The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-03-13
PENSIONS FOR THE FEDERALs.
A BITTER DISCUSSION ENDED.
One Hundred and Fifty Millions of
Dollars Appropriated for Pensions.

prlatlons Mr. Binghams resolution
asking the Sc etary of the Treasury
to inform the House under what
authority the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing submitted bid for print,
ing postage stamps, with favorable
recommendation and it was passed.
Mr.. Henderson (Dem. of North Caro-
lima, reported from the Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads Mr.. Bing-
hams resolution asking the Post
master General to give the House all
the information in his department
respecting the bids for printing post
age stamps the award of the contract :
and it was also passed.
AT the beginning of tho discussion
OF pension bills Mr.. Waugh (Dem. of
Indiana, stated that Deputy Commits
sioner Bell had written him letter
denying the truth of the interview
and quoted by him (Waugh) in his
speech, in which Mr.. Bell was made
TO say that the expenditures for pen
slons in the year 1894 would be $25 ,OOO,-
600 less than for the current year and
that before the Cleveland administra-
tion closed the annual expenditures
on account of the pensions would be
reduced to 800, ,O0O,0 600 a year.
Mr.. Hudson (Pop.) of Kansas, said
the real reason why the House indulg-
ed in this annual debate was the old
soldier had u vote. Tho pension oues-
tlon. he said, should be taken out of
politics.
Mr.. Russell (Dem. of Georgia, said
he had received notice that the colored
brother was to be relegated to the rear
and that the Republican party would
lire the Northern heart with their ap-
peals on this pension question Re-
ferrlng to the statements that the
Southern States did not pay ANYTHING
for pensions, Mr.. Russell said tho
States should take the pension in their
own hands. The answer the country
made to the charges against President
C!eveiand's pension vetocs was to give
him the largest majority in 1892 ever
given to any candidate for the Presi-
dcncy in the history of the country.
he said, was that the pension laws be
equitably administered
In the further course of his remarks
Mr.. Russell was interrupted by Mr..
Wilson (Rep.) of Ohio, who asked if
Secretary Smiths father served in the
Confederate army.
believe not" said Mr.. Russell.
Well, did he have any relations in
the army ?" asked Mr.. Wilson.
One relative he had" answered
Mr.. Russell, whose name stands as
high, probably, as that of any man
who gave his energies and his fortune
to the Confederacy-Gen. Hoke, of
North Carolina, whose illustrious name
the Secretary bears"
Mr.. Wilson'S Was the Secretary
in sympathy with the Confedcracy 2"
Mr.. Russell" Well, the Secretary
was seven years old at the time the
war broke out, and in common with
every seven year old child in the
South, was entirely in sympathy with
the Confederacy."
Mr.. Springer charged that the pen
sion bureau had been used by the Re-
publican party to effect the vote in
Ohio and Indiana which were doubt
full States.
Mr.. O'Ncill (Dem. of Massachusetts,
IN charge OF the bill, closed the
general debate. He reviewed the pre-
vious speeches by Republicans and
replied to their several criticisms of
and charges against the bureau. The
cause OF the great sudden decrease of
the issue of pension certificates, he
said, was decision made by Assistant
Secretary of Internal Revenue Bussey,
OF the present administration, which
reduced the allowance of a certain
class of certificates five per cent. On
the question of the value of allowances
made by the bureau Mr.. ONeill said
that the average monthly payment Of
| certificates issued in the last years of
Raum's administration was $091,
while OF those issued in the first ten
months OF LOchren's administration
was $lO.O8 The close of Mr.. O'Neill's
speech was an eloquent eulogy upon
the character and services of Gen.
Black, the ex-Commissioner Commits
| sloner Lochren, Secretary Smith, and
President Cleveland, a presentation of
the Dill as generous expression of the
Democratic party on the subject of
| pensions.
The bill then came up for considera-
tiOn under the five minute rule and for
| amendment.
Three amendments were ruled out
on points of order. The fourth gave
| rise to debate. 1t was offered by Mr..
| Grosvenor (Rep.) of Ohio, to increase
the amount of the bill from $3.50, ,OOO,-
600 to $l65, 100000 -
Mr.. Henderson (Rep.) of Iowa, caused
something of sensation by referring
to the speech Of Mr.. Black Dem. OF
Illinois. He said that the gentleman
had stood here with boquet of
rhetoric in one hand to attract the
votes OF soldiers, while in his other,
| his withered one. he held dagger to
drive at their hearts.
What cantrast he bore" said
Mr.. Henderson, TO that other dis
tinguished veteran, Gen. Sickles, of
New York, who spoke for the old
soldier and who, he doubted not,
stood discredited with the Democratic
J party for the speech. Honorable scars
, should not DO used, said Mr.. Hendcr-
) son as a cover under which to attack
men as honorable as he who bears
them.
" was determined" said Mr.. Hen
derson, that this debate should not
close without at least one voice to cry
shame upon him who led a column
in attack upon the soldiers on the pen
sion roll"
Mr.. Henderson said not scintilla
OF evidence had been produced tC
prove the charge Of fraud against the
pension list and yet it had been Sc
often and so loudly made by the Demo.
Gratis that many people really believed
1T to be rotten roll. Mr.. Henderson
appeared to the Democrats to unite
with the Republicans in support OF
pension appropriations which ought
not to be considered or treated as a
partisan question.
Mr.. Enloe (Dem.) of Tennessee, tc
whom Mr.. Henderson had referred in
his remarks, said the gentleman from
! Illinois (Black) had been successful in
drawing the fire OF all the gentlemen
on the other sidp uhn bo1 NOT dove