The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-14

States court and MIR. Bartlett OF New
YORK opposed the proposed extension of
the dependent act OF 1890 by tho removal
OF tho Inhibition OF widows pensions until
they had proved their dependence on their
daily labor for support. He estimated that
the proposed extension would add $1,000
names to the pension rolls.
Washington. January i3.--In the house
today MIR Morse (acp., Mass.), presented
tho following resolution for presentation
to the committee on foreign AFFAIRS:
Whereas, The most mournful tragedy of
the nineteenth century has been aud is
now being enacted under the apparent
sanction OF the sultan of Turkey. by
which hundreds OF thousands of Arme-
ileians are being ruthlessly slaughtered In
cold blood; women arc being driven In
captivity worse than death and inhabi-
tents who have fled 20 tho mountains are
dying Of cold and starvation.
Whereas. The blood OF those dead cry
to Heaven for justice.
Resolved. That the committee on foreign
affairs consider the expcdency of report
irg forthwith some expression by this
government In Pronunciation OF these afro
cities and II they find as n nation they
are powerless to act that we invoke the
cooperation OF tho allied powers to wipe
the Turkish government OF the face OF
the earth and secure the freedom and In
| dependence of Armenia.
The resolution was referred and the
| house then entered upon the consideration
| OF District business.
| Two unlmportant District bills we're
| passed, after which the house went into
| COMMITTEES of the whole for the considera-
ton OF the pension appropriation.
| Mr.. W. A. Stone Rep.. PENN. In charge
| OF the bill explained ats provisions 1t
| carried slii.32S,s90, reduction Of s5s.7bo
| from the estimates The amendments to
| existing law attached to the bill provided
| that pensions under the act OF 1890 should
| date from the first application. no matter
| how many times they had been rejected
| or dismissed for defect or informality in
| the application and repealed the provision
| OF tho act of 1890 requiring a widow TO
| prove that she was dependent for her
| support on her daily labor. Instead, by
| the terms of the amendment. she must
| rove that her net income does not ex-
| coed $500 per year.
In answer to n question he said he did
not know how many widows would receive
| pensions under the amendment, but IT
| mattered not whether 1t would result In
| giving pensions to one or one hundred
| thousand widows. The government was
not so poor that II could not afford to
pension the widows Of the defenders of the
| Union Applause.)
Mr.. Graft (Rep.. ND. gave notice OF an
| amendment he proposed to OFFER inhibting
| the reduction or suspension of n pension
| on allegation Of fraud until such fraud
| had first been proved In United States
| court.
| Tho amendment was practically tho
| same as that drafted by the sub-commit-
| tee on pensions. which was subsequently
| abandoned because II was thought that II
| trenchod unon the territory of tho conf
| nittce on invalid pensions, which pro-
| poscd bringing forward general bill 10
! cover this ground.
/ Mr. Bartlett Dem. n " gave Notice
| that he would raise a point of order against
| Mr. CRAFTS amendment, and also the
amendment in the hill repeating tho pro-
! vision of the act of 1870 relative to widows
| pensions
with reference to the Graf amendment,
he said II would he unwIsc to strip the
| pension commissioner Of executive power
and clothe the machinery OF United States
courts with matter that should be left to
the commissioners discretion.
| Mr. Bartlett announced himself ms a
supporter for pensions for deserving sol
| diers who were wounded or contracted
disease In the line Of duty, hut expressed
the opinion that the sentiment In New
| York among the democrats and better elias,
Of republicans was opposed TO nm extern
sion OF the rersion roll and the further
! lootlng Of the treasury. The amendment
he said. would add the names OF at least
| 5Oo c0 WILLOWS to the rolls
| Mr. bingham Wep.. Pa) challenged this
statement, Stating the testimony of Com
missioner rochran showed that but 600
widows claims had been abandoned
Mr. Willis Rep., Del) In an eloquent
speech Of five minutes declared that II
was right that every safeguard should be
thrown about the soldiers pensions.
AT i:35 p m the committee rose and the
house adjourned