The intelligencer., 1890-04-26
A HALT ON PENSIONS.
From the New York Evening POST

From the New York Evening Post.I
Although the senate passed the de-
pendent pension bill by vote OF more
than three to one, halt was called on
the mad rush for reckless grants from
the treasury which is full OF encourage
ment. The passage OF the bill under
consideration was inevitable, as the re-
publican majority were thoroughly
committed to 1t, and many of the dem
ocrats had consented TO the passage of
a similar measure during the Cleveland
administration. Consequently there
has never been a shadow of hope that
the nation could escape having this
additional charge saddled upon It since
it became assured that the republicans
would control both congress and the
presidency.
The important feature OF the pro-
ceedings was the refusal OF the gepub-
lican majority to 60 step further on
the road, and the earnest opposition
of two leading representatives of the
party to the vastly larger and more
dangerous schemes which have stalked
behind the dependent pension bill.
One of these was brought forward by
MIR. Plumb, of Kansas. in the shape OF
an amendment removing the Limitation
as to arrears of pensions, 30 as to make
pensions on account OF wounds, or
| Injuries, or disease commence from the
death or discharge of the soldier; and
was, OF course, heartily supported by
| Mr.. Blair, of New Hampshire. n dem
ocratic senator asking whether any
estimate had been made of the cost OF
removing this limitation, Mr.. Plumb
| calmly replied that the commissioner
| of pensions had stated some weeks ago
that the cost would be about S47S, ,OO0,-
900, and that the chairman OF the house
committee OH pensions had estimated
il at $500, ,000,0 900; "it would be some-
where about those figures" Another
democratic senator declares his convic-
ton that the cost would not be dollar
less than 5000, 900 900, one halt OF which
would have to be turned over ut the
first quarterly payment, and he pointed
out that, il the amendment were adopt
ed there would have 10 be some
means provided for paying that i'm
meuse amount. But Mr.. Blair was not
appalled, by any such figures as $780,
!, 600 900 and cheertully admitted that he
Thought it very likely that the cost OF
arrears OF pensions would reach S6OO.
600 900, and it might reach billion"
However, he said, 1t was only the pay
t ment of debt, and sit was time to
call halt oD such low, selfish, and
, devilish considerations as were raised
against the payment OF that debt"
Up TO this point everything had
indicated that the billion-dollar job
r for there is not the slightest reason TO
doubt that the cost would reach this
, immense total-wes gong through
!, without any opposition OH the repub-
lican side. But Mr.. Frye, of Maine,
} now took the floor and made brief
, but powerful speech against 1t. He
| declared that he should regard the
I adoption of the Plumb amendment as
5 ssa terrible menace to the soldiers of the
country. He said that he had long
Y held, and had repeatedly told bodies of
a Maine soldiers, that there was pace
8 too rapid altogether for their welfare
!, and their good, and that there was a
II danger of overlapping the matter oi
f pensions he recalled the fact that when
t Mr.. Cleveland began to veto pension
I, bills, the democratic party ratified
a what he did, and, he frankly added,
}, not only the democratic party, but
= many of the business men in the repub-
y lican party, too; and he warned
3, senators who were pressing the amend.
l. ment that they were imperilling the
Ie truest interests of the soldiers and
were creating prejudices against pen
le sions.
% Gen. Hawley followed Mr.. Frye II
an equally vigorous protest against tn,
amendment. He insisted that the sol
diers do not want such legislation, ant
declared that headlong extravaganza O
this sort would bring the opposition
,,,l into power. He showed that there wa
no foundation tor the charge that tn
~ nation has been stingy in this matter
lg and pointed out that the pension ex
V. penditures for the next year alrcad.
rv provided for would amount 10 nearl,
Sl3O, ,OO0,0 lie recalled an interes
III ting anecdote OF Gen. Grants last visi
ir to the capitol, when he declared tina
al he would never vote one dollar @
iy pension to an able-bodied man, an
le declared that this was his own platform
er After further unimportant discussio
at the amendment was rejected by s
All overwhelming a majority that, althoug
OF sone senators explained that their oI
$50 position was directed rather against il
lat attachment to the pcnuing bill tha
-. against its principle, there seems u
re reason To fear the Endorsement OF tn
ng arrearages scheme by the senate at an
es. time. Hardly less encouraging wa
m. the reiecti IN OF another amendmer
he offered by Mr.. Plumb which propose
r. to nav a pension OF eight dollars pc
nd month TO all who served ninety days
le. the late war, who arc sixty-two year
.st of age, or as they attain that age-i
Die other words, to give the service .pensio
Is, idea u foothold in legislation.
ng AS the first sign OF returning reaso
dis in congress on the pension question fo
ed a long while, yesterdays proceeding
in the senate afford ground for publ
ed congratulations. 1t is, of course, ter
m. ritIe To think of having the annual pei
en- sion bill run up to $3.50, ,000, ,000 yea
,s- before halt could be called, whe
nd one remembers that twenty eight year
en- AGO, when the allowances for pension
~ reached less than $50, ,0OO, 900 yeal
rs, James A. Garfield, as chairman OF th
nd house committee on appropriation
ell said: ave may reasonably expect ths
II. the expenditures for pensions wi
nd hereafter steadily decrease, unless OF
III, legislation should be unwarrantably O.
h travagant." But il is something
er rejoice over that we have not as Y,
arl run more than a hundred millions
u. wear above Gen. Gariield's estimat
wv and that we may, at least, now hoI
r." to escape the passage OF billion-doll,
SITS Jobs in iuture.
,ht
RS. Call aud see the sample Webster's Vi