Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-02-16
Washington Letter.
(From oar Regular Correspondcnt)
WASHINGTON. Feb. 10. 1893

w dSnlhglOn, req. ~, 1875.
Mr.. Cleveland is certainly trying
hard to dictate legislation to the present
Congress. There is good reason for the
assertion that the proposed radical
amendments to the Pension laws, which
were when first offered voted down by
the House committee on Appropriations
and this week adopted by that commit
tee, are the result of direct orders from
him. Mr.. Holman joined the republic
can members of the committee in pro-
testing and voting against these amend
ments, which are to be offered 10 the
Pension appropriation bill when it
comes up in the Louise hut they were
outvoted. These amendments are first,
for the transfer of the Pension bureau
to the War department and the detail
OF Army officers to serve as Commission
or and deputy Commissioners; second.
to suspend all pensions paid to pension
ers not disabled by wounds who have
an annual income in excess of 5000 a
year; third to suspend all pensions paid
to widows OF soldiers who we're not
married to them within FIVE years after
the close of the war; fourth, to suspend
ali pensions, except those for total dis
abilities, now paid to alien non-resi-
dents. Whatever may be done by the
next Congress it may be set down as
certain that these amendments will
never be adopted by this Congress. 1t
is believed that the purpose in offering
them is to feel the pulse of the public
on the pension question
Even the gall of Tammany Congress
men has to give way to universal public
sentiment. This was shown when the
Quarantine bin as originally passed by
the Senate came up in the House this
week. The bill was passed. notwith-
standing the attempt of Kilgore and
Antony, of Texas, to tilibuster against
its being roted upon, and has now gone
to the President, whose approval it will
promptly receive.
A majority of the House Judiciary
committee has at last agreed to the re-
port of the Homestead investigation
which was prepared by Representative
Oates, chairman of the subcommittee
which made the investigation. This re-
port will not make enjoyable reading
tor democrats editors who made the
Homestead troubles the basis for ar
tisan editorials, during the late cam
paign, for it says that the tariff had
nothing to do with the troubles, and
that the strikers were the aggressors.
It also condemns the use Of he Pinker.
tons and says that such agencies should
never be employed without consent of
the State. There are two minority re-
ports, one condemning the use of the
Pinkertons and the other an argument
in favor of compulsory state arbitration
laws.
The ease with which two or three
men tie up the House whenever they
are so disposed has created sentiment
which makes it certain that the rules
adopted by the next House will permit
the majority of the House to do BUSH
ness when it wishes TO and to sqnelch
illibustering. la fact il is common
thing to hear democrats in the Hor e
abuse the present rules and wish for
few days of the much cursed Reed rules
of the Fifty-tirst Congress.
Il is now certain that the appropria-
tons Of this Congress will be at least
$4,000, GOO in excess Of those made by
the last republican Congress. which. by
the way is no longer Sneeringly referr-