Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-06
TALK ON PENSIONS.
Republican Side of the House Re-
minded of Past Warnings
BY THEIR DEMOCRATIC BRETHREN.
Congressman Peters INDUCES in Farmers
Alliance Prediction.
THE APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The House went
into Committee of the Whole to-day on the
pension appropriation bill, and Mr.. Outh-
waite, of Ohio, said that in the debate, yes
terday, charges had been made against the
Commissioner of Pensions, which, if sus-
tanned, brought the conduct of the officer
very near to an impeachable offense. He
criticised the conduct of the Commissioner
in abandoning his post for the purpose OF
effecting on honest (sarcasticalIy) election
in the district of the gentleman from Indi-
ana Mr.. "copper".
RMr. Cutcheon suggested that Commits
sioner Black had taken part in Congressional
elections.
Mr.. Outhwaite replied that if Mr.. Black
had done such things as Commissioner
Raum had done he should have been
brought to justice for it. He then proceeded
to reproach the Republican House with
shirklng its duty, arguing that the pending
bill would show a deficiency of at least
$50, S34, ZOO.
Charge of Partisan Action.
Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri, said that few
months ago he had stood on this floor and
declared that the Republicans of the House
were refusing, for party purposes, to appro-
pirate within SIS, 600, 900 of the amount
which would be required for pensions under
existing law. The declaration had been
almost substantiated by the fact that the
Commissioner now came in asking for de-
fciency of S34, SOC, 600.
Mr.. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, said that
the probability was that within seven years
there would be 1000, 600 pensioners on the
bo xro1lG ha ,,ord SIN OOn 0On
ally. The first necessity was to meet the
question frankly by adequate appropria-
tions; the second was to raise a committee to
investigate the bureau thoroughly; the
third was to transfer the bureau to the War
Department and take it out of the domain
of politics.
btThese were charges which gentlemen
could throw at each other across the center
aisle; but when gentlemen came to act as
Legislators, these charges ought to disappear
from their consideration. Here were the
people staggering under the burdens that
had SO distressed them that they we're seek
ing new alliances.
Peters Acknowledges the Corn.
Mr.. Peters, of Kansas, said the Demo-
cratic party was always flooded with tears
in behalf of the soldier when it was out of
power: but when it was in power it was
party was endeavoring to embrace the
Farmers Alliance movement He con-
ceded that the Republican party in Kansas
had run against it and had been overthrown.
1t had received black eye. Laughter.
But the time was coming when the cyclone
would strike Democratic States. 1t was
now being entrenched in Texas and Mis-
souri,; and in 1892. gentlemen who were re-
lying upon the Alliance hosts would find
that their hosts had disappeared, as the Re-
publican majority had disappeared in
Kansas
Mr.. Spinola, of New York, said that dur
ihg the last session he had called attention
TO the rumbling OF thunder and had advised
his Republican friends to put their ears to
the eartn.
Biggs Wants to Bet.
Mr.. Biggs, of California, said that when
his colleague (Mr. Morrow stated that there
would be no deficiency he stated what he
knew to be untrue, and in order to back his
judgment he (Mr. Biggs) would bet s., 600
to 500. [Laughter.l
On motion of Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri,
an amendment was adopted, providing that
no agent OF attorney shall demand, receive
or be allowed any compensation in any
claim ior increase of pension on account OF
increase of disability. lit is estimated by
Mr.. Dockery and Chairman Morrill,, of the
Invalid Pensions Committee, that this will
save $4,000, 900 to the pensioners within the
next three years.
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, offered an
amendment increasing to $50 600, 900 the
appropriation for the payment of pensions,
which was lost.
Mr.. Biggs, of California, made a brief
and humorous speech in the interest of an
increased appropriation, which would pre-
vent a deficiency being thrown upon the
Democratic House. He created a hearty
laugh, when in conclusion, he calculated:
ASK the people of California, who stands
foremost among them, w. w. Morrow, or
Marion Biggs; and the answer will be
'Biggs, by $4,000 majority" i"
After further debate, the committee rose,
the bill was passed, and the House ad-
journed.