New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-16
THE PENSION DEBATE ENDED
CRUDE AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW CON
PLETELY RIDDLED AND EXPOSED
DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE FAIL TO SUSTAIN
THEIR CHARGES OF FRACD-PENsloNfh9
~ THE SOUTHERN STATES.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIprNE.1


Washington Feb. 1.-THE general debate on the
Pension Appropriation bill, which began In the House
of Representatives last Friday and ended today has
been I'm MANY respects an unusually lnSrlc0V" as
well as highly interesting one. Among o'her
things IT IS shown that despite all th" loose 'aN
about the enormous number Of persons who are re-
ce4vng pensions obtained bv fraudulent ana o'h'f u
lawful mcuns-a number alleged to b" 80 great mat
II has been socrly well wildly asserted that the
pension roll OF the Nation has become roll OF as
honorr-the men who in the House Of Representatives.
are the champions 81 trait sentiment have been uh-
able 20 point oat the name Of one solitary "irn'i"
LENT pcnsioncr on that same roll Of dlshohor Oh
witch are Inscribed the names OF about l'oOoooo
pensioners. -
That some names ought TO be erased from thlS ron
no sensible gent will deny: nnd as matter
Of fact, name, nrc dropped every year As the result o
invcs,pa ions O, officials Of the Pension Buea clth":
bcc,u.c OF false testimony and fraudulent representa-
lions In the first instance or because OF c''S"uoh VI
the lsnal disability, for variety Of ot9"r rel-
sons 1t l. not improbable that among the '''ooo
persons In Pcnnsylvana whose names are on the
pension rolls there nav be few who are r''''In-
pensions 10 which they ar" not en'l'i'i' bul Hr'
Mu,chler OF that s'ntc who reported the Appropriation
lii failed 70 point ont single case Of mat sort
The same remark IS true Of Mr.. oN'li' ol N'sS
ctus.t,, who f.. A member Of the Appropriations
Committee and In whose state 4pr'o Ph'l'h''' NV
~ well as of Mr. Tarsney. Of Missouri. In whc'rsh''
,borc are NOR. than 81 900 pensioners, ana Nr'
Warner ~ New York. In which stat" thcr" nr" "'o'r
that $1,000 names on the alleged ron OF disnoNor'
Tho amendments To the pension laws Whicl Inv
majority Ct the Appropriations Commttc" pr"poea u
fasi,n ~ riders upon tho Appropriation p'i' iu'
olrendy been thoroughly rtddlcd aud their crudite'
and incousist. ncles completely exposed dHrhs U'
debate I'm the course Of which II has been maze '"N
=, appoar that Me,sIs. Mutchl"r. 81 Irnn'FlNAh''
were nlovInr with extremely Sharp and dangerous
fool, when they framed the socad "amendmchtS
lhs proposition which has aropFd the 'V""so''
opposition. perhaps /, ia" Oh" 10 c'''t '"'"'c "
limitations against all widows Of Union soldiers wa"
did not lccom" the wives ot said soldiers pt'oF
70 the year 1870 also 10 provide that the names Oh
al widows Of such soldiers who were not married
within i've years after tn" co-" Of the war ana
agc now borne on thc pension roll, shall b" erased
ihcrcfrum This proposition II enact d. would d
privc about 10000 10 1000 widows OF the pensions
which they pow receive. ana Is regarded ~ one OF
the most obnoypds Of the prt posed amendments
Another proposition which provoked strong up
pltlpn Is that which abollShcs the eighteen pension
agencies al which pensioners paid. and pro
y,dce tina, all such payments shah II ~ tho
Treasurer OF the United states. This change Is
strongly nrco-i on the Of ECONOMY" but the
author, and advocates o. the scheme do not
seem 10 have taken the trouble to
ascertain whether II wouli reduce eN
penditures. Its opponents have done 80, however
and discovered that If adopted The cost ot paying
pensions would bc Immediately increased at the rate
~ more than $4,000 year There are other
strong objections the proposed plan which d. not
seem To occurred 20 ~ projectors AT present
nbout 100000 pensioners appear In person al thr
several pension agencies four times year ana obtain
the money due them. This Is OF immense bcn"nt to
them in several respects. not the least of which Is TINT
iuI f.a ~
quarterly payment
While Democrats during tie debate denounced With
ont stint the Dependent act OF l-lO. they have not
vet mustered courag" TO attempt to rep al H. Ihcy
do however. propose 10 cfIascula'e IL by ehhcuhg
,cycraI amendments" one OF these provides that
no person sm receive pension unicr that act unless
he shall show to the satisfaction of the Pension once
Ly proper nilidavts that his annual income Is less
than $500 a year. THIS amendment. It Is proposed
stall not apply TO leistcncis under any Other act
or who servcl I'm any other war than the War OF the
Rebellion.
Apcasr sUSsPns a%eqamrp g.. PrPPoSsf to raq 3
which 1t taken when the Interior Department
uenson examining boards which scattered through
out the country 10 The number Of more than Loo
o,is. Of Kansas, aid Mr. Livingston. OF Georgia, In
tho course OF the debate, brings ont the fact that a
rse n h"d 5 5 IT, Es IN ' o. I" pns %
coed way Of getting money INTO CIRCULATION among
Mr' livingston rctored: "Tlat is not the case
down south"
Mr. Utls-wcl you are unfortunate there In that
Mr IAving,ton-Thcn. do not ray the population
OF the entire country
Mr. Otls--Well, there are some Union soldiers in
the south.
Mr.. LivngSton-Ncry few
An examination OF the Ciicial reports shows that
OF 1891 person, living In the United states whose
names were the pension rolls last year. 11l,j
lived I'm the southern >tatcs-6O.OoO OF them In the
states which seeded from the tn.on In 116l and
that IL the si3s .5Gi 900 paid 10 said pensioners
less than S2G 3d. 900 received by pensioners living
I'm the South-S-. JGJ 900 OF II by pensioners the
late Southern COnfcdcircy.
The first speech In the debate 10 day delivered
nv Mr. BOtelc Of Maine. and. Hike all his speeches
il was a strong Onc-so fCrclbe, In fact, that II ex-
tortcd an angry ply iom Co'oncl Onies OF Alabama
II onearmc,l cx Confederate veteran.
Aftcr further debate general discussion closed
md the bill was read Tor amendments. No action
WA, taken II the committee amendments and
nt ; O'Clock the house adjourned.
RIVER AND HARBOR ITEMS CUT
THE SENATE COMMITTEE UNWILLING tn DEC