The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-15

congressman from New York II seem.
probable now that the general debate or
the pension bill will continue severa
| days.
| Washington January 1a.-Thc house took
| up the pension appropriation bill immc-
| diately on converting today and Mr.. North
way Rep.. Ohio) replied to the criticisms
| offered by Mr.. bartlett Dem., N. W yes
to-day. II mattcrod not TO him whether
pensions were legally gratuties OF con-
| stituicd vested rights. Morally they were
| higher than vested rights. Pensions should
| be given in "A broad and humane spirit
| The old veterans should not be placed
| I'm tho position of mendicants, The way III
| which the pension laws were now being adj
| ministered was manifcstly Unfair TO tho
soldiers. He cited he case OF soldier
who had lost one arm ana one -eg VINO
| was deprived OF his pension under the
| total disability act of 1890 because he was
| able TO earn S25 n month as guard at
| n railways crossing.
The pension bureau had ruled under tho
| act of 1890 that II n widows Income ex-
| ceeded 500 year she WAS not entitled TO
| pension. A soldiers widow sho1ld not
| be Obliged to stand starving at the door
| OF pension Offices In order to obtain Il
| pension aud the pensions committee there
fore had reported an amendment TO the
present Jaw requiring that rs a conditlon
precedent to receiving pension she should
prove that her net income did rot exceed
$500,
MIR. Uearnway Rcp.. lnd.) favored the
adopticn of the Graf amendment prohibits
Ing the 81 spennion Of pensions until fraud
had been proven In a United States court.
He predicted that IL November next TIE
people would elect republican president
who would appoint a loyal man from the
North for secretary of the interior TO
administer the pension laws with justice
and fairness TO the old soldier.
Mr. Arnold URep., Pa) In criticising the
pension Office denounced particularly the
practice of calling on democratic post
masters to furnish Information as 10 NJ
legged fraudulent pensions,
Mr.. Gibson Osep.. TENN who was PEN
SIGN agent at Nashville In 1881, devoted
much time to the exploitation of particu-
lar cases which ne claimed proved the
hostility of the pension office.
A speech by Mr.. Walker Wep.. Va.) at
traotod more than usual attention.
Mr. Walker was II general In the Con-
fedcrate army on the staff OF General
Jubal Early. He replied particularly to
the remarks of Mr.. Hemenway to the e.
feet that when a republican president took
his place In the White House no man from
tho South would preside In the pension
office
General Walker declared that there Is
no apprehension and the people of the
South and soldiers of the South do not
feel unkindly toward the people who
fought for the Union. There was no senti- |
ment against the pension policy of the
government In the South and ne assured |
his republican friends of the North that |
the fortunes and pensions OF the Union /
soldiers would be safe In the hands of the |
men Of the South His remarks elected |
applause from both sides of the hall.
Mr. Woods (Rep.. HI. Mr.. Fitzpatrick
Hep., Kan), and Mr.. Poole O1ep., N. W.
followed and then Mr. Cummings tDem.,
N. ", created the sensation OF the day
by a short but bitter arraignment OF the
pension office and OF IN eloquent repudia-
ton of tho sentiments expressed by his
colleague, Mr.. Bartlett. he declared that
II was time some radical actor was called
10 call a halt on the pension oftice
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Cummings
epecch the committee rose and the speak
err announced the appointment OF the
park commissioners as fol-
lows; Messrs. Grosvenor. Ohio; Keiffer,
Minnesota; Strong. Ohio; Avery, Mich
igan: Bowers Alabama, rcpublicans; |
Wheeler, Alabama; Cox. Tennessee. MAD
dox and Crisp, Georgia. democrats.
He also announced the appointment OF
Delegate Flynn OF Oklahoma to the COM
mittee on agriculture and Murphy III AroI
IONA on coinage. weights and measures
ana mines and mining.
The house then. at 4:25. adjourned untii I
tomorrow.