motion of Carter Montana was in
cluded in the provisions OF the JOINT reso-
luhen. which was then passed.
On motion of Morrow of California
yeas I36, nays ~ the house went into
committee of the whole on the pension
appropriation bill.
Cultivate of Ohio referred to yester-
days talk about the commissioner of pen
sious and criticised the conduct Of that
officer in the recent campaign.
Cutcheon suggested that Commissioner
Black had taken part in the congress
sionAl election.
Cultivate replied that if Black had
done such things as Raup had done be
should have been brought to justice for il.
He then proceeded TO reproach the Re-
arguing hat the pending bill would show
a deficiency of over 1872, 0U0. 900.
Dockery said that h few months ago he
stood on this floor aud declared that the
Republicans were refusing, for party pur-
poses, to appropriate within $45, 900. 900
of the amount required for pensions I'M
der the existing law. This declaration
was almost substantiated by the TACT that
the commissioner now came asking for a
deficiency for $34, 500, 600. Dockery then
branched into a discussion OF the general
financial condition of the country, pre-
s%enting tables to show that there will be
a deficiency on July /. 1899, of over $37,-
500, 900, and said be did not include any
deficiency for the fiscal years 1891 or 1892
except the pension deficiency.
Breckenridge of Kentucky said it was
not a question as to whether the present
commissioner bad taken part In the recent
campaign. or whether the former com
missioner was guilty of the charges made
against him. The point was that the
probabilities are that within seven years
there will be 1000, 600 pensioners on the
rolls who will be paid $4,000, 900 an
nually. The FIRST necessity vas to meet
the question frankly by adequate apDro-
priatioHs; second, to raise a committee to
investigate The bureau thoroughly, have
the list revised and strike off unworthy
pensioners; third, to transfer the bureau
to the war department aud take it out of
lie domain of politics. Here were peo-
re staggering under burdens that had so
distressed them they were soeking new
llliances. Let congress meet the matter
frankly
' Peters OF Kansas made an exhaustive
argument to show that the Gppropria-
ton carried by the till was
amply sufficient. The Democratic
party was always flooded with tears
IN behalf of the soldier, when it was out
OF power; but when it was in power it
vas quite a different thing. The Demo.
cratic party was endeavoring TO embrace
the Farmers Alliance movement. He
conceded that the Republican party in
Kansas had run against this movement
aud received a black eye. But a time
was coming when a cyclone would strike
the Democratic states. The Republican
party would revive, because. Truth
crushed TO earth will rise again" Ee
wanted the fftv-second congress to pass a
sub treasury bill, a free coinage bill, and
a service pension bill, and unless bis
Democratic friends would do all that they
would find the wave of the Farmers
Alliance would wipe them from the lace
Of the earth.
Biggs of California made a brief and
humorous speech in the interest of an IN
creased appropriation which would pre-
vent the deficiency being thrown upon a
Democratic house. He created hearty
laughter when. in conclusion, he eiacu-
lated: Ask the people of California
who stands foremost among them, WV.
Morrow or Marion BiVgs2 and the answer
will be 'Biggs by $4,000 majority.
10 concluding the debate, Morrow of
California argued that the amount carried
by the bill was all Of not more than alb
that would be required by the pension
bureau during the coming year.
On motion OF Dockery nm amendment
was adopted providing that no agent or
attorney shall demand, receive or be
allowed any compensation on any claim
for increase OF pension on account of in
crease OF disability. 1t is estimated that
this will save 100000 to pensioners
within the next three years.
Springer offered an amendment increas-