Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-11
PENSION BILL PASSES
First Of the Appropriations Goes
Through the House With.
out Amendment.
DISCUSSION TAKES WIDE RANGE,

ohio Men Break In with . Blast ct the
Civil Service Law and IL II Defended
Again by Johnson-Diugiey Predicts the
End Of Deficits Next Year and says That
the Pension Bill Had Reached Its MAXI
mum Four Year, Ago.
Washington, Dec. 1.-THE house yes
terday passed the pension appropria-
ton bill without amendment, and ad-
journed till Monday. The amendments
offered by the Democrats to correct
alleged existing abuses were all ruled
out on the point of order that they were
new legislation. As passed the bill car.
RED slil.203.sso. The debate yesterday
covered wide range. 1t touched not
only the question Of our pension policy
but that Of civil service reform and
the receipts and expenditures OF the
treasury under the Dingley law On
the latter question Dingley made a
statement In which he expressed the
opinion that the receipts would equal
the expenditures before the close Of the
present fiscal year. and predicted a
surplus % 100000 next year. The
civil service law was savacely attacked
by several members. notably by Brown
utepD Of Ohio and Linney (Rep) Of
North Carolina, and was warmly de-
Tended by johnson (Rep.) OF Indiana.
Just before the close Of the session
Hit. chairman Of the foreign affairs
committee. attempted to secure unani-
nous consent for the passage Of the
blu TO prohibit pelaGic sealing by Amer
lean citizens. but objection was made.
IL viii under agreement be considered
Monday.
Begun by an Ohio Man Again.
The assault on civil service reform
was begun by Brown Of Ohio. who
styled the law an ''abomination." and
for doing so was loudly applauded. The
soldiers looked upon the law as mimi
cal to their interests. and the president
was mistaken when he said the law has
the approval of the people.
Grosvenor said that so far as he was
concerned he had enlisted for the war
against the civil service law. Grosvenor
then reviewed the records Of the two
parties on the pension legislation of
congress. figuring that i'm the aggre-
gate l.S0i Republican votes were cast
In congress for general pension legisla-
ton and but two against. while 4l2
Democratic votes had been in favor of
such legislation and SIG votes in OBJ
position.
Sullivan Of Mississippi spoke against
the payment OF pensions TO those who
were wealthy and did not need them.
johnson Replies to the Ohio Men.
johnson of Indiana. reiterated his
statement f the other day that civil
service reform was an essential prin-
ciple 81 Republicanism. He referred to
the declarations OF state Republican
conventions and read from the plat
forms adopted at Republican national
conventions for twenty years. in sup
port Of his contention. Hayes. Garfield.
Harrison and Mckinley all stood for
the law. and the presidents last utter.
ance in its favor had received the over
whelming approval of the Republican
press of the country. Johnson declared
that the enemies of the law dare not
attack II openly.
DO you favor life tenure in Officer"
asked Pearson Of North Carolina
Public once Public Trust.
Il do in the civil service" replied
johnson. emphatically. Il believe that
the Offices are public trusts held by the
people who deserve them; that they
are not owned by politicians to be used
for rewarding their friends. I believe
any bright boy. no matter how humble
In origin. who doesn't happen TO have
a political pull should be allowed to
demonstrate his fitness for Office, and
that the Office should not be served to
the son Of some man who happens to
control few votes which can be used
to shape the destiny of some mediocre
candidate for Office" (Great applause