The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-14

W4ASf1lgN1LO-NE O' 49, SSaAs 80
day being the second Monday Of the
month, was, under the house rules. set
inside for the consideration Of business
relating to the District Of Columbia.
Although the consideration Of the house
rules has not been completed. it was de-
cided to give the day to the District OF
Columbia committee. Before Chair
man Babcock claimed the day. Mr.
Morse CRsp., Mass) presented the fol-
lowing resolution for reference to the
committee on foreign Affairs:
"whereas. The most mournful TRACE
dy OF the nineteenth century has been
and Is now being enacted, under the ap-
parent sanction Of the sultan OF Turkey
by which hundreds OF thousands OF ar
uieniaus are being ruthlessly slaueh-
tered in cold blood: women are being
driven into a captivity worse than death
and inhabitants who have fed TO the
mountains are dying OF cold and star
walton, and the blood OF these nartyred
dead cry to heaven for Justice,
Resolved, That the committee on Tor
sagn affairs consider the expediency OF
reporting forthwith some expression by
this government In 'denunciatIon OF
these atrocities, and II they find that as
q nation we are poweriess TO act that we
invoke the co-operation OF the allied
powers to wipe the Turkish government
on the face Of the earth and secure the
freedom and Independence OF Armenia
After the district business was at
tended to the house went into commit
tee OF the whole to consider the pension
appropriation bill
Mr., w. A, Stone (Rep., PENN In
charge OF the bill. explained its provt-
sIons. II carried $1+i. 30, $50, reduc-
tion OF S5s. $50 from the estimates. The
amendments to existing laws attached
to the bill provided that pensions
granted under the act OF 1880 should
date from the first application. no mat
ter how many times they had been re-
iected or dismissed for defect or IN
formnlity in the application, and re-
heated the provision Of the act Of 1880
recurring widow to prove that she was
dependent for her support on her daily
labor; instead, by the terms OF the
/ amendment, she must prove that her
net Income does not exceed $500 per
year.
said he did not know how many widows
would receive pensions under the
amendment, but II r.attered not Whetn-
er It would result in giving pensions TO
one or one hundred thousand widows.
The government was not 80 poor taat u
could not afford TO pension the widows
OF the defenders Of the union. CAP
Nr. Gran contended that a pension
was not a gratuity, and that Congress
I should QUIET the anxiety In the minds OK
90. 900 old soldiers by making their PEN
siOns vested rights.
Mr. Bartlett Dem. n. ~ gave no
| tIce that he would raise point OF order
against Mr. Crafts amendment, and
| also the amendment In the bill repeal
Ing the provision OF the act OF 1880 rela-
tive to widows pensions With refer
ence TO the Graz amendment, he be-
lIeyed II would be unwise TO strip the
| pension commissioner OF executive pow
er and clog the machinery Of United
States courts with matters that proper
| iy should be left TO the commissioner 5
| discretion. Mr. Bartlett announced
himself as a supporter OF pensions for
| deserving soldiers who were wounded
or contracted disease In the line OF du-
ty. But. without questioning the JUS
tice OF the dependent act OF 1880. ne de-
| clared his unAlterable opposition to a
| further extension OF that act such a.
was proposed In the pending bill. In
reply to a question from Mr. johnson
| CRen.. Ind.) he expressed the opinion
that the sentiment among New York
Democrats and the better class OF Re-
publicans was opposed to "an exten-
| sion ot the pension roll and the further
Iooting OF the treasury"
Mr.. Bartlett called attention TO the
fnct that the debate on the dependent
act IA both houses showed that Il was
specifically stated that the test OF the
| widows right to obtain pension un-
der the act should be her dependence on
her labor for her support. He pre-
dlcted that the adoption OF the amend
ment would add the names OF at least
| %. 900 widows 10 the rolls.
Mr.. Bingham CRep., Penn.l challeng-
ed Mr. Bartlett's estimate OF the num-
| Der Of Widows who would be benefited
by the amendment in the bill. The tes-
| timony OF Commissioner Lochren, he
| said, showed that but 5000 widows
claims had been abandoned.
Mr.. Bartlett admitted the number OF
benehclarlcs was contectural, but said
his estimates came from those best In
formed on pension statistics.
Mr.. Wills CREp., DELI In an eloquent
| speech OF i've minutes declared that
| IL was right that every safeguard
should be thrown about the soldiers
| pension.
at i35 the committee rose and the
house adjourned.