Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-06
STANDS ON ITS DIGNITY
The Motion to Concur in the
Senate Amendment
WAS REJECTE0BY THE HOUSE
Pckler's Private Pension Bill Resolution Was
Opposed by Democrats.
CRISP GAVE GOOD REASONS THEREFOR
He Contends That Five Minutes Is Not Long
Enough in Which to Consider Each
Bill-General Henderson Paid
His Respects to Democrats.
WAS REJECTEDBY THE HOUSE
CRISP GAVE GOOD REASONS THEREFOR

Washington, May 5.-The resolution in
troduced yesterday by Mr. Pickler, re-
publican, of South Dakota, setting aside
Wednesday, the 9Th and 18th instants,
for the consideration of the private pen
sion bills, and which failed to pass for
want of quorum, was presented by Mr..
Henderson, republican, of Iowa, as
an order today from the committee on
rules. Mr. Henderson stated that there
were 405 private pension bills upon the
calendar and 1t was to get rid of these
that the committee on rules proposed the
order
Mr.. Crisp, democrat, cf Georgia, in op.
posing the adoption of the order, said
the general pension laws were very l.ber-
al. He criticised the action of the in
valid pension committee in reporting bills
defining distinct classes of pensioners not
included within the terms of the general
law 1t was intended, Mr.. Crisp said,
that the invalid pensions committee
should consider cases within the spirit of
the general law but excluded by its let
ter. But it did not confine itself to that
class, transcending, in his opinion, the
powers conferred upon it. He had been
Informed that there were 5000 applicants
before the committee for pensions, and
the cases of many of them had not been
reported. As to the rule itself, Mr.. Crisp
said 1t would not permit intelligent con-
sideration of the bills; many of the re-
ports made by the committee could not
be read in the five minutes allowed for the
affirmative discussion of the bill. Can
it be possible he asked, that the COM
mittee has reported bills which 1t does
not desire to pass? / shall oppose the
rule, and in so doing believe that l shall
be doing my duty as a representative"
Mr.. Loud, republican, of California,
also opposed the order. He said that he
did not believe that even bill to pension
an old soldier was so sacred that it
should not receive suitable consideration
1t had been stated that there were 400
of these bills on the calendar. Mr.. Loud
said in his opinion no committee in the
time devoted to these bills could have
properly investigated that rltimber. He
thought the gentleman inexperienced
the sentiment of the country in respect
to this class of bills, and he should vote
against the rule, as he had voted against
the resolution yesterday, because he be-
leved 1t to be the right position for HIM
self and the republican party to take.
Mr.. Hulick, republican, of Ohio-What
remedy would the gentleman propose to
get rid of these bills?
Mr. Loud-Oh, Mr. Speaker 9S per cent
of the bills, as l believe, are without mer-
it. Let the committee confine itself to
meritorious cases. and there will be no
ticuOlC dDOut uISpOoiIlS VI litIl
Mr.. Henderson, replying to Mr.. Crisp,
said that that gentleman complained that
ten minutes was not sufficient in which
to consider a bill. wy" Mr.. Hender-
son asserted with characteristic vigor,
IF ten hours were allotted to bill there
would be found democratic tongues link
ed with gall and bitterness, to exhaust
that time in talking against the bill 1
remember" he continued that the first
time l crossed swords with the gentle
mo n - CpA WI xxya
were both enter -ng our career in the same
congress, it was upon bill to pension
private soldier, which he was doing his
best to defeat"
home in that field and gave over the
work of antagonizing the passage of
these bills to the petty Gatling guns on
that SIDE J. congratulate him on his ele-
walton and leave those who have taken
his place to make up from their own
standpoint conscience fund with which
TO settle with their creator.
One of the gentlemen on that SIDE said
Mr.. Henderson moment later, charged
the republicans with having a soldiers
trust. In that respect, and in that only,
Twill concede that the democratic men,
bers are consistent and conscientious
anti-trustees.
Referring to a suggestion by Mr.. Crisp
that the house had wasted it's time in
discussing measures for purely campaign
purposes, Mr. Henderson said he would
hurl the imputation back to his teeth.
THE gentleman will find," he said with
great earnestness, that on this side the
members, many of whom served with
these poor fellows, can serve their con-
stituents quite as well in respect of these
bills as in the matter of filed cheese,
bankruptcy and insolvent debtors. (Ap-
plause) / call the gentleman's atten-
tion to the fact that he and his associates
have campaigns on hand as we'll as other
members. and that they can go back
home and safely make boasts of having
been obstructionists in the way of doing
justice to the union soldier
In conclusion Mr.. Henderson said that
democrats, not all, had been obstruc-
tionists at the Friday night session, with
the result that this rule was necessary
in order to clear the calendar. They
were the ones that had reopened the old
wounds of the war, and if they would
cease that line of action, Mr. Henderson
said, there would come that era of good
will and unity for which he loved to la
Dor. (Applause.)
Mr.. Crisp, responding, said the gentle
man from Iowa had resorted to his old
trick of setting up man of straw and
then with a loud voice knocking him
down. He had made no attack. he said
upon private pension bills; he had only
called attention to the fact that the
house, after dispOsing of the general ap-
preparation bills had devoted five days
to the discussion of a general pension
bill with the object of permitting the
gentlemen to make speeches for cam
paign purposes, and had devoted the
same period of tipe to the bankruptcy
bill. The point he made was that If the
lse believed these bills to be of inn
portance, and Mr.. Crisp conceded that
they were, then it should proceed to con-
slider them in the usual manner But
the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Hender-
SOM, Mr.. Crisp said, had fallen into his
old habit He could not help 1t, and real
ly did not mean anything by it. t-.p-
plause.)
The resolution was then put to a vote
and declared caIried-yeas 172, nays S.
The following democrats Voted yea