The Indianapolis journal., 1896-04-26

The Pfcl<ler Pension Bill Discussed
Most Of saturday,.

WASHINGTON. April 25.-In the House
to-day a partial report on the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bin was sent back to conference. In con-
nection with the report Mr.. Grosvenor
called attention TO a provision in the bill
which would prevent the Legislative Assem-
by OF Oklahoma from removing the capi-
tai of the Territory to Guthrie. Mr.. Flynn,
OF Oklahoma. defended the provision.
1t was agreed by unanimous consent to
nold night session tonight for general
debate on the Pickler pension bill, and after
an unsuccessful attempt by Mr.. Pickler to
get unanimous consent for consideration of
resolution to set aside Saturday, May 2,
Tor consideration of private pension bills
and by Mr.. Terry to take up private pen
sion bill the House resumed consideration
BartIett general 1 nptin pension Di Mr
the scope of the law of 1880 should not be
Increased. He took Mr.. Mahany to task for
attacking his colleague. Mr.. Mcclellan, dur
ing the debate yesterday.
old not attack him." interrupted MIR.
Mahany.
You remarked on the strange sight of a
son OF Gen. George b. McClelland blocking
the path of justice to old soldiers"
DO you construe that as an attack"
Il do"
You are entitled to your construction"
(fepublican appiause.)
Mr.. Grosvenor indorsed the bill. He ad-
mstted that the first section, granting PEN
slons to Confederate soldiers who deserted
and joined the Union army ninety days be-
fore Appomattox, might lead to abuses. But,
ne argued, there were in several parts of the
Soutn, notably in East Tennessee, loyal
Union men who had been forced into the
Confederate army. 70 do justice to them,
ne was willing to hazard the possibility of
abuses elsewhere.
Mr.. Kerr criticised the action of the ad-
m:nistration regarding pension matters, and
said the crusade against the old soldiers had
been done designedly and with premedita-
ton. All the acts of the officials of the In
terror Department had been with a view TO
putting obstacles in the way of soldiers OBJ
tanning pensions.
Mr.. Miles thought the soldiers were en-
tilted to liberal legislation on pension mat
ters, and he had endeavored to act on that
theory He entered a protest against the
from Illinois (Mr Connolly on the deceased
soldier. General Mcclellan, and on his son
(who opposed some provisions of the present
AT half past o'clock, without concluding
debate on the bill, the House entered on the
special order-the delivery of the eqlogies on
or Texas. Remarks were delivered by
Messrs. Pendleton, Of Texas; Walsh, of New
York; Cooper, of Florida; Cooper, of Texas;
Crowley. of Texas; Eddy. of Minnesota:
Bel, of Texas; Milliken of Maine; Willis. of
Delaware Then. at 4:05 p. m, the House.
as further mark Of respect to the memory
OAOCn
tonight.
There were less than a dozen members
present when the House met this evening
for further debate on the pension bill. Mr..
Payne presided and Mr.. Hardy, of Indiana,
opened in favor of the bill. He declared
himself in. favor Of giving every man who
served in the army a pension IL he needed it.
and to every soldiers widow and orphan.
Mr. Gibson made a special plea for justice
to certain classes of persons iD his State
who were soldiers for time, but were not
regularly mustered.
Mr.. Wheeler declared that the "harangues'
Of the past three days had been for the pur-
pose OF trying to tell the country that the
Republican party was the friend Of the SOL
dier and that the Democratic party was not.
He declared that the Democratic party had
been liberal in appropriations for the SOL
diers.
Mr. Curtis of Kansas. declared that every
general pension law on the statute books had
been put there by Republican votes. The
only trouble with the bill under considera-
tion was that it did not go far enough. Mr..
M9hany also spoke in favor of the bill. AT
0:05 the House adjourned.