New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-17

N n, NJ p,cr,er naep. g. d. and Mr.. Ding
ley Rep. Me- The latter was 80 pelsisleh,
In his Interruptions that the oeDa,e seemed
likely to DEGENERATE into a personal and acri-
monous dispute The chairman endeavoreo 10
quell the disturbance and clear the aises and
reminded Mr. Dingley and Mr. Liv,hSs,on ina
room and that the chair would not allow any
such personal dialogue on the floor as they were
INDUCING in. $1,000. .,
in favor of the soldiers and in criticism OF the
Administration and the policy or the PENSION
Office in suspendng pensions pending an IN
vestigation of charges secretly brought In
Venice in the olden days there was the insti-
tuition Of the Lions Mouth in which charges
against any one might be secretly cropped, anu anu
the charges would be examined secretly. In our
day there was no Lions Mouth, but the let
ter-boxes answered the same purpose. ana
charges sent secretly by mail were investigated.
and pending an investigation. the pensioners
were suspended. Several months ago this Ad-
mnistration had secretly sent out paramount
commissioner to investigate matter OF interna-
tional importance in which the people OF the
United States were intensely Interested; ana
now it proposed to send out several thou
sand paramount commissioners secretly TO
search for frauds Dogenes went about with
a lantern searching for an honest man; but the
Pension Office was going about with lantern
searching for dishonest man.
ONLY ONE FRAUD CITED.
In speaking Of the disability pension law. Mr..
Lacey said that. no matter whether man was
a lawyer or minister, if he was disabled from
performing manual labor he was entitled TO
disability pension just much as one who
depended upon his labor for his living. There
had been many charges Of frauds. he said. but
he would Ike any gentleman on the moor 10
instance. If he could. any cases occurring In his
district
After few minutes delay. Mr.. Livingston
Dem Ca stated that he knew OF a case OF
fraud in his district
Good" said Mr. Lacey; I'VE have one case
n Georgia-One out of many thousands.
But what is fraud In Georgia may wear differ
ent aspect in Illinois or Iowa; and it was just
possible that the gentleman from Georgia might
regard any man who helped to put down the
Rebellion having been guilty OF fraud IN
1859 he said, the boys went marching through
Georgia; in 1882 Georgia goes marching through
the boys" daughter and applause on the Ke-
publican side)
was most applicable to the case. and he Endorsed
the statement that the temperature of the Pen
sion Office twenty degrees below normal
1T is a chilly day when Congressman goes
into the Pension Office now to look after the
interests of a constituent" said Mr.. Lacey. lie
would see a big stack of papers. and II he asked
what they were he would learn that they were
applications OF men which were being fcld IN
while they were trying to find ont whether these
men crawled in under the tent instead OF pay
ing admission and coming in the gate
Mr. Baldwin dem, Mimi appealed to Mr..
Lacey to eliminate sentiment from the discus
sion.
matically: 'as we'll put aside patriotism. The
Pension Office built on foundation OF
Justice on the one hand and on patriotic senti-
mont on the other" (ApDause)
Mr. Enoe Dem. TENN stated that he had not
witnessed any more pitiable spectacle on this
floor than the line of defence Of the eX-Union
soldier adopted by Mr.. Lacey. He did not sup
pose there was an honest ex-Union soldiel IN
the country who would stand up and cefend
fraud and object to an investigation III con-
clllson. he said that no more injurious law
had ever been framed than the law OF July l,
1890
LIBEL on THE VETERANS
Mr. Morse Rep Mass) said that he was
surprised at the statement made in the Presi-
dents last message that there were numbers OF
fra udulent pensioners living in every community.
He considered that statement libel on many
brave men and on the Grand Army Of the Re
public ard he repudiated the statement He
said that the Democrats were too cowardly TO
strike out pension legislation entirely. but
Knocked down one man here and another there.
They execute a pensioner first and try him
afterward" he said. If n man must be pauper
before he become a pensioncr. then he was
in favor of abolishing all pension laws and
making the pensioners paupers, dependent on the
communities, not National paupers. Mr..
Morse sent TO the clerks desk and had read the
and letters OF a number OF men
whose pensions had been dsallowcd.
At $40 the committee rose. after deciding to
Monday and that Mr. Cannon should close the
debate for the minority and Mr.. Breckenridge
for the majority. The House then adjourned.