The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-03

of indiana, as to the policy of the pension
bureau. He answered that as a member
of the committee he did not understand
nor believe that the commissioner
of pensions desired or had made any
attempt TO reduce the allowance of pen
sions because of the depleted condition of
the treasury. The force of clerks was
generally the same as under Gen. Raum,
and was working only under instructions
to enforce the law as they found it. The
uneXpended balance of appropriation that
was expected to remain at the close of
the present fiscal year would not be
caused, Mr.. O'Neill said, by the suspen-
sion OF pensions, for most of the suspen-
sions have been revoked and the pen
sioners have been paid the full amount
due them.
CIRCUIT CRIT1CIsEs LOCHRANE.
Mr.. Grout, of Vermont, criticised Pen
sion Commissioner Lochrane and the pen
sion policy of the administration. Mr..
GrOut referred at length to the order tax
ing away from the local examining boards
the power to fix the rate of disability,
and said that the soldier was far safer
with them, even though they were com
posed in some instances of ex-confeder-
ates, than to be left to the tender mercies
of the pension bureau, with the duty as
signed it of providing for a large treasury
deficiency
Mr.. Meredith, dem, Of Virginia, said
that ne came from state that paid five
times as much as the Green Mountain
state, from which the last speaker came,
for pensions, but which got no benefit
therefrom.
MIR. johnson, rep, of Indiana-That is
because you were on the wrong side, was
it not?
Mr. Meredith-May be so. But want
to remind the gentleman that the differ
ence between a patriot and a rebel is that
success makes one and defeat the other.
Mr.. Livinston of Georgia-That was
the case in rs, anyhow.
SHOULD BE ROLL OF HONOR.
Continuing Mr. Meredith said the
people he represented believed that the
pension roll should be a roll of honor, and
not contain the names of persons who
are not entitled to q pension, of which
class there are hundreds and thousands
on the roll to-day.
MIR Grout asked for proof, and Mr.
Meredith stated that he could give it,
and that no gentleman had the courage
to deny it when he stated upon his re-
sponsibility as a representative that from
his own knowledge and observation he
knew it to be true that hundreds and
thousands of fraudulent pensioners were
on the roll.
Mr.. Hopkins, rep, of Illinois, asked if
it was not the action of the gentleman's
state and others south of him that caused
the existence of that pension roll.
Mr.. Meredith-No, sir; it was due TO
the gentlemen who forced that issue
upon us when we wanted peace. We
have no complaint against the men who
are entitled TO q place on the pension list.
1t is against those who began fighting i'm
mediately after the war and kept it up
that we complain.
Numerous Interruptions were made in
the course of Mr. Meredith's remarks by
republicans, to question him as to the
actions of the democrats upon pension
rights in refusing to proceed with the
business Of the House, in the absence of
quorum, in violation of the practice for
many years, which he answered by charg-
ing that if the republicans would attend
these Friday night sessions there would
be a quorum, as the constitution requires
for the transaction Of business.
DEMOCRATS NOT NULLIFIERs.
MIR. Meredit stated that his intention
had been simply to dcnounce and refute
the sentiments expressed on the other
side that the Democratic party occupied
the position of nullifers of the pension
law. and he charac terized the statement
as grdtuitous and untrue. and known to
be 50. He would not extend his remarks,
he said, having been requested by his
friends to refrain 50 that nothing might
be said that would tend to irritate his po-
lJical opponents.
AS he was about to take his seat Mr.
Baker, rep, of New Hampshire, requested
him to make known the proof Of lis state
ment that the pension roll contained hun
dreds of fraudulent names. "A
To this he replied that certain
pensoner in his personal knowledge was
strong and healthful, and that he be
Heved he, the pensioner, had foresworn
himself in order to gain the benefit of the
law. This case was, in his opinion. the
type OF many others.
Mr. Baker remarked that the gentle
man had given no proof 10 the country,
nor to the House, of his statements, moth
ing but assertion.
Mr. Funk, rep. of Illinois, suggested
that if the gentleman from Virginia be-
lieyed what he said 10 be true and did not
dcnounce the pensiOner to the proper
authorities, he was not good citizen.
NEARLY CAUSED FIGHT
The tenor of this remark was evidently
misunderstood by Mr.. Meredith to be "A
reflection upon his yeracity, or, with
arms uplifted and menacing tone, he left
the place where he mad been speaking and
approached the desk of the gentleman
from Illinois in the center, almost Of the
repu 5lican seats. If the gentleman
means to insinuate," he shouted, "th-J
am not telling the truth
The republican members crowded
around the two principal partici ants in
the scene, and Mr.. Payne, rep, of New
York, stood between them.
Mr. Funk responded as nearly as could
be made out in the hubbub and confusion,
~ did not say that the gentleman was
telling an untruth, but that ii il were
true. he was not good citizen if he did
not present the case to the authorities
And, " shaking his fist in Mr.. Mercdith's
face, VINO still had his arm uplifted, ~
stand by that here and elsewhere"
The uprOar was now at its hight, and
the shouting Of the gentlemen could not
be understood at the desk, but in mo-
ment Speaker Crisp seized the gavel and
called upon the sergeant-at-arms TO re-
store order.
Col. Snow ran TO the midst of the
crowd, commanding members to take
their seats Mr.. Meredith withdrew to
his own side and stood demanding recog-
milton of the chair, until ordered
by the speaker TO take his seat When
order was restored he was permitted to
proceed He said that he was not ex-
cited and that nothing he had recently
witnessed over there, indicating by
motion Of his head the republican side,
was calculated 10 excite him. There was
q way, however. in which he could be ex-
cited, but he opined that no gentle
men on the other side would talk
that way upon the floor Of the