The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-17
conFepeRArEs REPLY HorlY.
Southerners in the House Highly
Pleased With the Suspensions.
They want More Special Kxsminers 70
Find Further FFauds-Tom Reed
Writing the Minority Tariff Report
Plan Of the New silver Party.

deficiency appropriation Dill appropri-
aiing 500. 600 for special examiners, CON-
sumed the entire day in the house. Un-
der the lead of Cannon an assault was
made against Cieveiand's pension policy.
especially that portion which resulted in
the revocation of order 164 and the subse-
quent suspension of thousands of pen
sioners. Livingston Of Georgia. an ex-
Confederate soldier. and Eioe of Tennessee
defended the administration. and Lacey
of Iowa and Morse of Massachusetts,, who
were Union soldiers. opposed it.
Breckenridge took the floor and ex-
planned that the bill contained appropria-
tions amounting to 1851 $50, the only
item antagonized being an appropriation
of $500 COO for special pension examiners.
Touching this item Cannon thought il
time for congress to examine the manner
in which the pension office was being con-
Quoted He referred to the clause in the
presidents message declaring every
neig hborhood had its fraudulent pension
ers, and reviewed the action of the de-
partment in cutting of thousands of pen
sioners. There had been much allegation
of fraud. but little had materialized on
cross-examination. OF 235 special ex-
employed TO run down these alleged fraud
ulent pensioners. All pensions cut of
were classed by the commissioner to the
credit of the amount saved by the Office.
One million dollars of rejected pensions
had been classified as 81 ,0Oo, 900 saved.
Yet after q rough examination it was
found but $3l, 900 had been actually paid
out to pensioners who had procured pen
sions by forgery. perjury or false persona
ton. lie undertook to say there was no
more fraud in the administration of the
affairs of the pension Office. which dis
bursed annually $iso. .0o0, ,oOO than in the
adjudication of cases in the courts of the
country. The Fiity-frst congress appro-
priated $3.50 000, 600 for pensions. The
Fitty-second. with l4O Democratic major
ity, appropriated $16s. coo 900 to meet pay
ments on account of pensions. Order l64
was responsible for much of this mag
nanimity. Yet the present head Of the
pension department and the secretary
of interior now undertook, after
this construction had stood four
years aud been acdue-c~a in by the
Democratic house OF representatives, to
reverse that construction. ''It was an
act. said he, shaking his fist ominousiy.
"akin to crime. The infamous ruling of
the administration was that men receiving
pensions, whose cases had been proved,
we're stricken from the rolls. Look at the
Bennett case, which was known from one
end to the other. If such q ruling had
been made by q Republican administra-
tion, by Raum or Bussey. after the con-
struction of the law had stood three years
and been ratified by congress. he would
attack /; as he attacked it now"
That's right" shouted Enloe. give 1t
to Raum."
"oh. no" replied Cannon. 81 will not
go for Raum, because in Gods chancery
he is not guilty and your commissioner is"
Comparing the work of Raum and Loch-
ren. seven months administration of each
showed that Raum issued la. 900 certiti-
Gates, Lochren 1900 In the same period
Raum had rejected 81. COO claims. Lochren
s7,on Lochren had kept up with Raum
on reflections, but Raum had beaten him
two TO one on issues.
That's grestly to his credit" shouted
some one OH the Democratic side.
~ do not think so, said Cannon, land
think my Judgment will be the judg-
ment of history" Cannon did not desire
10 attack the pension office, but did attack
the atmosphere of that Office, which for an
honest claimant was 30 degrees below zero.
TLaughter. Ii makes matters look gloomy
for 300. 900 claimants under the act of is9o.
whose claims were not adjudicated, and
400, 600 pensioners under that law whose
pensions were in jeopardy. IApplause on
the Republican side.
Livingstone replied TO Cannon. The
appropriation under discussion was to pro-
vide for field examiners of the pension
Office Cannon had not challenged the
propriety or justice OF the appropriation.
He had occupied his time casting q
shadow over the administration of the
pension office and in attacking Secretary
Smith and Commissioner Lochren for re-
voking order Ia. A Democrat, North or
South. was always under suspicion when
he criticised pensions. Smith was o
Southern man, but he had not been in the
Confederate army. Lochren had been a
soldier in the Union army and a gallant
one. Cleveland had not been In the army,
bat could assure the house and country
that justice was being and would be
done by these distinguished men. Appli-
cations were scratinized with care, as they
land would believe that Cleveland, Smith
or Lochren In beating the brush for fraud
was actaAted by desire TO deprive honest
soldiers of pensions II was true, how
ever. that this war against unworthy and
undeserving soldiers would be prosecuted
vigorously.
Blair. stone. Pickler. Cannon and Bing.
ham hsrrassed Livingston a; every step
and Blair declared be did not object 10
weeding out fraud, but did object "a
making that pre;ext q cloak for delib
crate conspiracy 10 deprive honest pen
sioners Of pensions
Livingston replied that the sole purpose
OF the administration was 10 purge th.
pension rolls OF names that dishonoret
them.
Lacey followed Livingston In openin;
be read from . recent interview with Law
renee T. Neal, aathor Of the tariff plank O
| the Democratic platform. Ninety pe
cent. OF the Democratic d.sAfectiou, Ses
| said. shoal3 be charged To the course o
the pension Office, Tor which the admins
/ tsstloa WAS directly responsible. Lace,
/ z!so resd memoris! received ey Oath
/ waite from ". A. Taylor. recent Demo
/ cratic candidate for Lieutenant governor
/ Eho called Tor a congressional Invesraga
/ teen Of sas ridiculous. na awfai and sBia
| po.icy ln&agarated ey the peassoi
/ oalcs that had rssaIted ia ih
4 Of !,