The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-26
REFORM In THEPENSIONS
A BRAVE FIGHT MADE BY REPRE-
SENTATIVE O'NEIL.

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Three Important Amendments Adopts
ed by the subcommittee of the
House Committee on appropriations
Intrusted With the Preparation OF
the Pension Appropriation Bill.
Their Adoption Would Save the
Country $4o,ooo,ooo Year.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-A brave fight for
pension reform was made by Representative
Joseph II. O'Neil aof Massachusetts this
morning and he carried the majority Of
the subcommittee on pensions Of the
committee on appropriations with him.
Three radical amendments to the existing
law were offered by Dir. O'Neil and carried
by party vote, which, IL adopted by CON-
gress would save $4,000. 900 or more 70
the government and solve the problem of
raising more revenue to keep the treasury
ahoat The amendments deal In the main
with the abuses which have grown under
the republican pension bill OF 1890 and pros
pose to reduce the payment under that act.
The most sweeping amendment pro-
vides that no person shall receive
pension under the act of 1890
unless wholly disabled from manual labor,
or unless he can show that his annual In
come Is less than $780, This will cut off
the whole army Of pensioners holding high
salaried offices under the federal, state and
municipal governments, and also persons
ness, unless their total disability justifies
them in receiving large pension to pay
for care and treatment
Another Amendments offered by Mr..
O'Neil cuts off the pensions OF all widows
whose marriage to veterans took place after
1890.
Another amendment cuts OF the pensions
Of all persons not residing IN the United
States and not citizens, unless the pension
is for actual disabilities incurred In the
service.
RAP AT THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
These are three amendments which strike
deep at the existing system. The three
members of the subo mmittee who
voted for them were Messrs. Mutchler
OF Pennsylvania, O'Neil Of Massachusetts
and Livingston Of Georgia, all democrats.
The two republican members OF the SUBJ
committee, Gen. Bingham of Pennsylvania
and Gen. Grout Of Vermont, were present
this morning and voted In the negative.
While the amendments change the exists
IN the House because the rule allows changes
which reduce expenditures, and each of the
changes will reduce them hundreds Of thou
sands and millions.
Another amendment adopted to-day,
which looks TO the future, authorizes the
speaker OF the House to appoint commits
sion, made up OF members-elect of the
| Fifty-third congress, TO consider the subject
OF pension legislation aud practice at the
| pension Office.
It is also proposed to abolish the pension
agencies and provide for the payment OF
pensioners by checks from the pension bu-
reau In Washington. The last two amend
ments are likely to be adopted by the full
commission, and perhaps also the amend
ment regarding non-resdents who are not
citizens.
The sweeping provisions urged by Mr..
O'Neil. however, to stop the big payments
under the aot OF 1890 will probably be de-
feated by the full committee. The five
republican members will vote against them
and will be assisted by Chairman Holman
and Dockery. This will raise the opposis
ton to seven and one or two of the eight
remaining democrats will probably be
absent from the city when the vote Is
taken later in the week.
The provision which is likely 20 produce
the most practical result, in view Of the
hostility OF so many members to Mr.
ONeils attack upon the law Of 1890, is thas
for commission to examine the pension
laws. They will have the cordial assistance
OF the commissioner OF pensions appointed
by Mr.. Cleveland, and may report some of
the very reforms adopted on Mr.. O'Neil's
motions by the committee to-day.