New-York tribune., 1890-04-14
BE SAFELY TRUSTED.
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. I


wasbInrton April 12-For some time past Demo
cratic REPRESENTATIVES have been busy laying In sup
pIv of ammunition to be used in general attack on
he pension system and the administration OF the Pen
sion Bureau well upon proposed pension leglsla
,lon II was understood that the bringing up Of the
Pension Appropriation bill would be the slgnal ior Tie
assault and some Of the Democrats haze shown grea,
mpaticncc because ii not given at an earlier cay
They have seemed to be unusually anxious to speak
and vote as they shot. one Missouri Democrat MT
Stone unable to restrain his ardor fired his lte gun
Friday night when the House was In session. as usual
TO consider bills for the relief Of pension claimants
whose cases do not fall within the scope of the general
laws or who, account Of their inability - cure
technical defects in their claims obliged TO APP
neal TO Congress for review Of their on grounds
of cautv With the help Of the eloquent kilgorc, ot
Texas Mr. stone succeeded in preventing the passage
of any pension bills at last Friday nlShts sl'''"s'
Mr. stone on that OCCASION proudly sounded one Oh
the Democratic kcynocs of opposition TO the claims OF
disabled and destitute veterans Of the Union when lie
said
"Mr Chairman II IS my deliberate judgment thit
seven out Of every cn-I believe understate rather
than ovcrsate the factthat seven out OF every Ten
Of these private bills passed through tins House
and through Congress arc not only outragcs' on'
outraecs which amount in moral intent, II not III
| legal effect to absolute larceny. ! speak now OF
special legislation. which is one Of the evil results
growing out Of the wide sprcad public generalization
engcndcred by our entire system Of pension legisa-
tlOn. II Is my purpose at All early day' Oh uo
very first opportunity which may be afforded me, to
express myself very clearly and distinctly upon thc
/ subject Of general pension legislation. There are
some things I am anxious to say in regard TO tiat
! phase Of this question. but not now
| Who arc the men whom Mr. stone accused Of
being guilty Of larceny and what was the ground
| Of his accusation The members Of the Committee
on Invalid Pensions were unanimously in favor Of
| the bills under consideration which MIR. stone made
! tho ground Of his attack They, therefore wcc
| primarily responsible ior that particular " larceny.
as they are for every other pension bill reported to
the House. tcnihs OF which bills. according TO
Mr. stone. arc Outrage, which amount In moral
intent. If in legal effect. TO absolute larceny
In view Of the probability that that committee will
frame and brng before the House At this session several
important general pension bills. it Will be Of interest
tp know something about the different members
especially 10 whether they safe" legislators.
or men wno from lack Of intelligence or business capa-
city. or OF legal at;ainments legislative ex-
pericncc. consccntousuc. Will bc likely to exhibit
either ignorance wanton disregard Of the public wei
fare IN their recommendations = the House.
Tho chairman Of The committee Is l.. y. Morrill,. n:
Kansa, a man fifty six yesrs Of who enlisted as
private in the Union Army in 1861. aud was mustered
| on, with the rank Of Major 1865. The voters Of
hs county elected and re elected hiw To the Office II
County Clerk then promoted him q the state senate.
# which he remained A member until he elected
= Congress In which body he Is now serving his
fourth term. Mr. Morrill, is a banker \ more honest
md conscientious legislator than he docs not s in
Congress. The next member OF the committee Is John
&. sawyer. OF Ncw-York sixty five years Of age !
member Of the legal proics ior moro than forty
years formerly County Jud.c and surrogate of
: orleans County. and now s".vinS hl, third
term IN Congress. The third member Of The
committee }, \. Craig. %; Pcnns,lvanli.
..f.. .
| IN tine practice of law since I-76. Captain Craig
enlisted a private In the Union Army April 10.
