The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-02-13
A HEAVY BILL.
The House Discussing The An
nuaI Appropriation.
The Invalid Pension Bin Carries With
It the Greatest


wAsunxoTox, Feb 12--After the
routine business had been disposed Of
the house proceeded In committee Of
the whole, gMr Wilson. 81 West Vir-
cinia, III the chair)s 10 the considera-
ton Of the invalid pension approprla-
tion bill. Mr.. Mntchler in charge 81
the bill, stated that the appropriation
recommended WAS Si0U, 4oO, 00o- Twas
proposed to amend the measure 80 that
that appropriation would be reduced 70
sl66. O00, 900 The bill carried about
a. 000. 900 In excess of the amount that
would be expended during the cur
rent fiscal year, This was the
heaviest appropriation bin that had
ever been before an American
congress Oniy three years 10 the
history Of the government were
the expenditures for a single year
greater than would be the expenditures
during the next fiscal year The com
mittce on appropriations had concluded
that there should be some retrench-
ment; that reform in the granting Of
pensions must begin somewhere and
that the time had come when that re-
form should be inaugurated, ~ was
not the desire Of the committee TO de-
prive any union soldier who was de
serving Of pension, Of any pension
| that he now received. There was MOTH
| ing in thesbili that would take penny
from any pension that had been grant.
ed 10 deserving soldier.
The committee had recommended
several amendments, which u thought
would institute reform. The first
and he thought the most Important
was that providing for the transfer q
| the pension bureau from the interior to
! the war department Such transfer
would lessen the amount Of money APP
propriated for pensions, and would not
deprive a single deserving soldier Of the
pension which he now had or which ne
might hereafter obtain; The pension
bureau could not be taken out Of the
arena Of politics till twas put where
| politicaI influence did not count Mr.
| Mutchler then proceeded to argue IN
support Of the changes in the pension
laws recommended by the committee on
appropriations There were, BE- said.
4 thousands and many thousands OF
men who we're on the pension rolls To-
1 day who had made more money dpring
the three months Of their enlistment
i than they had ever earned before or
since, and yet who had never heard the
j whistle OF the bullet or the roar of ar
tillery. AS to the proposition that no
4 pension shall be paid TO q nonresident
| who is not d citizen Of the United
States, except for actual disabilities, he
said that he did not desire TO see any
a
been injured in fighting for the preser-
walton Of the union. But foreigner
i who had never gone into battle, but
i who had gone home with his pocket
full Of money. ought not 70 be put On
an equality with the American citizen
TO support such a man abroad was an
outrage.
Mr.. Gront admitted that the amount
/ Of money required for the payment OF
pensions was a large one. Hnt it must
be remem bered that the bulk Of II was
for invalid veterans or for widows 81
men who had laid down their lives for
i their country. He was opposed 70 the
transfer of the pension bureau as pro-
posed by the bill He did not think
shat such a transfer would take the
bureau out Of the domain Of politics.
Il But he did believe that an appropriate
amendment could be framed ID that
line which would be beneficial 70 the
pensioner.
Without closing the general debate
q the committee rose, and the house took
recess-the evening session to be for
II the consideration of private pension
bills.