The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-18
ANOTHER WEEK GONE
More Time Devoted to the Discussion
of Pensions.
PRAYER BY THE CHAPLAIN
The President Sends a Special
Message to Congress Urging
the Necessity of Certain
Legislation at Once.

Washington. Jan. 17.-There was a
most unusual demonstration at the
opening of the session of the house to-
day. The blind chaplain. whose ardent
Americanism has frequently occasioned
remarks, prayed fervently to-day for
struggling Cuba and 1.-The success of her
battle for independence" When he
concluded, the sentiment he had ex-
pressed was given a hearty round of
applause.
The presidents special message urg-
ing the necessity of immediate legisla-
ton to extend the limit of the time
allowed the government TO bring suits
to annul grants of public lands was re-
ferred to the committee on public lands.
The house then went into committee
of the whole for the consideration of
the pension appropriations under the
five-minute rule.
Steele, republican, Indiana, offered
an amendment in the shape of a proviso
requiring the commissioner of pensions
to make public all rules and regula-
tions regarding the prosecution of
cases, in matters of evidence, to con-
form to the rule of the courts and to
give claimants and attorneys prosecut-
ing the cases access to all documents
and papers relating to the cases with
which they were connected. Bartlett,
democrat, New York, raised a point of
order that the amendment changed the
existing law. The chair sustained the
point of order. Hermann, republican.
Oregon, offered an amendment, which
was practically per diem pension bill.
That also went down under a point of
order. Mahon, republican, Pennsylva-
mia, offered an amendment declaring
the pension to be a vested right, not to
be suspended on charges of fraud un-
Ill such charges have been proved in a
court of law. The point of order was
raised against this amendment, which
was temporarily passed over to allow
Bartlett to raise his point of order
against the provision in the bill, requir-
ing a widow to prove that her met in
come" does not exceed $500 before she
can receive a pension under the act of
1890.
The present law requires that a
widow under the act of 1890 shall prove
she is dependent upon her daily labors
for her support. This was the clause
in the bill against which Mr.. Bartlett
had been directing his assaults
throughout the week His point of or
der was that 1t changed the existing
law. The point was sharply contested
by several republicans. They contend
ed that the provision in the bill simply
construed the act of 1890. and did not
change it. IT is interpreted that the
words in the law without which means
of support" to not mean to exceed a
net income of $500 a year
Dockery, democrat, Missouri, took the
position as a friend of the provision,
that the chair should not be embar-
rassed by being forced to rule out a
very questionable point. but an appeal
of the members should be directed to
Mr.. Bartlett to induce him to withdraw
the point. But Bartlett declined. Can
non, republican, Illinois. while in favor
of the provision on it's merits, thought
it was. in spirit, new legislation. and
was amenable to the rule.
Dingley who was in the chair. in an
elaborate ruling. in the course of which
he expressed his sympathy with the
supporters of the provision, sustained
the point of order and the provision
was stricken out of the bill.
Stone then offered a provision in a
out. In view of Dingley's rulings, in
these two cases, Mr.. Mahon withdrew
his amendment Mr.. Wood, republic
an Illinois, offered an amendment pro-
viding that pensions should be paid
quarterly to those on the rolls at the
rates now allowed by the existing law,
or at such increased rates as hereafter
may be allowed. Bartlett made a point
of order that the amendment changed
the existing laws. No pensioner could
be dropped from the rolls for fraud or
any reason. The chair sustained the
point of order. On motion of Connolly
republican, Illinois, the words because
Of any defect or infirmity in the appli-
cation" were stricken out in the clause
allowing pensions rejected, suspended
or dismissed, to date from their first
application.
At the conclusion of the consideration
of the bill. Mr.. Graf. republican, Im-
nois, said that, in justice to himself
and those like him who believed that a
pension was a vested right" he de-
not been offered because of the mani
fest disposition of the chairman OF the
committee to rule ii out, but he conf
IDENTIFY predicted that the committee on
invalid pensions would shortly report a
bill for that purpose. The committee
then rose, and the bill, as amended.
was passed Then. at 4:5O o'clock p. m.