The herald., 1894-12-15
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
A Lively Session of the
House.
Pension Appropriation Bill
Passed.
Charges and COunter-chargcs About
Pension Frauds.
A Spirited Incident 1T tho Meeting of
the House Banking Committee.
More Plans for Currency
Reform.

By the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-The time OF
the house was consumed today with de-
bate on the pension appropriation bill,
and although it abounded in charges
and coun,erchsrgss. it lacked interest
ing details. The bill carries $l41, $751;
$40 and was passed without amendment.
The house went into committee of the
whole without preliminary business,
and resumed consideration OF the PEN
sion appropriation bill. Grosvenor of
Ohio delivered . speech OF an hour in
which he criticized the attitude OF the
pension Office toward the pensioner and
pension claimant. He reviewed the
policy Of the Office, detailing evidence
Of alleged hostility towards the soldier,
and citing many instances OF alleged in
justice.
Morse of Massachusetts and Lacey OF
Iowa followed in the same strain.
Sokles of New York expressed disgust
with the frequent occurrence in the
presidents message and in the reports
OF the secretary of the interior and the
commissioner of pensions of charges of
fraud in the pension roll. For the last
time, probably, before his retirement
from congress, he said, he desired to de-
fend his old com es from this slander.
With almost a million names upon the
sions annually. he declared the fraud
discovered was insignificant. and should
be q subject of self congratulstion to
every soldier in the land.
II want to reply once for all to the
charges from the other side." said Pick.
Ter, Repu blican, OF North Dakota, that
he.penoion roll 10 . roll OF dishonor."
"Who on this side has ever made such
a statement" asked Dunn, Democrat,
OF New Jersey.
"A great many"
who? Name one," came q chorus
from the Democrat side.
II refer you to the record" replied
Mr., PiokleE.
II havs no timsto, look throush the
record" persisted Mr.. Dunn. "Nams
one."
II don't care to drag names in here"
replied Pickler.
Pickler went on to detail the result OF
the pension office purgng, which he de.
clared had resulted in but 20 convic.
tions.
you would not deprive the govern.
ment OF the means to discoyer even 20
frauds, would you 2" asked Dunn.
Certainly not" said Pickler.
Then what are you talking about ?"
returned Dunn, earcastically.
"The report OF the com m issioner of
pensions. and the message of the presi.
dent, chow they are demagogues, re.
turned Pickler, holly.
The general debate proceeded without
marked incident, half dozen members
taking part, and was concluded BY a
brief speech by O'Neill, Democrat OF
Massachusetts, in charge OF the bill. He
explained that l39000,0OO had been
expended tor pensions during the last
fiscal year, and the missioner had
estimated that the same sum would De
expended during the present year. The
com mmissioner believed that the limit of
pension expenditures had been reached,
and that after wavering about tie pres-
ent figure for three years. it would be-
gin to decrease. The bill was then
passed without division.
Cultivate reported the army sppro-
priation bill.
On motion of McCreary the Hit reso-
luton calling on the secretary of state
for all correspondence and reports relat
ing to the shipment of $425 900 to Great
Britain. growing out OF the controversy
over the Alaskan fur seals, was adopted.
A motion to adjourn until Monday was
carried and then at $40 pm, the
house took recess until O'clock
The evening session was devoted to
private pension bills.