The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-15
Speeches by Grosvenor and sickIes,
Critfcising the Administration and
q Tilt Between Picker and Dunn.
CARLISLE'S BILL CRITICISED
SAID TO BE A COMPROMISE THAT
DOES NOT SATISFY ANY ONE.
To he Reported without Amendment
Five Millions in Gold Withdrawn
cleveland Snubbed by the Porte.

WASHINGTON, Dec 1.-THE time of the
House was consumed to-day with debate
on the pension appropriation bill, and al
though it abounded in charges and counter
charges, Ii lacked interesting detail The
bill carries $14l. .Ss1 $40 and was passed with
out amendment. The Hit resolution of
inquiry, calling on the Secretary of State
for the correspondence relating TO the pay
ment OF $i25000 to the bill in connection
with the fur seal controversy was adopted
The evening session was devoted to consid-
GRAFTON of private pension bills and the
House adjourned until Monday.
There was no preliminary business to-
day, and after the opening exercises the
House went into committee of the whole
on the pension appropriation bill Mr.. Gros-
venor, of Ohio, took the floor and delivered
speech of an hour, in which he criticized
the attitude of the Pension Office toward
the pensioner and pension claimant He
viewed the policy of the Office, detailing the
evidence Of alleged hostility towards the
soldier and citing many instances of in
justice. Mr.. Morse and Mr.. Lacey followed
in the same strain.
Mr.. Sickles expressed his disgust with
the frequent recurrence in the Presidents
message and in the report of the Secretary
Of the Interior and Commissioner of PEN
sions charges of fraud in the pension roll.
For the last time probably before his retire
ment from Congress he said he desired to
defend his old comrades from this slander
With almost a million names on the roll
and s15O,0ooOoO disbursed in pensions annu-
ally, he declared that the fraud discovered
was utterly insignificant and should be a
subject OF self-congratulation to every sol
II want to reply once for all to the
charges from the other side" said Mr..
Picker that the pension roll IS roll Of
dishonor"
"who on this side has ever made such a
statementT' asked Mr.. Dunn.
"A great many"
who? Name one." came in chorus from
the Democratic side.
81 refer you TO the record" replied Mr..
II have no time to look through the rec
ord" persisted Mr.. Dunn. Name one"
poded T farf Peer eG eras what os
President OF the United States say? He
Is always talking of purging the rolls OF
than that?" Mr.. Pickler went on 10 de-
tail the result of the Pension Office purglng
which. he declared. had resulted in but
You would not deprive the government
of the means TO discovering even thirty
nine frauds. would you? asked Mr.. Dunn,
returning to the attack.
Certainly not" said Mr.. Picker.
torted Mr. Dunn, sarcastically.
THE report of the Commissioner of Pen
sions and the message of the President
show they are demagogues,' returned Mr..
Pickler, hotly.
.sI wish To God you were half as good a
man as either" said Mr.. Dunn.
"Of course neither / or any of US could
approach the gentleman from New Jer-
sey." replied Mr.. Pickler. ironically.
Either I'm virtue or lofty craftsmanship"
II am glad you Judge yourself rightly"
said Mr.. Dunn. This parting shot was
greeted with laughter and the colloquy
ended.
The general debate proceeded without
marked incident Messrs. Baker Of SaW