Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-01-24
Nervous
THE ELOQUENT GRIFFIN.
He Replies to Bartlett, of New York
CITY.

City.
In Congressional Record for January
10th we find this eloquent reply from
Hon. Michael Griffin, of Wisconsin,
(rep.l to Bartlett, dem of New York:
This, Mr.. Chairman, is proven by
the very few convictions, the very
few dishonest acts, the very few cases
in which perjury has been charged in
the dispensing of pensions to the 970,-
900 pensioners on the part of this
government. So that l say patriotism,
valor, honesty, and integrity have
travelled hand in hand together They
cannot be separated. He who was so
self-sacrificing as to say he owed the
country his life, If need be, is the last
man today who ought to be charged
with being ready to"loot its treasury"
and "ruin its credit"
Now, what is the justification for
the amendment introduced here on
this bill, providing that widows may,
in case that they have not fixed in
come Of $500 per year, receive the
pittance which the government is
willing TO give them in the shape of
pensions. We find IL, Mr. Chairman,
In the fact that when the widow and
her little ones may have few dollars
of income, under the strict construct
ion Of the law, she is deprived of the
bounty of the government.
Little does the gentleman from the
Seventh Congressional district OF
New York appreciate this state of
things. He goes to his club; sits be-
fore his CRATE fire-toasting his extrem-
titles, with his pedal appendages in
cased in soft silken slippers, smoking
his cigarette [Laughterl and slipping
his wine with genial friends about
him. The winter winds bowling out
side disturb not his peace or his
drinks. The bowling blasts that
come from the homes Of want and
poverty penetrate not TO his abode.
Everything is lovely; and surrounded
with luxury and comfort, what con-
ception, what knowledge, what in
formation can he have to move the
liberal hearts OF our citizens ? But
go to the other place, and whatdo you
find A house with but a single
room; nothing but tallow dip, II 1t
be at night, to cast lurid glare over
the few objects in it; you find hud-
died about the dying embers OF a once
perhaps comfortable fire, the widow,
with emaciated countenance and
frame poorly clad, her little ones
shivering by her side over the few
fragments that remain still uncon-
sumed, their dimpled fingers blue
with cold, no food, no fuel, no nothing
but want and misery, not even the
common comforts, say nothing about
uxury-nothing in view but want
and suffering.
The few dollars income which the
widow may haye for herself and her
little ones are insufficient, with her
efforts, TO support and take care OF
them; and yet there are the two ex-
tremes. There is case, not an $50
lated one, for they are Numerous IN
this country OF ours, rich and plen
teous In every other respect. There
is a case, Mr. Chairman, which ap
peals to the favorable action OF thil
House on this amendment. II sh'
could add to the little pittance sh'
has the bounty which the Govern
ment-in case this bar shall be re
moyed-would afford her, she may b
lifted up from the condition Of penary
poverty, and want, and placed wher
she ought to be placed; and any ma
who gets up here or elsewhere and an
pOunces TO the world that he is ''th