Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-27
The Sundry Civil Bill Senate Amend
ments Non-Concurred In.
HOUSE CONFEREES APPOINTED
A Wide Latitude Allowed in the
Debate Today.
PEN SION APPROPRIATIONS
The Bill Considered in the Senate
This Afternoon.
SENATE.

The credentials of James Smith, IT,, as Sena-
tor from the state Of New Jersey in place Of
Senator Blodgett were presented, read and
placed on file.
The agricultural appropriation bill was re-
ported and placed on the calendar.
resolution was offered by Mr.. Quay pa. )call-
ing on the Secretary of War for copies Of all
papers and documents relating to proposals for
the improvement Of Philadelphia harbor, and
directing him to suspend action thereon until
they have been received and considered by the
Senate.
Mr.. Call Ella introduced joint resolution to
suspend approval of lists of swamp and over
flowed public lands in Florida until further
action Of Congress and asked for its passage.
After considerable discussion Mr.. Stewart
(Ney insisted that the pension appropriation
bill had the right of way and that the Joint
luton should be referred Against that action
Mr.. Call protested earnestly. charging that
the approval of lists of those lands in Florida
was fraudulent and was the result of corrupt
methods. The reference Of the joint resolution
would, he said. kill it. and continue the fraud
complained Of. Objection to the resolution was
IN the interest of land spectators and conspira-
tors. The question was taken on the motion to
refer to the committee on public lands and the
motion was defeated: Yeas. IS; nays, 81.
MIR. Wolcott said that he had no knowl-
edge on the subject of the joint resolution.
He did not know the names of the railroad
companies which it affected. He did not know
the location of the lands. He had never been
in Florida but once. and if the Lord for
gave him. he would never be there again.
[Laughter.l He understood. however, that
there was sort Of quarrel between railroad
companies in Florida and some gentlemen who
wanted to come to the Senate from that state
But he knew that the proposition was an
interference with the due and intelligent ad-
ministration of law and without any sort of ex-
planation-nothing but the vaguest statements.
NJ. Call replied to Mr.. Wolcoott and ex-
pressed his regret (sarcastically) at the loss
which Florida had sustained by that Senator s
visiting the state only once, and
threatening never to visit it again. The people
of that state. he said, would have to bear the
ills of life as best they could He thought they
wonld survive without the presence of any
Senator who defended fraudulent conspirators
and INSCRIPTIONS spectators.
The joint resolution went over without &C.
ton.
THE PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL.
The pension appropriation bill was then taken
up, and Mr.. German (Md) call attention to
the fact that bill appropriating over $780,
GOO, 900 was being run through the Senate with
very few Senators giving any notice to it.
Acting on that hint a call of the Senate was
ordeerd Cat the suggestion of Mr.. Chandler },
and slXty-seven Senators responded:
Mr.. German resumed the floor. He read
from the report of the commissioner of PEN
sions, showing that on the lst Of June last
there were $4,000 pensioners borne on the
rolls. 1t was perfectly safe to say, and the
country ought to know the fact. that the
estimates of the commissioner were a mere
guess to the number of pensioners that
would be added to the list this year. and it was
beyond question that there would be at the end
of the fiscal year on the 30th of June next a
deficiency of from $4,000. 900 to S2O,0 900.
The es innate of the commissioner was that,
in case the adjustment Of pensions went on
as rapidly as it had been going. the pension
from S1SS, 900 900 to $3.50 0OO. 900; and that be-
fore June 80, 1894, there would be
100000 pensioners borne on the rolls.
As to the reduction of pension expen-
ditures by a change Of law that (Mr. Cor
man said was great question which he did
hereafter. He suggested that there should be
provision for the employment of skilled
actuaries in the pension Office.
Mr.. Mcpherson On. j. asked what better
time there was than the present to start in that
matter.
Mr. German said he could not fail to take
notice of the fact that there had been
an overwhelming vote in the House
against any change in the pension laws.
The fact w9s (as had been stated
last week bv the Senator from Illinois. Mr..
Palmer that there had been a rivalry between
the two great political parties to see
how far they could go in the mat
ter of pension legislation. All that
he (Mr. Gorman) desired to do was to call the
attention Of the Senate and the people to the
fact that with the present condition of
the pension laws, Congress would
be powerless at the next session
Gas it was at this) to reduce pension appropria-
tons to any extent, until the question was
taken up by the pension committees and until
legislation was had for reduction Of pensions.
Mr.. Cullom (nD. In your own Judgment is
it not better that the general subject should be
taken up by the pension committees, and that
they should report such legislation as they
deem wise. rather than have any change of law
put on the appropriation bill?
Mr.. Gorman-I am decidedly Of that opinion.
After some further discussion the bill was
passed without amendment.
The conference report on the Military Acad-
emy bill was presented and agreed to.
House bill to grant to the Gainesville, Nc
/ Allister and st. Louis Railroad Company q
right Of way through the Indian territory was
taken from the calendar and passed.
4 conference was ordered on tho sundry civil
appropriation bill. and Messrs. Allison, Hale
and German were appointed conferees on the
part of the Senate.
The Senate resumed consideration of House
bill re gulating the sale of Intoxicating liquors
in the District Of Columbia.
HOUSE.
demand for the regular order" made by
Mr.. Simpson (Kan.), blasted the hopes Of q
number Of gentlemen who had congregated in