The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-18

WASHINGTON. Jan. 1.-THE house to-
day passed the pension appropriation
bill to the consideration of which it has
devoted the entire week, and then ad-
journed until Monday.
Mr.. Bartlett raised points of order
against all new legislation proposed in
the way of amendments, such as that
looking to making a pension vested
right" etc. and Mr.. Dingley, who was
in the chair sustained them. In this way
the clause in the bill changing existing
laws so as to allow widows to obtain
pensions under the act of $780, whose net
income did not exceed $500 per annum,
was stricken out.
Mr.. Bartlett, however, did not raise
the point against the provisions making
pensions under the act Of 1890 rejected,
suspended or dismissed, and afterwards
allowed. TO date from their application
1t was announced in the debate, today,
that the bills covering the amendments
ruled out today would be reported from
the invalid pensions committee. The pen
sion Dill as passes, carries SAL 92o, ~,
about $4,000 less than the estimate. The
bill was passed fifty days ahead of any
previous appropriation bill.
THE PROCEEDINGS,
There was most unusual demonstra-
House today. The blind chaplain, whose
ardent Americanism has frequently &C
caSiOned remark, prayed ferYently today
for struggling Cuba and the success of
the battle for independence" When he
concluded. the sentiment he had ex
pressed was given hearty round of ap-
DlauSe.
The presidents special message .urg-
mig the necessity of immediate legisla-
ton to extend the limit of the time al
lowed the government to bring suits to
annul grants of public lands, was re
feFred to the committee on public lands.
The house then went into committee
of the whole for the consideration of the
pension appropriations under the five
minute rule.
Mr.. Steele (Rep.) Ind, offered an amend
ment in the shape of a provfso requlr-
ing the commissioner of pensions to make
public all rules and regulations regard
ing the prosecution of cases, in matters
of evidence to conform to the rules of
the courts and to give claimants and at
torneys for prosecuting cases access to
all documents and papers relating 10 the
Mr.. Bartlett (Dem.) N. Y, raised the
point of order that the amendment
changed existing law. The chair sus-
tanned the point of order.
Mr. Herman (Rep) Ore, offered an
amendment which was practically per
diem pension bill. That also went down
under point of order.
Mr.. Mahon (Rep) Pa, offered an
amendment declaring a pension to be
vested right, not to be suspended on
charges of fraud until such charges have
been proven in q court of law. A point
of order was raised against this amend
ment. which was temporarily passed
over to allow Mr.. Bartlett to raise his
point of order against the provision in
the bill requiring a widow to prove that
her met income" does not exceed $500
before she can receive a pension under
the act of 1890.
The present law requires that a widow
under the act of 1890 shall prove that she
is dependent upon her daily labors for her
support. This was the clause in the bill
against which Mr.. Bartlett had been di-
recting his assaults throughout the week.
His point of order was that it changed
existing law. The point was sharply con
tested by several Republicans. They con-
tended that the provision in the bill
simply construed the act of 1890, and did
not change it. 1t interpreted the words
in the law without which means of sup
port TO mean not to exceed a net in
come of $500 a year.
Mr.. Dockery Dem.) Mo-, took the posi-
ton as a friend of the provision. that
the chair should not be embarrassed by
being forced to rule on very question
able point, but that the appeal of men,
bers should be directed to Mr.. Bartlett
But Mr.. Bartlett declined.
Mr. Cannon (Rep) H., while in favor
of the nroposition on its merits. thought
it was in spirit new legislation and was
amendble to the rule.
Mr. Dingley, who was in the chair, in
an elaborate ruling, in the course of
which he expressed his sympathy with
the supporters of the provision, sus-
tanned the point of order and the provis-
ion was stricken from the bill.
Mr.. Stone then offered the provision in
modified form. but it also was ruled
out. In view of Mr.. Dingley's rulings in
these two cases. Mr.. Mahon withdrew
his amendment.
Mr.. Wood (Rep) ILL.,, offered an amend
ment providing that pensions should be
paid quarterly to those on the rolls at
the rates now allowed by existing law,
or at such increased rates as hereafter
may be allowed. Mr.. Bartlett made the
point of order that the amendment
changed existing laws No pensioner could
be dropped from the rolls for fraud or
any reason. The chair sustained the point
of order.
on motion of Mr.. Connolly Rep3 ILL.,,
the words because of any defect or in
trinity in the application were stricken
out in the clause allowing pensions re-
iected. suspended or dismissed, to date
from their first application.
At the conclusion of the consideration
of the bill, Mr.. Graft (Rep.) ILL.,, said
that in Justice to himself and those like
him who believed that a pension was a
vested right" he desired to state that
his amendment had not been offered be-
cause of the manifest disposition of the
chairman of the committee to rule out,
but he confidently predicted that the COM
mittee on invalid pensions would shortly
report a bill for that purpose.
The committee then rose, and the BILL
as amended, was passed. Then at 1850
q. M, the house adjourned until Monday.
WILL CAUSE A ROW.