I-oI, and had rl,-n to the ranh Of captain when lie
was disabled 10y rebel bullets. being shot through the
head i.shi and right leg. lie did not leave t:
field even tAcn hut VT, transferred TO the Veteran
Reserve corps. in which he served captain until
HI, muster out I'm July. 1-G5. Aonzo Nutc Of New"
liamp, hire. the fourth member Of the committee
lie J.. manufacture and i, sixty our years Of age.
Mr. .ute enlisted in the Uni,n Army In the spring oi
i-6l. he ancrwaid served member OF the stan,
Il ocncrals Grn.n and Rush Hawkins. until he re.
tired from the Army with broken health.
The NTH member Of the committee Is Charlie. F..
nelnap. If Michigan. manufactuicr axe forty four.
lie held several Offices Of trust and responsibility be-
fore hi election to The List Congress. In August,
l-52. he enlisted IN the 2lst Michigan Infantry. a
/ regiment then In the field. In January, 1854. when
oaly few month, past seventeen years of age, Mr..
| D.lAuap had won a commission a, captain. lie
! served IN the Army oi the Cumberland until June.
| l-G5 and was seven time, wounded in battle. Jane,
r. Flick If Iowa. the siAih member Of the commit
tee. Ii forty i've years old aud lawyer Of twenty
,c.r-' cNpcricnce In April i-62. when less than
seventeen years II age, Mr. Flick enlisted in the ith
Iowa Infantry. a veteran regiment. and served
private soldier. The seventh member Of the commit
tee is Alfred \. Taylor. of Tennessee who is forty
one year, old, and n lawyer Of twenty years expert
ence. John II. Wilson, Of Kentucky. the eighth mem
hcr of the committee Is forty four years old. and has
been lawyer M activc practice since 1871. lie WIS
for four years state senator Of Kentucky before IA,
! oeciion 10 Congress. The ninth and last Republican
member /, Gilbert l.. Laws, OF Nebraska. who i nifty
two years old lie has been a manufacturer and ed
iior. and has held number Of Offices of trn>t and
responsibility with credit 10 himself and benefit to the
public service
The first Democratic member Of the committee Is
= = loder Of Ohlo who Is forty nine year, old. and
a successful physician Of long experience. Dr. loicr
enlisted In the Tnion Army private soldier. and
Wa mustered ont at the end Of the war with The rank
Of lieutenant Edward Lane. Of Illinois, the second
Democratic member Of the committee. is forty eight
years Old a lawyer by profession. has praciscd lave
since 1863 and served term judge Of an ILino,
court The third Democratic member i, Isaac II.
oodnigt Of Kentucky. lie is forty Year. Old. and
has practlscd his profession A. lawyer for sixteen
wears lie has been a member Of the Kentucky Lccs-
aturc Charles II. Turner. Of New York. the fourth
Democratic member. i also the Youngest member Of
the committee, brhS OILY t"'HlN ihilc NcdlN ON Inc
guh Democratic member Is Clarke Lewis, who l. forty
nine wear, old, and a planter. Mr. Lewis served
nrvatc soldier in the Confederate Army from i-6l TO
ls65 Augustus ~ Martin. Of lndlanI, the sixth and
last Democratic member Of the committee. IS forty
three years old. and has pactsed law since 1870 lie
enlisted in the Union Army a. IA private soldier in
rulv 1853. the Of sixteen. and served until lie
vo, honorably discharged. IN lS6J on account Of ply
| slcol disability. Mr. Martin has been member Of tho
Indiana Legislature. in which he served on the
tudciarv Committee. lie for four years reporter
| nf the supreme Court Of Indiana
II thus appears that. Of the fifteen men who com
nose the committee. and whom Mr.. Stone accuses of
rncng in and advocating bills -tcnhs Of which
| involve larceny" eight are lawyers, two of whom
have been members of the Judiciary of their respective
States: one is "A banker two are manufacturers, one
has been manufactures and editor, Is a successful
uhysican and surScona fact which makes his scrvices