Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-28
WRANCL|NG OVER PENSIONS The Committee on Rules Lim-
 tied Debate AND ARRANGED FOR A VOTE To Be Taken Today After the Approval of the
 Journal.
GEN. WHEELER'S NOVEL PROPOSITION
He Offered an Amendment Providing for the Establishment of "Battle Pen- sion Roll,'' but He Was Prompt
 ly Ruled Out of Order.

Washington, April 27.-After passing few private bills and others local to the District of Columbia resolution was re- ported from the committee on rules pro- viding for the consideration of the pend ing general pension bill for an hour and half under the five minute rule, the vote to be taken tomorrow immediately after the approval of the journal.
 MT. Crisp criticised the order as re- markabe in that it shut out all amend- ments.
 MT. Dingley called MT. Crisp's atten- tion to the fact that the order was almost precisely the language of the order un- der which the Wilson tariff bill was passed while the gentleman from Georgia was speaker and chairman of the rules committee.
 Mir. Crisp called attention to the waste of time of the session after the hour and half of debate was over, and said it was very apparent the leaders of the house had decided the pension bill must pass and nothing else. This order was necessary, he said, to protect the 150 re- publican majority from itself.
 MT. Henderson, republican of Iowa, wanted to say word in reply to the voice from the solemn star chamber of the past" He urged the adoption of the rule. The pension bill had been amply discussed and there was all necessary opportunity to perfect the bill in the hour and a half, which could be enlarged by the committee. He wished the pen sion bill passed as soon as possible and sent to the senate, where the question of adjournment had already been con- sidered.
 Mr. Cannon, republican, of Illinois, was a member of the Fifty-first congress which had passed the pension law of 1890 benefting 100000 deserving old soldiers The present administration had by one stroke of the pen taken away the rights of 10000 of these soldiers and put the remaining 300 and odd thousand in a state of fear. The bill did not go as far as he wished it, but was the best that could be done now.
 MT. Hepburn, republican, of Iowa, op- posed the rule. He thought the republi- can majority could be trusted to legis- late without any such restrictions from the old soldier.
 On a division the vote on the adoption of the rule was 70 to 66.
 The yeas and nays were then called resulting in 119 yeas to SS nays. So the resolution was adopted.
 The following republicans voted against the resolution, which was opposed by the democrats solidly: Messrs. Blue Bowers, Burton of Missouri Calderhead, Connolly Cook, Cooper of Wisconsin, Crowther Danford, Dewitt, Eddy, Fen ton, Graf, Hager, Hartman, Henry of Connecticut, Hepburn, Johnson of Cali fornia, Kirkpatrick, Mcclure. Miller of Kansas, Miner of Wisconsin, Smith of H. linois, Southard, Strong, Subway, Taw- ney, Towne, Tracewell, Updegraff, Van horn, Wanger, Wilson of Idaho.
 The house voted to disagree to the sen ate amendments to the sundry civil ap- propria tion bill, and ordered confer ence.
 MT. Henderson, republican, of Iowa, gave notice that tomorrow, after the gen eral pension bill had been disposed of, he would call up the general bankruptcy bill
 The bill reported by MT. Evans of Ken lucky March 26 from the committee on ways and means providing for the with drawal of distilled spirits from bonded warehouses by the st.ller or owner was recommitted to the committee on ways and means. Consideration of the pension bill then proceeded.
 MT. Connolly, republican of Illinois, of fered an amendment to the first section which would limit the granting of pen sions to ex-Confe derates whose service in the Confederate army was involuntary or which ended at least ninety days be- fore the close of the war.
 In the discussion which followed MT Miles, democrat, of Maryland, read let ter from Pension Commissioner Lochren, in which he designated this class Of sol diers as galvanized rebels"
 Mir Layton, democrat, of Ohio, offered as a substitute for the first section graded service pensionaneasure for more than ninety days service. It was ruled out on a point of order, and on appeal by MT Layton the ruling of the chair (Mr Payne republican, of New YorlO was sustained.
 The amendment offered by MT. Connol- ly was sustained.
 MT. Hepburn, republican, of Iowa. of- fered an amendment providing that hereafter in the administration of the pension bureau all laws shall be con- strued literally in the interest of the claimant, and in no case shall the claim ant be required to furnish a measure of proof that excludes all reasonable doubt, but shall be required only to establish his claim by a fair preponderance of proof
 The amendment was agreed to.
 Mir Wheeler, democrat, of Alabama offered an amendment providing for the csta blishment of "battle pension roll,'' on which shall be placed only the names of soldiers who fought in battle. It was ruled out on a point of order.
 The period provided for the considera- tion of the bill under the order expired when only two of the seventeen sections of the bill had been read. It was then reported to the house by MT. Payne. By a vote of 113 to IA the bill was ordered to be engrossed and read third time. By the terms of the rule the vote on the passage of the bill will be taken tomor- row morning after the reading of the Journal.
 At 4:4O p. m. the house adjourned until tomorrow.