The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-18

VI OIutr HkdinSt All new lcglriduOu pro-
posed In the way OF amendments. such
rs that looking TO making a pension a
vested right, ETC., and MIR. Dingley of
Maine, who was In tho chair. sustained
them. In this way the clause In tho bill
exchanging the existing law SO as to allow
widows to obtain pensions under the act
OF 1870 whose net income did not exceed
500 per annum were stricken out.
MIR. Bartlett. however. did not raise the
point against the provisions making PEN
sions under the act OF 1870. rejected. sus-
pended or dismissed. and afterwards al
lowed the date from their first applica-
ton.
1t was announced In the debate today
that bills covering tho amendments ruled
out today would be reported from the In
valid pension committee.
The pension hill as passed carries slA.-
S25 $40. about $4,000 less than tho estimate.
The bill was passed nifty days ahead OF
any previous pension appropriation bill.
The chaplain OF the house prayed fer
vently today for STRUGGLING Cuba" and
tho success Of her battle for indepen-
dencc"
Tho presidents special message urging
the necessity for immediate legislation to
extend tho limit or time allowed tho gov
eminent in which to bring suits to annui
ETdntS 10 puuuC iuHN VIVA iuib h'SAN'V e'S
house and referred to the committee on
public lands.
The house won't into committee of the
whole to consider tho pension approprlu-
ton bill. The general debate closed yes
terday and the bill was today open to
amendment under tho ivo minute rule.
MIR. Steele 0iep.. Ind), offered an
amendment In the shape OF II proviso re-
qu,ing the commissioner of pensions to
make public all rules and regulations re-
garding the prosecution OF cases In mat
tiers In evidence TO conform TO the rules
OF the courts and to givo claimants and
attorneys prosecuting cases access to all
documents and papers relating 10 the
cases with which they were connected.
Mr.. Bartlett dem. n. W. raised tho
point Of order that tho amendment chai-
longed existing law.
The chair sustained the point of crdor.
MIR. norman (Rep.. Orc). offered an
amendment, which was practically a per
diem pension bill, that also went down
under a point Of order.
Mr.. Mnhon Otep., Pa. offered an
amendment declaring q pension TO be a
vested right, not to be suspended on
charges of fraud until sach charges havo
bean proven In a court of law. A point OF
order was reserved against the amend
ncnt which was temporarily passed over
I
OF order against the provision in the bill
requiring widow to prove that her mot
income" doe.i not exceed $500 before she
can receive a pension under the act OF
1sol
The present law requires that widow
under tho act Of 1890 shall prove tnat
che IL dependent on her duly labor for
her supncrt. This was the clause In the
biu against which MIR. Bartlett had been
directing his assaults throughout the
week. His point OF order was thar IL
changed existing law. Tho point WIS
sharply contested by several repupncs hB'
They conaefided THAT the provision IN the
bnI simply construed tho act of 1870 ana
did not change ".
MIR Dinrley. who was in the chair In
an elaborate ruling. In tho course OF
which ho expressed his sympathy with
tho supporters of the provision sustained
the point of order and tho provision was
stricken from the bill.
Mr.. Stone then offered the provision In
n modified form but II was also rucld out
In view OF Mr.. Dingley's rulings In these
two cases. Mr.. Mahon withdrew ms
amendment
on MIR. ConnolIy's Rep., I'D motion
the words "because OF any defect or IN
formality IN the application" were strick-
en- out in tho clause. allowing pensions
rejected, suspended or dismissed. to date
from their first application.
At the conclusion OF tho consideration
Of the bill Mr. Graf Rep., I'D said that
In Justice TO himself and those like nm
who believed that pension was vested
rinht he desired to state that his amend
mcnt had not been offered because OF
the manifest disposition Of the chairman
of the committee to rule II out. but ne
confldentl, predicted that the committee
on invalid pensions would shortly report
n bill for that purpose.
Tho committee then arose ana the pni.
as amended WIS passed.
Then, at a.5O D. m, tho house adjourned
until Monday