Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-15
TALK ON PENSIONS.
The Appropriation Bill Discussed in
the House.
AGAINST THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Mr.. Boutelle Makes an Earnest
Speech on the Subject.
THE SUNDRY CIVIL BILL
1t is Considered in the Senate To-
day.


day.
SENATE.
The diplomatic and consular and the Mill
tary Academy appropriation bills were reported
and placed on the calendar.
The conference report on the army appro-
priation bill was presented and read.
Mr.. Bate (Tenn.) said that he could not un-
derstand from the reading of the report what
had been done about the signal service. and he
suggested that the report be laid over until to-
morrow.
Mr.. Stewart consented to the suggestion.
Mr.. Allison defended the conference COM
mittee from an insinuation that 1t had not been
sufficiently tenacious, and said that the amend
ment in question had no right to be on an ap-
preparation bill, as it independent legisa-
ton; and Mr.. Stewart said that il the bill went
back to conference he Would raise that point Of
order, and leave the whole amendment off.
MIR. Proctor lVt.) inquired as to the Senate
amendment providing that the rank of the head
Of the signal corps should be lieutenant col
onel instead of major, and was informed by Mr.
Stewart that the Senate conferees had receded
from that amendment.
After further discussion the conference re-
port went over without action and was ordered
to be printed.
The resolution offered Yesterday by Mr.. Hoar
Mass for the reading by the President pro
tempore (Mr. Manderson) of Washington's
farewell address at the session of February %
was taken up and agreed to.
The consideration of the sundry civil appro-
priation bill was proceeded with.
The clauses to pay to the widows of Chief
Justice Waite and Justice Miller of the Supreme
Court the balances of their husbands salaries
for the year OF their death (SS,745 and S7,419)
were agreed to without question.
The reading of the bill having been finished
the reserved amendments were taken up. the
first being the series in reference to the world
Columbian exposition.
Mr.. Quay (Pa.) offered his amendment
making all appropriations for the exposition
conditional on Sunday closing.
MIR. Allison hoped that Mr.. Quay would not
press that amendment. 1t was only repro
duction of part of the legislation o: last year.
every provision of which had been complied with
With that assurance Mr. Quay withdrew his
amendment and then all the committee amend
ments as to the worlds fair were agreed to.
The next series of reserved amendments were
those for the improvement of rivers and har-
bors, the first being reduction of the amount
for Philadelphia harbor from $500, 900 to $780,
600.
The amendment was opposed by Mr.. QUAY
and Mr.. Mcpherson on the ground that the pro
posed reduction would interfere seriously with
the progress of the work Cthe removal of GER
tain islands,.
At 2 pm. the unfinished business-the Mica
ragua canal bill-was laid before the Senate
but at the request of Mr.. German md it was
laid aside temporarily and the consideration of
the sundry civil appropriation bill was pro-
ceeded with.
HOUSE.
On motion Of Mr.. Coombs On W Senate bill
was passed granting pension of $50 month
a. 4 %
On motion Of Mr.. Bowman Gowa) Senate
bill was passed extending to Council Bluffs,
Iowa. the provisions Of the act relative to the
immediate transportation of dutiable goods.
Mr.. Hatch (Mo.) asked unanimous consent
for the consideration of Senate bill incorporat-
ing the Holstein Breeding Association Of Ameri-
ca, but Mr.. Bailey (Tex.) objected.
On motion of Mr.. Wheeler (Ala) a bill was
passed authorizing the construction of a bridge
across the Tennessee river at Sheffield Ala
Mr.. OFerrall va called up and the House
adopted without debate q resolution relating to
the contested election case Of Reynolds VS..
Shonk. from the twelfth district of Pennsyl-
vania. The resolution confirms the title of the
contestee to his seat.
Mr.. Cummings n. Y.), from the COM
mittee On library. reported back resolution call
ing for an investigation of the charge of favor
itism in access to the archives Of the State
Department. The committee asked that the
mittee be discharged from its further consider
alton. This course was pursued.
The House then resumed in committee the
consideration OF the pension appropriation bill.
AGAINST THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
Mr. Boutelle (Me.) spoke vigorously against
the adoption of the proposed amendments of
the pension law.
MR.. OATES DEFENDS THE EX-CoNFEDERArEs
Mr.. Oates (Ala) said that he had but one
moment to say word as to the misrepresenta-
ton OF the ex-confederates on the floor
Of this House made by the gentleman
from Maine. The gentlemans charge was
general one, that ex-confederates had voted
against the pensioning of Union soldiers. The
gentleman had stated that this was in
pursuance of the declaration which had
been made some years ago that the
democratic party would never cease until
the last vestige of war legislation had been
wiped from the statute books. That
charge had been made against Mr. Black
burn OF Kentucky when he was member of
this body-the charge that he had made use
OF that expression But that charge had been
denied by Mr.. Blackburn, and he (Mr. Oates)
defied the gentleman to find such a remark in
the Congressional Record.
Mr.. Boutelle said that he did not remember
who it was that had made the remark
Mr.. Oates replied that he did remember the
circumstance alluded to, and he put the denial
of Mr.. Blackburn against the charge Of the
gentleman from Maine.
Mr.. Boutelle stated that he had used it only
as illustrating the attitude of the democratic
party today.
Mr.. Oates it was false.
Mr.. BOutelle-I would not say that
Mr.. Oates, continuing. said that the other
charges Of the gentleman were equally unfor-
tunate and lily founded. The gentle
man had stated that the democrats
had refused to put Gen. Grant on
the retired list during his last illness. They
had done nothing of the kind. When the bill
came up General Grant was not ill
And the gentleman knew that the OPP
position was not opposition to Gen.
Grant whom all ex-confederates admired as a
soldier, but opposition to the principle of re-
Installing any man who had resigned
from the army in order to take
a civil position. No gentleman could
charge him or any other ex-confederate of
opposing a proper pension to any Union SOL
der who was worthy of a pension. He
would not follow the gentleman from Maine
in his TRADE. The gentleman was in
his personal relations genial and pleasant, and
he was sorry the gentleman should have seen
proper to make such TRADE as he had. He
regretted that the gentleman had exhibited the
| "bloody shirt to the House.