The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-06
THE PENSION POLICY.
MEMBRRs or THE HOUSE FIoHTISG
THE VAR CVER hGAIN.
Hepburn aud old Joe Cannon Attack the
Administration and Enloe, Baldwin
and Black Defend #.

ond year of thc JSd Congress al noon TO-
dsy with prayer by Dwight J.. Moody. the
evangelist. There was good attendance
of members. and the prayer was listened
To- attcniively.
On motion OF Mr. Richardson Oem.,
Tenn. Senate resolution was passed ap-
Iropaaung $500 for the publication OF
the correspondence submitted 60 Congress
since January iJ on Hawaiian ahalrs'
with au amendment placing the pubilcd-
tion in charse OF the Secretary OF state
instead of the Committee ON Foreign he-
lati0ns
The bin to enable New Mexico 20 be
come a state. which was called up by
Nf. Joseph Opem. Nov Mexico, imfne-
diateiy developed opposition. Mr.. cannon
Rep.. ND demanded "a second count ana
faucrs we're ordered. The Republicans
refrained from voting. and the result was
I26 yeas. one nay 40 quorum having APP
pcartd. SIR. Joseph withdrew his motion
Mr. DNcl dem. Mass) called up the
regular order the pension appropriation
hll-and Mr.. pollivcr (Rep.. Iowa. ad-
dressed the House ON its provisions. crit
ilizne the present administration OF
the Pension office
Hepbarn's Reflections Upon the south.
,
f.0n 0f the representatives Of the eleven
lafe Confederate States" for their OPP
position 20 liberal pensions Not one Of
these States. he said. contributed "a dol
nr-nOt even "a nickel-tO the pension
r0l The late Confederate States con-
tribute but small proportion to the
expenses Of the Government. I'm all tho
ports OF the United States $lN.WO0)O was
collected, and Of this vast sum the late
confederate States contributed but 5000,
N1
1ir Livingston (Ga) and Mr.. Enloe
'Ienn) objected 90 some Of Mr.. Hep
burns statements. on the SOuth's proper
ton Of contribution TO the Governments
expenses. and Mr.. Hepburn admitted mat
fere was justice I'm the objection. A
large proportion of the Southern people,
ho slid. wore cheap cotton; a large pro-
portion went barefoot. and did not have
fl wear shoes. This was on account of
fle climate and they were not obliged to
pay duty on imported goods. But the
people Of the States i'm favor of granting
U.n IONS contributed nearly all the eX-
Ie0ses Of the Government. and now the
people Of the late Confederate States
wanted 10 know what the people OF other
States should do with their own money.
The Confederate States did not contri-
butte fo the pension roll. Appause)
f.e present administration was opposed
f1 % liberal pension policy. and the first
proof was that Grover Cleveland was
President OF the United States. He had
Ioed d. bin granting pensions TO deserv-
ing men and had coupled his veto with
many Insulting expressions TO Old soi-
d.ers The selection of Hoke Smith 10
administer pensions was another evidence
of hostility.
Mr Smith was referred to IN sarcastic
terms. dul tHo reading OF MIS- blOsi dphy
from the Congressional Directory, which
Air. Hepburn limited was prepared By the
subject himself. created much laughter
among the Republicans. particularly the
detailed account of Mr.. Smiths law study
Secretary Hoke Smith. he held, was un-
DO 20 administer the great Office he had.
lie had been brought up under Influences
opposed to the ola soldiers and those IN
fuences dominated him in bis pension
policy. Another evidence OF hostility 10
pensions was the change in the eXamin-
iue boards Now men thousands Of miles
away examined the cases Of pensioners,
the boards of physicians who had made
personal examinations of applicants had
been done away with. 10 was the inten-
tIOn OF this administration not 10 allow
any pensions during This fiscal year.
a controversy took place between
Aleszrs. Hepburn and Talbert ODem., ;.
CD over "a statement of AIR. Hepburn $
that il The Democrats believed their
charges that the pension roll was running
over with fraud were true they would
Doe only 700 glad TO investigate Mr. Tai
bert objected 20 this statement. and he
and AIR. Hepburn played give and take
for several minutes during which there
Was much confusion. order was finally
restored and SIR Hepburn resumed.
SIR. EnIoe Defends the Administration.
Mr. Enloe Tenn) took an opposite view
from the preceding speaker He said there
was "a large amount of money involved.
large number Of votes involved, in the
pension question. and IL opened up "a
chance for demagogues 10 exercise their
vocation. He defended the Secretary of
the Interior and It's pension policy. lie
conteuded that Justice had actuated every
suspension OF pensions Since the begin
ming of the Cleveland administration until
February 9th last 5O3 cases of fraud I'm
pensions had been discovered 10y the Pen
sion Office. and AZ convictions had been
obtained.
A large part Of Mr.. Enloe's argument
was devoted 10 Company IT." of the iS4th
ohio Regiment The members Of this
company he said. who had not partlcl-
pated in any Of the battles OF the war,
Rad alleged more disability IN their ap-
pHcatlon for pensions than ala the MEM
bers of the Seventeenth Kentucky Reei-
ment. which had served three and four
years and participated In nfteen battles
This regiment was being investigated by
the Pension Ofiice said Mr.. EnlOe ana
with this statement as basis he pro-
ceeded 20 defend the methods OF the
present Commissioner Of Pensions in pro
scouting fraudulent applicants. When
Mr. Enloe said the Raum administration
Lad changed the character Of the pension
examining boards. he was met with
storm of protests from Republicans. Mr.
Mi.uken Rep. Me) said the policy or
changing the present complexion of medi-
cal boards began under the first Cleveland
administration. and WAS continued by
General Raum.
Mr. Enl0e also made the accusation
That persons employed in the Pension
Office were In sympathy with the last ad-
muistrdtlon. and had rejected deserving
applications for pensions I'm order 10
injuro the administration. He knew OF
such case OF his own knowledge.
lH conclusion. Mr.. Enloe In reply 10
tne criticism Of Mr.. Hepburn and others,
wished 70 say that he had as much
right 10 speak on the pension question
as had any other member on the floor.
10 Ola not matter whether he was too
young TO 10 into the war, nor did it
matter what section he came from, he
had the right TO speak on any question
that concerned the people He was there
70 protect the tax payers Of the country
10 stop fraud, and that was not only
the position Of the commissioner OF the
pensions and the Secretary OF the Inter
ior but Of the President himself.
Mr. Baldwin Dem, Mimi. had hoped