Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-07
MRS. GRESHAM'S PENSION
Quite Little Debate Over tho Amount
but the Bill Passed
Seventy-One Other Private Pension
Bills FavOrnbIy Acted on in
the House Yesterday.

| The Senate bill to pension the widow Of
the late Secretary Wafer Q. Gresham at
| the rate of 800 per month excited more in
| terest in the House yesterday than any
| ether bill. An attempt was made to reduce
| The amount Of the proposed pension ana
| eloquent tributes were paid to Gen. Gresh-
| ans memory by Mr.. Picker SD, Mr..
| Curtis (N.Y.) and Mr.. Evans Ry), but the
| democrats took no part whatever in the
| brief debate Mr. Crowther (Mo) moved to
| reduce the rate Of the proposed pension TO
| $50 per month.
| Mr.. Picker urged the House not to re-
| duce the pension carried by the bill. Gen.
! Gresham's distinguished services in mill
| tary and civil life, he said, made this bill
in every way exceptional He had died in
| the harness, MIR. Picker said, and he
thought in view of the great popularity of
Gen. Gresham. whose friends all over the
country had been lsgicn, that the House
owed it to itself to pass this bill without
amendment Mr.. Crowther, however, con-
tended that there was no reason why such
a distinction should be made i'll favor of
Gen. Greaham's widow, and there were
thousands Of as deserving widows as she.
Mr Blue tkan.) offered a compromise
| proposition of $40 per month. He referred
TO the fact that the House had declined
| to give more than S15 per month to the
| widow OF Gen. Blunt OF Kansas, and thought
| Mrs. Gresham stood on no better footing
| than She Gen. Gresham, he said, had been
! on the pay roll of the government almost
necessarily for thirty-fve years, and if his
| widow not in easy circumstances he
| said there must have been ''protligacy
! somewhere Gen. Curtis (N.YD, Mr.. Can
non GlI) and Mr.. Evans Gll.) warmly adj
| vocatei the bill as reported.
| Gen. Curtis referred to Gen. Gresham's
| high position. ard thought It would be ''un-
| generous. unkind ard unhccomirg'' in the
| House 10 refuse IT'S passage. MIR. Cannon
| thought the bill hut simple and scant jas
| tee" i'll view Of the large pensions to other
| eminent commanders, and Mr.. Evans eX-
pressed his sincere hope that both amend
| ;nents would be defeated. Both amend
| mems were rejected. one without division,
| The other by vote Of II to 81. Several of
| the democrats including ex-Speaker Crisp.
| ga not vote. The bill was passed.
| Bills were also passed to pension Eliza
| beth Watts kearcey. daughter Of Gen. Phil
kearney at the rate of So per month. Gen.
! James c. Parrot at the rate of so per
| month. the widow of the late Major Cen
| eral James II. Blunt at the rate of $40 per
month and Gen. Nathan kimball at the
| rate of $3.50.
NJ. Picker kept the House grinding away
until shortly after o'clock. at which time
seEentytwo bills had been favorably acted
upon, when, owing to the departure of
many members, the quorum failed N com
m:ttee of the whole and under the rule the
roll was called, and the abseutees We're re-
ported to the House. one hundred is a
quorum in the committee of the whole
W hen the ahSentecS were reported, the
Speaker took the chair. IIr. Picker was
on his feet evidently prepared 10 make a
motion, bat the Speaker recognized MI
Dinghy, VINO moved an adjournment. Pick
Ter Indignantly protested. This IS an in
fernal piece Of snap judgment" he shouted.
There were 100 members present, and
~.re entitled TO go into committee of the
whole"
Il call the gentleman to ORDER" said Mr.
Payne.
The gentleman will take his seat" or
G.rei the speaker.
Tn stating the TRUTH Mr.. Picker re-
piled. daii1mtly, but he sat down after be-
ing again adm0niShcd by the Speaker.
After that exhibition. l think we had
better adjourn called cut Mr.. Evans (kyD,
bat Alr. Ficller rallied his forces, and de-
fcated the motion 10 adjourn, - TO -
He then moved a call OF the House, which
Mr.. Willis DELI supplemented with an
other motion to adjourn, and it looked as IL
Mr.. Picker intended to fight it out as long
IS he could get a handful of supporters to
stand by him. But Oh the next roll call the
House voted, - to is, TO adjourn, and the
session closed.