The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-24
MR.. OATES REPORT.
Recommends Restoration to the Rolls
of Certain Former Pensioners.

OF certain EOrm6f pensioners.
Washington, Sept. Representative
Oates of Alabama to-day submitted to the
House the report of the judiciary COM
mittee recommending the passage of his
bill sGspending the operation of the stat
utes requiring proof of loyalty in the pen
sion cases The report states that soon
after the war of the rebellion the names
OF all prersOns residing in the seeding
states who were receiving pensions were
dropped from the rolls on account Of their
supposed disloyalty, as they were cit
izens and residents of the territory over
which the so-called rebellion extended,
These former pensioners are now very
few in number, and are from 20 to 30
years old. Such of them as could make
the quantum of proof required were re-
stored to the rolls with back pay.
WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS TO 10.
Very few could make such proof, be-
cause one Of the sections requires that
the proof must establish open acts and
affirmative declaration Of loyalty during
the war. They require proof, continues
The report of acts which, had they been
performed nearly anywhere within the
limits of the then confederate government,
would have almost certainly insured the
Imprisonment of any one who thus mani
tested his loyalty. Some of these were
union men at heart, who were prudent
enough to be quiet and to say nothing
These are as unable TO make the proof
required by these sections as those who
were disloyal, while others, classed as
disloyal, were mere sympathi2ers with
the cOnfederacy, or aided and assisted
their kindred who were in the army. The
bill proposes TO relieve these Of proof of
affirmative acts of loyalty and to allow
them in their old age and decrepitude to
be restored TO the pension rolls, but gives
no back pay.
TWO HOURS EXECUTIVE SESSION,
The subject of two hours executive
session was limited at when Mr.. Jones Of
Arkansas, chairman of the committee on
Indian affairs, said by way of argu-
ment in favor of the session and to in
duce others inclined to be antagonistic to
agree with him, that there was some
business before the Senate upon which
one Of the executive departments desired
as speedy action as possible. IJ was
noted, however, that when the session
was concluded speedy action
had been denied The subject
before the Senate was the appointments
made to Indian agencies by the President
in the states of Minnesota, Nevada, North
Dakota and Idaho. The struggle that
merely transferred to the full Senate, but
with poor success Many of these ap-
pointments are those of men who don't
reside in the states whore the agencies
are located.
MUCH WORRIED OVER THE PLATFORM.
Republicans have called attention to the
fact that this is in open violation of the
home rule plank of the democratic plat
form, and arguments were made on
the floor to-day that these nominations
should be in accordance with that plat
form. Republican senator's laid parUicu-
lar stress upon the fact that all these
changes had been made in republican
states, where republican officials had
been removed without cause before their
terms expired, and their successors had
been men from without the state.
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY.
The committee on Indian affairs is com
posed Of eleven members, five of whom
are democrats and five republicans. The
eleventh man is Mr.. Stewart of Nevada,
who has always been republican, but is
by common consent now placed as pop
ulist, and recognized in the assignment of
committees by the majority as not being
an active republican. In this matter he
is credited with having acted with the
republicans, which gave them a
mdJOFlby OF Jne committee. A
number of speeches are said to
have been made, in which some deme-
Gratis defended the right of appointment
on the part Of the executive, regardless
of his party platform, while, ON the other
hand, this right was vigorously assailed
by republican senators whose states were
affected After the discussing had con-
tinued for some time it became evident
that definite action could not be had to-
day, and after confirming a batch of
nominations, the Senate adjourned.
UNCLE SAM WAS RIGHT.