St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-18
HOUSE PASSES THE PENSION BILL
WITHOUT ANY AMEND
MENTS.
NO NEW LAW FOR THE WIDOWS
POINTS OF ORDER AEL SUSTAINED
BY CHAIRMAN DING
LEY. Y
FERvENT PRAYERS aFoR CUBANs.
tItion for the SUCCESS of Their
Cause.9i

WASHINGTON, Jan 1.-THE house
today passed the pension appropria-
ton bill, to the consideration of which
it has devoted the entire week. and
then adjourned until Monday. Mr.
Bartlett Dem., n. V raised points of
order against all new legislation pro-
posed in the way of amendments, such
as making a pension a vested right. -
etc, and Mr.. Dingley, who was in the
chair, sustained them. In this way the
clause in the bill changing existing
law so as to allow widows to obtain
pensions under the act OF 1890, whose
incomes did not exceed $500 per an
mum, was stricken out. Mr. Bartlett
however, did not raise the point
against the provision making pensions
under the act of 1890, rejected, sus-
pended or dismissed and afterwards
allowed, to date from their first an
plication. 1t was announced in the de-
bate that bills covering the amend
ment ruled out today would be re-
ported from the invalid pensions COM
mittee. The pension bill as passed
carries $141,325, 800, about $4,000 less
than the estimate. The bill was passed
fifty days ahead of any previous pen
sion appropriation bill.
There was a most unusual demon
stration at the opening of the session.
The blind chaplain, whose ardent
Americanism has frequently occasioned
remark, prayed fervently today for
struggling Cuba" and the Success of
her battle for independence, and when
he concluded, the sentiments he had ex-
pressed were given a hearty round of
applause. The presidents special mes
sage, urging the necessity for immedi-
ate legislation to extend the limit of
time allowed the government in which
to bring suits to annul grants of public
land, was laid before the house and re-
ferred to the committee on public
lands.
ON THE PENSION BILL.
The house then went into commit
tee of the whole for the considera ton
OF the pension appropriation bill The
general debate on the bill closed yes
terday, and the bill was today open to
amendment under the five-minute rule.
Mr.. Steele (Rep. Ind) offered an
amendment in the shape of a proviso
requiring the commissioner of pensions
to make public all rules and regula-
lions regarding the, prosecution of
cases, in matters of evidence to con-
form to the rules of the courts. and
to give claimants and attorneys prose-
cutting cases access to all documents
and papers relating to the cases with
which they We're connected
Mr.. Bartlett Dem. N. W raised the
point of order that the amendment
changed existing law. The chair sus-
tanned the point of order.
Mr.. Mahon Rep. Pa) offered an
amendment declaring a pension to be
a vested right, not to be suspended on
charges of fraud until such charges
have been proven in a court of law
A point Of order was reserved against
this amendment, which was temporar-
lily passed over to allow Mr.. Bartlett
to raise his point of order against the
provision in the bill requiring a widow
to prove that her met income" does
not exceed $500 before she can deceive
pension under the act of 1890. The
present law requires that widow, I'M
der the act Of 1890, shall prove that she
is dependent on her daily labor for her
support This was the clause in the
bill against which Mr.. Bartlett had been
directing his assault throughout the
week. His point of order was that it
changed existing law. The point was
sharply contested by several Republi-
cans. They contended that the pro-
vision in the bill simply construed
the act of 1890 and did not change it
1T interpreted the words in the law
without other means of support" to
mean not to exceed a net income of
$500 a year
Mr.. Dockery Oem. Mo- took the po-
sition, as friend Of the provision,
that the chair should not be embar-
raised by being forced to rule on
very questionable point, but that the
appeal of members should be directed
to Mr.. Bartlett; to induce him to with
draw his point. But Mr.. Bartlett de-
clined.
Mr.. Cannon Rep. Ill.), while in ia
vor of the provision on it's merits,
thought it was in spirit new legisla-
ton, and was amenable to the rule.
DINGLEY RULES.
Mr.. Dingley, who was in the chair,
made an elaborate ruling. in the course
of which he expressed his sympathy
with the supporters of the provision
and sustained the point of order, and
the provision was stricken from the
bill. 'G
Mr.. Stone then offered the provis-
ion in modified FORM but it also was
ruled out. In view of Mr.. Dingley's
rulings in these two cases, Mr.. Mahon
withdrew his amendment.
Mr. Wood Rep., nl) offered an
ttIliSHQIHSHt pIONlCluS tiidl peHSlOHS
should be paid quarterly to those on
the rolls at the rates now allowed by
existing law, or at such increased
rates as hereafter!may be allowed.
Mr.. Bartlett made the point of order
that the amendment changed existing
law No pensioner could be dropped
from the rolls, for fraud or any other
reason. The chair sustained the point
of order
On motion of Mr.. Connolly Rep.,
ILL the words because of any defect
or informality in the application were
stricken out in the clause allowing
pensions, rejected, suspended or dis
missed, to date from their first appli-
cation.
At the conclusion of the considera-
ton of the bill Mr. Graft Rep., Ill)
said that, in justice to himself and
those like him, who believed that
pension was vested right he de-
sired to state that his amendment had
not been offered because of the mani
fest disposition of the chairman of
the committee of the whole to rule it
out, but he confidently 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 At p. m.
the house adjourned until Monday.
To Make Bicycles Baggage.
WASHINGTON Jan. II. = Congressman
Towne has framed and will introduce bill