Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-27
QUITE SENSATIONAL
The Debate in the House on the
Pension Bill Rule.
SHARP SPEECHES ON BOTH SIDES
The Rule Finally Adopted by a Yea
and Nay Vote.
MATTERS IN THE SENATE

| Under the rules, this was District Of Co.
| lumbia day in the House Mr.. Pickler. who
was anxious 10 proceed with the general
pension bill, agreed not to contest the right
of way on condition that the District
business should not occupy more than two
hours.
Several District bills were passed. Mr.
Henderson Qowa) chafrn an of the COM
mittee on Judiciary, gave notice that he
| would call UP the bankruptcy bili tomor-
| row as soon TIE pension bill was dis
posed of.
! Order for the Pension DiH.
Mir. Henderson, from the committee on
| rules, then ct i::.o O'Clock brol ght in a spe-
cial order for the c0nsidera ton Of the Pick
Ter pension bin for one and one-nalf hours
| this afternoon, under the five-minute rule,
the previous question then to be consider
| ed ordered on the bill and pending
| amendments, with provisions for a final
vote tomorrow Immediately after the read
| ing of the journal.
| Mr.. Crisp (Ga.) chara -terized the rule as
! remarkable one. He said it pretended to
| do one thing, but did another. Members
who desired to amend this bill, he said,
| should not be deceived. The hour and a
half could be used in debating amendments
| to the first paragraph. Then under the
| terms Of the order the bill would be re-
ported to the House aot as customariy,
Win pellllnS amendments, but only Win
| such amendments as were adopted in COM
mittee. The practical consequence of the
adoption Of this rule would De to force the
House to vote on the bill without amend
| ment.
Mr.. Dingley Me), in reply to Mr.. Crisp,
| said that the rule was almost a literal
copy of the rule adopted by the last House
when the Wilson tariff bill was pending
"WiH the gentleman turn II that rule"
| nquii ei Mr.. Crisp.
i do not have it before me, but 1t is
practically Identical with this rule
That rule permitted the House to vote
on the pending amendments when the time
| for debate expired said Mr.. Crisp. The
gentleman Is not candid"
Mr. DiupIey's Reply.
Mr.. Dingley insisted that the spirit of the
two rules was the same, and called atten-
uon to The fact that ii was within the pow
| er of the committee of the whole to limit
debate on each amendment Mr.. Hender-
son said he made no disguise of the fact
that the purpose of the rule was TO bring
the bill to vote. He said the situation in
| the Senate must be taken into considera-
! ton, and also the President in the White
| House, and urged all the friends of the old
| soldiers to stand by the bill the best that
could be written on the statute books at
| this time.
Nr. Crisp Reiterated His Statement.
Mr.. Crisp reiterated his statement that
| the purpose of the rule was to destroy the
| right of amendment, and followed this with
| the charge that the bill had been framed
rot by the committee on pensions, but by
the leaders in control of the House. who
had resolved that the House should pass
this bill, as drawn, or nothing.
The committee PENSIONS said he
spent days and weeks perfeCtng a bill,
and then the gentlemen who control legis-
| lation and who manage the affairs of this
| House, made this bill out in the Speakers
tqi irll NOT h.al
| by the pension committee. Then thoss gem
| tlemen brought in this rule TO protect Them
selves against this 100 republican majority.
| If you accept this rule you must take this
| bill as ii stands or nothing he concluded,
sarcastically addressing the republican side
IF you like the situation you are welcome to
Mr.. Hendel son ridiculed the virtuous in
dignation of Mr.. Crisp. We now hear"
said he, the solemn voice of the STAR
| chamber rules committee of the past
whose rules were clad in steel, appealing
| for more time. / have no concealmcnt TO
make, he continued. THE gentleman SAYS
| he appeals for opportunity to amend this
bill, presumably in the interest of the old
| soldiers. In the same interest L ask for
action"
Mr.. Cannon dll.) said that. as one of the
| loo majority, he favored the rule He had
voted for the act of 1880 he said which
had placed 100000 new names on the pen
| sion rolls.
When the present administration assumed
! of the pen 2o,'sW names had been stricken
| nom the rolls and 100000 pensioners
had their pensions placed IN jeop-
ardy. This bill d:d not perhaps 20 as far
| as he wished. 1t was the best that could
be passed until the republican party OBJ
ta;ned full power.
Mr.. HePburn's Opposition.
Mr.. Hepburn Qowa) opposed the adoption
! of the rule. If there any question on
| which republican House could be trusted
| 1t was that of pensions, and he protested
| against the interference of the committee
| on rules He doubted whether the rule had
| been brought In in good faith, or whether it
was IN the Interest of the old soldier The
blll ought, he said, TO be amended.
The rule was adopted-ll9-SS. When the
vote was announced, on motion of Mr.. Cam
! non, chairman of the appropriations ccm-
m1ttee, the Senate amendments to the
| sundry civil bill were non-concurred in and
| the bill sent to conference Messrs Cam
non, Hainer, w. A. Stone and Sayers were
| appointed conferees.
| THE SENATE.
The absence of quorum at the opening