Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-16
IN THE HOUSE TODAY.
Mr.. Cannon Attacks the Pension
Bureau Administration.
THE GREAT SAVING THAT Is CLAIMED
He Shows to Be but Very Small
Indeed.
CONSTRUCTION OF ORDER 1874

The Speaker laid before the House the
House bill with Senate amendments to
provide for three assistant justices of the
Supreme Court Of the territory Of Okla
homa- Mr.. Culberson CTex), chairman Of
the judiciary committee, moved that the
Senate amendments, which reduce the
number Of assistant justices to two. be
concurred In and the bill was sent to the
President for approval
Early in the morning hour Mr.. Breckin-
ridge Ry) called up the urgent deficiency
bill and asked that the first reading of the
bill be dispensed with. to which there was
no objection. The House went into COM
mittee Of the whole upon the bill with Mr..
Hatch CMo) in tine chair. and Mr.. Cannon
took the floor and as predicted in The Star
several days ago attacked the administra-
tons policy Of suspending pensions pend
ing examinations for fraud.
ME-. Cannon on the Pension Adminfs-
tratfon.
Mr.. Cannon stated that the commissioner
Of pensions and various chiefs of divisions
Of the pension Office had been called before
the committee on appropriations and asked
many questions In regard to the conduct Of
business. The commissioner of pensions
stated that the actual saving resulting
from the Investigations for fraud since May
!. when that ruling Of Commissioners
Loughran went into effect was something
over 100000. On cross-examination It ap-
peared that substantially all Of this million
was counted a. q saving because certain
claims which had never been allowed and
never would have been allowed because
they would not have been granted q special
examination were specially examined and
disallowed On cross-examination IL appears
hot Ia L. 4A
during this period was only $S1 600
Mr.. Dingiey (Me) asked whether the
81 900 included the reductions as well as
the disallowances for fraud.
Certainly" replied Mr.. Cannon. Con-
tinuing, he said that the commissioner Of
pensions had stated that in the conduct Of
the business Of his office. which disburses
from $150,0OO.OO0 to $16O,OOO,O 900 to over a
million people, there was no more fraud
than in the ordinary conduct Of business In
the courts.
Order No. 184.
Mr.. Enloe CTenn) asked Mr. Cannon who
had changed the construction Of order No
1884,
Mr.. Cannon replied that it was done by
the present commissioner of pensions and
the present Secretary of the Interior.
The Fifty-nrst Congress has made two
appropriations, certainly one. to meet the
requirements OF this. and appropriated $780,
OO0OOO for pensions, large portion Of
which were adjudicated under that law
When the Fifty-second Congress came In.
with its li0 democratic majority IN the
House OF Representatives. that Congress
appropriated the money to meet the require
ments Of this law, and did II with the ap-
prevail OF the democratic House. But in tie
appropriation bill of the Fifty-second Con-
gress were certain amendments. which re-
voked rule 164 promulgated during the ad-
ministration Of President Harrison, which
affected 100000 pensioners; that the demo-
House n fha and
ments and they were stricken out of the bin.
An Act Akin to a Crime.
But in May, 1898, with William Loughlan,
commissioner Of pensions. Hoke Smith, Sec
rotary of the Interior, and Grover Cleve-
land. President of the United States, the
pension Office made haste to revoke this
order. No. 1874. thus cutting of about 4O0. 600
pensioners. and had thus committed an act
which was kin to crime. 30
Mr.. Cannon believed that a man seventy
five years Of age was entitled to q pension
and should be put on the list without con-
troversy. He believed that rs per cent OF
the men Of that age who have gone through
the war are physically and mentally dis
abled.
Mr.. Morse CMass) said he had the applica-
ton Of man of forty-eight years OF age that
Mr.. Cannon said he had no doubt of It.
but stated that seventy-five years did not
necessarily imply physical incapability. and
In support OF this assertion he pointed to
Mr.. Bundy. Representative from Ohio,
who Is seventy-six years Of age, and to SEN
ator Palmer from his own state of Illinois.
seventy-five years Of age. who are able to
discharge their duties and keep abreast with
the youngest.
Mr.. Enloe asked whether a man who was
entitled to pension under the laws Of 1890
should take precedence Of one whose disa-
bilities were Of service origin.
His Time Extended.
By unanimous cor sent, Mr.. Cannon's
time was extended in order that he might
have an opportunity to further discuss the
urgent deficiency bill. He made COM
parison between seven months Of the Baum
and Lochren administrations. He denied
any intention Of attacking the pension
Office, but he would attack the atmosphere
that was in the office.
Mr.. Cannon. in concluding his remarks on
the urgency deficiency bill, said that there
were over 100000 cases now awaiting ad-
judication under the act of $780, and 400 600
cases already passed upon were placed In
jeopardy. He thought representatives in
Congress and people throughout the country
should raise such a thunder around the ears
pause In its course Of injustice to the soldier
MIR. Livingston's Defense.
Mr.. Livingston (Ga.) defended the admin
istration. He read list of trials and con-
victions Of those who had fraudulently OBJ
tanned pensions. and referred to the large
number Of cases which had recently been
discovered in Virginia. He thought that no
reasonable exception could be taken to the
language contained in the Presidents mes
sage. He then discussed order 164 and its
application, and defended Secretary Smith.
James I. King Dead.
The many friends of James I. King the
well-known florist, will regret to learn of
his death. which occurred at his home, 1859
H street northeast, this morning, from pneu-
monia. Mr.. King was one Of the oldest in
babitants of Washington, ard at one time
was the owner of Long Meadows the large
tract of land extending from the toll gate
to Mt. Ohvet cemetery on the Bladensburg
turnpike. BY the fluctuations of. fortune,
however. he was deprived of all OF this