Evening journal., 1894-03-08
PENSION BILL PASSED.
Was Carried Through the House
Without Division.
IT APPRoPRIATEs sl5l,ooo,oOo.

Almost slipped Through the Senate Un-
noticed-rhe BIuefelds AFFAIR.
WASHINGTON, March s--An exciting and
interesting debate was preclpitated in the
Senate by Mr.. Harris motion for the seq
ond reading of the seigniorage bill. This
was opposed by Mr.. Sherman, who moved
its reference TO the finance committee, and
in the course Of a strong speech in opposi-
tion to the bill he said that its object was
to divert trust fund from its legitimate
purposes-a thing which in Ohio would be
penitentiary oifense. His motion was
defeated, however, and the bill was taken
up as unfinished business, and almost be
fore any one was aware of what had hap
pened il passed. its third reading and was
on the point Of passing the senate.
Then its opponents recovered from their
surprise and endeavored to prevent its pas
sage and on request of Senator Sherman
It went over.
In the morning hour Mr.. Morgan intro
duced a resolution calling on the president
for information as to the occupancy Of
Bluefelds, Nicaragua, by the British. This
was agreed to.
The house bill appropriating $4,000 for
saving the Kearsarge was also passed, as
was the bill permitting General o. o.
Howard TO accept from the French govern
ment the decoration Of commander OF the
Legion Of Honor
Pension Bill Passed.
After five days Of debate the pension APP
preparation bill, carrying Sl5l, 100000, was
passed without division.
Throughout the debate there had been
no criticism of the amount carried by the
I.h
to an assault on the manner in which
the present commissioner of pensions had
administered the Office and his alleged UNI
authorized suspension of pensions and on
the other to a defense of the attempt of tha
commissioner TO purge the rolls of those
who were not entitled to a place upon
them.
There were several very spirited speeches
those by General Henderson of Iowa, Mr.
O'Neil in closing the debate and ex-Speak
er Grow.
Mr. O'Neil of Massachusetts, who was
In charge of the bill, closed the debate. No
amendments looking to an increase Of the
appropriation had been suggested, he said.
The debate had been largely for political
effect The Republicans, as they saw the
limit of pensions was soon to be reached,
realized that their stock in trade would
cease when they could no longer go before
the country crying out that they had in-
creased the number of pensions. In con-
Guiding Mr. O'Neil warned the Republic
ans that they were in poor business when
they sought TO discredit General Black and
Commissioner Lochren in the eyes of the
old soldiers. Neither could they discredit
the president with the American people.
They had absolute faith in his honesty, his
pluck and his courage. lApplsuse.l
Eloquence From Henderson and Grow.
General Henderson of Iowa, who has
been i'll for some time, next got the floor.
Several weeks ago he submitted TO another
amputation Of his limb He had been pain
ed beyond measure, he said, to find that
, upon theme which ought to inspire every
patriotic heart this house was as divided
B as if it was a war measure. General Black
3 who deserved every generous word that
had been spoken concerning him, had stood
J here with a bouquet of rhetoric for the sol
der in one hand and a dagger TO strike
him to the soul in the other.
ooh, my countrymen," said General
Henderson, addressing the Democratic side
, che who wore stars upon his shoulders in
i the cause Of the Union can do more harm
to his old comrades than all those VIII,
! fought under the Confederate flag.
"Mark the contrast presented by tha
other distinguished soldier, General Sic
kles lRepublican applausel, who, fearing
. not thunder of the executive or the crue
heel of patronage, now stands for the sol
diers with whom he fought Sears ar
honorable, but they must not be used as
u cloak from behind which to strike equal,
honorable men. This debate shall no
close without my crying Shame, shame
az the soldier who sought TO discredit hi
h. comrades in arms"
7 Mr.. Grow of Pennsylvania offered tn
+ last amendment providing that no pensio
. ON account of disability in the serviC
sAould be less than Sl2 per month. Wit
l. this amendment as a text he made a brit
u speech-his first since his return to th
T, house, which he left 30 years ago as spoake
Mr.. Grows remarks bubbled over wit
- patriotism and glowed with the fire Of eli
p quence. He wanted the benefit receive
~ by the veterans disabled in battle to be
"a q substantial character during the renal
der of their pilgrimage through life.
would be but a few years before the last
the survivors of the mighty conflict won
Iv sleep in the narrow chamber of the dea
m The blessings that had come from that co
rt nict had been shared by conQueror and co
nj uuered alike. The members listened
n- Mr.. Grows words with close attentio
se and burst Of applause from both sides
M the house greeted its conclusion.
M All the amendments TO the bin save o
,d that of Mr.. Pickler, to make the repol
m. Of the examining surgeons open to the
.o- spection of the applicant or his attorneys
m were defeated. They all fell under poiu
M. Of order that they were not germane. II
one which attracted most attention w
that of Mr.. Enloe-to repeal a portion
the provision included in the act of Il
G. December to prevent the suspension of a
ve pension except ON 30 days notice, so as
n- permit tho suspension in case Of plain prii
ti- iacie evidence that the pensioner had p
ia- ured his pension by forgery, perjury
do other palpphle fraud.
cs. This amendment was offered AZ the 81
eestion OF Commissioner l.ochren hims'
who under tho opinion of the attorney y
eral. declared that If the act of last Dece
mr. her stood over $4,000 would have to
of paid out 10 suspended pensioners who W
am proved beyond all question not 10 be lon
of entitled to the pensions they had hi
"a IA 9 ...l.st