Evening journal., 1894-03-07
General sicIIes SCORES Locbren.

WASHINGTON, March THE debate on
the pension appropriation bill was contin-
ued in the house, the feature of the day be-
ing General SicSles' speech criticising the
action of Commissioner Lochren.
Mr.. Sickles had read an extract from Mr..
Cleveland's letter of acceptance of the
presidential nomination, saying that the
debt due the defenders of the Union should
be ungrudgingly discharged. Upon that
pledge to the soldiers the Democratic party
stood and won the political victory. The
pension system commanded the approval
Of all parties and all sections. Justice TO
the Union soldiers was the one thing upon
which all were united. This country paid
ont last year a larger sum in pensions than
any other country had ever paid.
The criticism Of the pension laws was
not that they were not supported by all
parties, but was confined TO the execution
oi those laws in the pension bureau. The
secretary of the interior should exercise a
watchful and patient supervision of that
bureau, and the president of the United
States should see to it that there was a full
fillment of the patriotic and wise senh-
ments enunciated in his letter Of accept
ance
He was not able to agree with the com
probation of the law or his manner Of trent
ing the legislation of congress. The COM
missioner had characterized the act Of Dec.
%, 1893, in which congress declared pen
sion to be vested right" as 'inept, in
accurate and inappropriate" That was
not a decorous way of treating an act of
congress, and his superior officer should
| have returned it to him with the admoni-
| tion to treat congress with more respect.
| lRepublcan applause Besides, he con-
tinued Commissioner Lochren was as de
| fectiye in his law as in his manner. Re
newed Republican applause.l He had
only to 60 to his law dictionary to find
what was a right and what a vested right
/ A right was a well founded claim; a vested
| right, right to present enjoyment. The
pension was a vested right conferred by
law. Yet an army of 1900 men had been
deprived of that enjoyment by an official
of the government.
MIR. Siclies read from the law to show
that i'm suspending these pensions the COM
missioner had been guilty of nisdcmean-
or. He heartily indorsed the declaratory
statute of Dec %, 1898, and insisted that il
ought to stand.
An agreement was reached whereby the
debate on the bill will close at 3 O'Clock
| this afternoon. Before the debate began
the resolution for the investigation OF
Judge Jenkins writ Of injunction against
the Northern Pacific railroad was taken M
and passed.
Some Senators Explain.
! A somewhat amusing episode enlivenet
the senate proceedings, inaugurated 10y
Senator Berrys personal explanation.
New York newspaper had included him il
group Of portraits of nine Democratic
senators whom it charged with being oh
structionists to the tariff bill. Mr. Berr,
denied that he had ever been anything bu
an earnest advocate of the bill and on al
occasions had urged its speedy report Z
the senate without modification. His ex
PLANTATION was followed by explanation
from Senators Faulkner, Call, McLaurh
and Morgan, which led TO much amuse
mcnt in the senate chamber.
The main interest of the day centerel
about the discussion as to the disposal O
the Bland bill Mr. Stewart gave motto
that today at 2 o'clock he would move {
take it up and make it the business befor
, the senate until disposed of. Mr.. Telle
also spoke on the same subject After
brief executive session the senate ac
iourned.