The San Francisco call., 1896-01-18
Approval Of His Appeal for
Cubans and Others Strug.
CLING for Liberty.
PENSION CLAIMS CONSIDERED.
After Several Amendments Were Re.
Jscted the General Pension Appro-
priation Bill Was Passed.

WASHINGTON, D. o., Jan. 17.-Ap-
plause following the delivery of q PRAYER
IN the House is an unusual and probably
unprecedented incident in its proceedings,
but when Chaplain Couden to-day offered
the following invocation: "Our heavenly
father, we thank thee for the degree of
special liberty which we as people enjoy,
and our hearts go out for those in other
lands who are struggling for wider
liberty. Especially do we pray for the
Cnbans, and ask that if they be right,
their efforts may be crowned with success.
And we pray that our country may do for
them all that it can without compromising
its dignity or in disregard of its sacred
Obligations and duties TO other nations"
There was lively outbreak of hand
clappiEg all over the floor.
The House went into committee of the
whole with Dingley r. of Maine in the
chair, to consider the general pension ap-
preparation bill, under the five-minute
rule.
Steele (R.) of Indiana offered an amend
me eat providing that the regulations made
IN the Pension Bureau for the considera-
tion OF pension claims shall be public, and
that all papers bearing upon claim shall
be open to the inspection of the claimant
and his attorney.
To this Bartlett Cd of New York made
the point OF order that it changed existing
law, and was, therefore, obnoxious to the
rules. After some debate the point of
order was sustained.
Hermann (R.) of Oregon proposed an
amendment establishing 1-cent per diem
service pension to every soldier and sailor
who served more than ninety days, the
minimum to be So a month, and making
that sum the minimum pension paid under
any law TO veteran or his widow. This
was ruled out on q point of order.
Mahon (R.) of Pennsylvania offered an
amendment making a pension once
granted a vested right, to be disturbed
only on ground of fraud. This was passed
over temporarily.
Bartlett (D.) of New York made the
point OF order against the provision in the
bill, as reported, that widow claimant
having less than $500 year income is,
within the meaning of the law, without
other means OF support than her daily
labor" The provision was supported by
W. A. Stone (R.) of Pennsylvania, Pow
ers (R.) of Vermont, Northway (R.) OF
Ohio and Grosyenor (R.) of Ohio as not
changing existing law.
Chairman Dingley sustained the point
of order, and the provision was stricken
out.
Stone offered the amendment in modi-
fled form, and that was rejected on another
point of order.
In view of these rulings by the chair
man Mahon (R.} of Pennsylvania with
drew his pending amendment declaring
pension to be vested right.
Graft (R.) of Illinois withdrew his pro-
posed amendment to prevent the reduc-
ton or withdrawal of pension, except in
proceedings instituted in Federal court.
The committee then rose and the bill
was passed without dissenting voice.
At 4:50 O'Clock, after an announcement
by W. A. Stone (R.) of Pennsylvania,
which was received with applause, that
the pension bill had passed the House fifty
days ahead of the passage of any similar
bill in the last two Congresses, the House
adjourned until Monday next.