New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-08
THE PENSION BILL PASSED.
1T GOES THROUGH THE HOUSE WITH
OUT DIVISION.
AN AMENDMENT INTENDED TO REFORM CEk-
TAIN ABUSES OF ADMINISTRATION
RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE
PRESIDING OFFICER.
T3Y TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRifCNE.I

PRESIDING OFFICER.
TaY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRirCNEi
Washington March THE Pension Appropria-
| tion bill was passed by the House OF Represent
atives to-day without a division. after the Demo-
cratic chairman of the Committee Of the Whole
had ruled out a number of proposed amendments
| which, If adopted would have stopped some Oh
| the practices under the present management OF
| the Pension Bureau which throw unnecessary
and unjust obstacles in the way of honest ana
worthy claimants for pensions. and oppose pen
sioners whose names are on the rolls to dangers
which were never foreseen by the trainers Of
existing pension laws. the spirit and often the
letter OF which are daily violated by Com
missioner Lochren and his official subordinates.
One OF the most atrocious Of these pracllceS Is
that which forbids the local medical boards whlch
make personal examinations Of applicants 10Y
pensions to fix the degree Of disability ana rate
If pension. and transfers that duty to medical
examiners stationed in Washington whose WORK
Is done under the eye and supervision Of superiors
whose hostility toward pensioners and pension
claimants is Open undsguised and notorious.
one of the amendments offered and ruled out
to-day on the ground that it changed existing
lou, nv curtaing the power Of the Secretary OF
tho Interior and the Commissioner Of Pensions
IN mako all necessary rules and regula lions for
tho administration Of the Pension Bureau would
have stopped this abuse and restored the FORMER
,ractice which had worked well both for the
Government and the pensioner during more than
q quarter Of a century. The decision OF Chalr-
man Cultivate Of the Committee OF the hoIc
ruling out this amendment was clearly wrong
The debate which preceded the finai vote on '',e
BIZ! to-day was interesting and at times exceed
ingly animated. and, as on preceding ia! . ne ne
men who are opposed 70 the CieVeiahu- ii'h
c,ni,h ,c, sion policy had altogether the best OF
IL The only Union eX-soldier who mas dl'e,,p'Tu
during the entire debate 10 defend that pohe! 10
General Black, OF Illinois. who as comm
~ pensions under President Clevelands i,rst ao-
+ administration. furnished the ammunition loi nun
dreds Of pension vetoes. Not Denocrailc -
soldier who Is a member Of the Committee on III
,.oHd Pensions except Mr. Baldwin. OF Mime
sofa has said a word in defence OF ,h'' POI. ~
or Of the acts done in obedience To H. , ~ ~,
others-Martin, Of Indiana; ryan -.
Hare of Ohio; Graham, OF New o.h' anu
Fielder Of Woodworking re'1aihcu still M
- No., III me Democratic Representatives. VINO
oarvad in the Confederate Army save TWO S'Uoh-
dale Of Mississippi. and Russell. or Georgia me
latter in his speech to-day, sugBes'tu 'S'
would be better and more Just iU' az 20 10
states that were loyal during me wal Va Wv
rehellion TO make suitable provision Tor me sup
port OF it's disabled and dependent sur'noLS , W
that and the NEEDY anu 5LnaH ard I've re-
arkn Cd with some pride that this had been done
nv nearly all Of the states IN the SCUM WIN"
took part in the rebellion. , .h
Mr. O'Neil Of Massachusetts. who closei me
General debate felt in duty bound 10 maxi 'i'r
nost Of a bad case, but his speech was not a
strong or effective one. Eulogies however 'I.-
0uent and well-merited. upon the soidlerLy
records OF ex-Commiss!oner Black and Conifnls-
eioner Iochrcn and Cuckoo songs, however
sweet and melodious. in praise OF President
cleveland and IIOke Smith, could not dlN"I1
artention from the misunderstanding OF the ron
sion Bureau under the present Administration
Mr. Hudson OF Kansas who was formerly n
"straight" Democrat, and Is now a fopuiS'-
Democrat having been elected to congress Dy Il
fusion OF Democrats ana IopuistS, Wduc :"
vigorous attack upon the management Oh 'he
Pension Bureau by Secretary smith ana COM
missioner LOchren, and declared II 10 De I'M
friendly and unjust toward honorable and de-
serving pensioners and claimants.
General Henderson, Of Iowa. aroused the en-
tbusiasm as well as the indignation OF the
friends of the Union veteran in one OF the most
eloquent and forcible speeches Of the debate, as
also did the venerable ey-Spcaker Grow. OF
PENNSYLVANIA who retired from Congress thirty
one years ago, when Washington was dotted
with military hospitals filed with Union wourdeI
and sick. and the steady stream Of recruits NOV
ing to reinforce the shattered regiments at the
front was met by a stream almost big and
steady. Of ambuances and transports carrying
sick and wounded men TO the rear. lie has
not forgotten the promises made TO the de-
tenders Of the Union in those days Of occasional
triumph frequent disaster and constant, gloomy
doubt for the surrender OF Vicksburg and the
glorious victory at Gettysburg were yet 10 come.
His speech commanded the close attention of the
House. and was rewarded with hearty applause
from the Republicans.