Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-01-18
A HOT PENSION DEBATE
Both Houses Warmed Up Over
the Matter.
TIE DEMOCRACY is OPPOSED
Members of the House Els RELY Attack d
the PO.cv Of the Present
Admins ration.

| Washington, Jan. 1.-THE bill grant
ing a pension of SIS monthly to tn
! widow of the late Brigadier Genera
| CoggsWell, representative in congress
| from Massachusetts at the time of hi
| death, caused a long debate in the sen
ate today. Senator Hill and Senate
/ Mills wanted information as to the sys
/ tenn pursued in granting those specia
/ pensions.
| Senator Allen of Nebraska opposed
| the determinations, saying: Il wan
| TO go on record opposed to any distinc
| ton between the widow of private
soldier and that of q brigadier general
major general or any other general
1t was the plain private soldier" he
added, who met the brunt Of the war
To hear the senators talk it would be
thought the brigadier generals Won the
war. 1t was a species of namby-pam-
byism and fiunkeyism and an unameri-
can discrimination
Senator Hawley of Connecticut con-
tended that the world recognized ques-
tions of rank, even if the Nebraska SEN
1tOr did not, and while eulogizing the
services Of the plain soldier he pointed
}ut that the mortality among officers
was greater than that of the men in
he ranks.
Senator Hoar asked if Senator Allen S
ogic would lead him to approve placing
, he salary of General Miles, command
II of the army, at $13 per month.
1T would doubtless be a measure of
value Of his services in many cases.
answered Senator Allen.
Senator Hoar asked if the Nebraska
senator did not pocket $4,000 a year
While some poor constituent made only
IS cents a day.
AT least L pocket no more than
50G0," replied Senator Allen, suggest
yeiy and added that the senators talk
ID as though God made some distinc-
ion between the soldiers and the gem
raj
Then who made the distinction?"
}slled Senator HaWley.
You gentlemen make it," replied
Senator Allen.
Senator Thurston made his maiden
peech in the senate in support of lib
raj pensions and eloquently portrayed
he services of his deceased father as
plain soldier. He urged that the war
This bill Ghe CoggswelD, instead of
2aving its allowance reduced should
;erve to increase the allowance of those
Who served in the war Senator Thurs
OF expressed satisfaction that his first
words in the senate should be in sup
port of a pension.
Sal.ator Villas said the senate would
ertainly show full justice in granting
ensions, but he pointed out that GER
ain peculiar influences prevailed, re-
;ulting in determinations in pensions
o widows of officers, which bore severe
Y on the old soldier, and they felt it.
The suggestion of peculiar infiu-
nces' was hotly resented by Senator
lodge.
Senator Allen disclaimed all pur-
,oSe of attacking the widows, and ad-
ed it was only when the blue blood
vas touched that Senator Lodge grew
.toquent.
a motion by Senator Allen to reduce
E he allowance to $50 was not agreed to
-23 to 36-the democrats with some ex-
options supporting the motion and all
he republicans voting against it. The
oill was then passed without division.
The Associated Press bulletin an
nouncing the election at Columbus, O..
# Foraker to the United States senate
was received in the senate and started
4 buzz of comment among the sena-
rors. Senator Sherman read the bull
etin and nodded his head approvingly.
Senator Brice was not present.
SILVER MEN AGAIN.
"A new phase of the financial question
form of resolution giving seven dec
arations of policy, substantially as fol-
lows:
First-Against the retirement of out
legal tender notes.
.SeCond-Favoring the coinage of sill
er bullion in the treasury.
Third-The issuance Of emergency le-
gal tender notes in case of a deficiency
I'ourth-Against the interest-bearing
bonds.
I7ifth-Esta blishing a policy of the
United States in paying obligations in
both gold and silver.
Sixth-Repudiating the theory that
4 public debt is public blessing.
Seventh-Urging the rapid extin-
suishment of the national debt and the
of sinking fund therefor
Senator Mills resolution went to the
table until tomorrow, when he may
make some remarks upon it.
The bond silver bill was taken up at
, o'clock and Senator Butler offered an
amendment prohibiting the issuance of
bonds and directing
he secretary of the treasury to pay in
gold or silver according to the market
values of the coins.
Senator Butler spoke in opposition to
the bond issues. It would not do, he
said, for either the republicans or dem
2crats of the senate to evade the re-
sponsibiity by saying that it had no
ma jority.
4 pledge" said he, "six peoples
party votes in this chamber to either
party that will stop the further issue
Of bonds, and six votes will give that
ma jority to either side. In fact, either
party can have a majority in this body
when it desires to pass any law in the
interest of the American people,
Senator Butler spoke of the Benedict
Arnolds of finance who We're betraying
their country into the hands Of the gold
5peculators. He referred to the wild
ranks and fanatical remedies of Cleve-
and and Carlisle" in nlinistering to the
financial patient.
Senator Butler closed at 4:25 and the
senate held a brief executive session
ard adjourned until tomorrow.
E'I NSiON M4iTfES IN THE HOUSE
Reg uh cans Dcc,are Thev Will Not Sec
Widows IT soldiers FORGOTTEN.
Washington, Jan. 13.-The house took
up the pension appropriation bill imme-
diately on convening. Mr.. NorthWay
bf Ohio, replied to the criticism offered
by. MIR. Bartlett of New York yesterday.
1t mattered not to him whether pen
Bions We're legal gratuities or constitut-
I'd: vested rights. Morally they We're
higher than vested rights could be.
Pensions should be given in broad,
Catholic humane spirit. Veterans
Ehould not be placed in position men
Hicant. The spirit in which the pen
sion laws We're being administered was
unfriendly to soldiers. In
proof Of this he cited the case of a