Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-22
D0DGING THE ISSUE
Mr.. BINUM CHARGES REPUBLICANS WITH Be
ING FALSE TO PENSION PROMISES.
4 General Discussion in The House On the Pension
Probem-Mr. Clement Of Georgia at a Loss
b Understand Certain Things
Said by Mr. Cheadls.

- e-.eAostlllA sl4t tA4l 4AilEo
SAID by Mr. Cheadle.
WASHINGTON. March Immediate
/ ly after the reading of the Journal the
House went into Committee of the Whole
/ tMr. Burrows, Michigan. in the Chair
on the Pension appropriation bills.
Mr.. Cheadlc. oi Indiana. spoke at
length i'm favor Of a service pension law.
He explained the provisions Of bill au-
thorizing service pension for life 10
every veteran over 80 years OF age who
served go days and was honorably dis
charged. Under the general law all in
valid pensioners who receive less than
= month and all who receive no pen
sion will be benefciarieS under it.
At the conclusion of Mr. Cheadle'S
speech Mr.. Clement. Of Georgia, said
that after listening 10 the speeches of
gentlemen ON the other side he
was inclined TO wonder why Commits
Sioner Tanner had been requested to
resign. The gentleman from Kansas.
Mr.. Peters. had justified the action of
Tanner i'm putting upon the pension
rolls those who had rendered good SER
vice before they had left the army
without permission, The gentleman
/ had also justified Commissioner Tanner
/ In increasing the - rate and in rerating
pensions Then why had Tanner been
asked TO resign? Mr.. Morrow, of Cali
/ fornia, said that that question could be-
answered easily; but that as the answer
would involve going into matters of de
tail. he would refrain from doing 50 at
present
Mr. Breckenridge, of Kentucky. Sug-
gcSted that the bill recently passed for
/ the appointment of thirty additional
medical examiners, would have the ef-
/ feet of increasing q number of cases
passed upon, and thereby cause u def
cheney To arise
| Mr.. Clements suggested further. that
/ iu accordance with q circular issued by
| the Commissioner OF Pensions the en-
/ ploycs OF the Pension Bureau would bc
utilized in working up eases; and hc
said if this were So. there would Doe
large increase i'm the amount Of pensions
even under existing laws.
Mr.. Clements inquired whether the
Iniuety-eight and a half million dollars,
which was carried by the BILL would bee
sufficient for the next fiscal year.
Mr.. Morrow replied that it would be
sufficient 20 pay all pensions under the
present laws. but that if Congress
passed further laws Increasing the
number or rate of pension there would
Doe a deficiency.
l Without any new laws passed by this
Congress, the sum OF SOS, 500, 900 would
Dee inadequate and there would Dee a
large deficiency The present admins
Iuation had criticised the last adminiStra-
for doing what il was now doing itself.
While referring 10 the service pension
question. Mr.. Clements was interrupted
'by Mr. Peters, of Kansas, with the
question as 90 whether the country was
not better able 10 day TO pass "a service
pension hili than il had been when it
enacted a Mexican service pension bin.
Mr.. Clements replied that hc was not
sure about that. He had seen i'm the
newspapers (which sometimes told the
/, TRUTH q letter from the President of the
Farmers Alliance of Kansas in relation
tO the matter, The letter had stated
that the fallen heroes could afford 10
wait q moment until the rights of living
heroes received recognition from those
, who had been chosen TO represent them
, / n Congress. lie Mr.. ClcmcutSl did
. not oppose just and liberal pensions.
He was not going to vote against the
. pending bill. His only objection TO it
was that it appropriated less money
than the administration knew would bee
. necessary 90 pay the pensions for the
, next year.
Mr. Bynum. Il Indiana, charged the
Republican party with being false to its
promises 10 the country i'm the matter of
pensions. The Democratic representa-
tvcs from Indian came here as friends
Of the soldier, and so far as il lay in
their power. the Republicans must meet
the service pension question and no
longer dodge il. and go home and de-
ceiyc the soldiers. The Indiana Demo
Gratis were ready To- vote ou the service
pension bin. The Democrats were de-
termincd that the Republicans should
carry out their pledges to the soldiers.
The Democrats We're ready.
Mr.. Buchanan. of New Jersey. sug-
gc,ted that this was the first time the
Democrats had been ready in five years.
Mr.. CutcheOn. of Michigan, inquired
whether the Democrats while i'm control
.of the House had passed "A service bill.
Mr.. Bynum replied that they had not.
but that they had not gone home and
asked for votes under false prctenscS,
Mr.. Spiuola. of New York, said that
the Republicans would have TO face the
music.
The Democrats intended tomakc them
lido So. They intended To draw the line
.of battle ON the service pension bill.
, The Democrats did not intend that the
Republicans should mark themselves as
the special friends of the veterans. The
Democratic party had forced the PEN
sion rolls from SIS OOO. 900 mp to SlO0.-
00O. 900: and yet the Republicans went
on the stump and told the people that
, they were the friends of the men who
, saved the Union,
Mr. breckenridge. of Kentucky, eX-
pressed himself i'm favor OF liberal
pension Systcm, but opposed To the
. abuse of that system and opposed To
making the Pension bureau a great po-
litical machine.
Mr. GroSycuur. Of Ohio. said that the
minority had suddenly become wonder
fully patriotic, and If it could only de-
stroy the unpauiotic record it had al-
ways made it would be wonderfully re-
formed.
The gentleman from New York Mr..
Spuo'a had said that the Democratic
: party had run up the appropriations for
pensions from SIS. 900, 600 10 SlO0.OO0,-
GOO. There was not a dollar of that
money that had ever been appropriated
. mdcr any general pension bill ever
passed by the Democratic party or ever
signed by % Democratic President, cN-
= cept that increasing the pensions of
o. widows. With this exception every dol
Tar of appropriation was due TO the
patriotism of the Republican
party and its love of the soldier. Re
fcrring to President Clevcland's veto of
the dependent pension bill. he said that
when Mr.. Cleveland was renominatcd
mo man had shouted louder iu his behalf
than had the gentleman from Indiana
Mr.. Baruuml and yet Grover Cleye-
land. who had hurled his veto i'm the
faces of the soldier. was the most pop
ular Democrat ion the United States.