The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-10
Alleged Evils of Pension System De-
nOunced by Mississippi's Allen
and Other Southerners.
STATEMENT BY Mr.. CANNON
SHOWING ECONOMY is NECESSARY TO
AVOID ANOTHER DEFICIT.
Senators Warned by Mr.. GallinxeE
that There Should BE a Halt in
Private Pension Bills.

| WASHlNGION,. Dec. S.-The House to-
day entered on consideration of the pension
| appropriation bill and stirred up a debate
that promises to continue for several days.
| Several of the Southern Democrats offered
| criticisms on various classes of pensioners,
| and Private John Allen, of Mississippi, who
| led the assault in a speech replete with his
| characteristic humor presented series of
amendments, designed, as he said. to cor
| rect some of the most glaring evils They
prohibit the granting of pensions to widows
| whose applications were not filed during
| their widowhood and the granting of PEN
| sions to widows whose applications were:
| based on marriages contracted after the
| passage of this act, and to permanently i'm
| sane or idiotic minors who had reached
| their majority. The Northern Democrats,
| however, We'd with the Republicans in their
professions of friendship for the soldiers,
and one of them, Mr.. Norton. of Ohio, de-
clared that the Republicans could not make
| the bin too large for him. 1t was admitted
on both sides of the House. during the dis
| cussion, that the $14OOO0,O0O carried by the
bill for pensions would not cover the ex-
penditures, but, as Congress would be in
session, Mr.. Cannon said :- would be easy
to make good any deficiency that might oc-
| cur.
| Mr.. Stone, in charge of the BILL yielded
to Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the committee
| on appropriations, who took occasion to
make a general statement Of the estimates
| submitted by the secretary of the treasury
| for the public service of 1899, for the pur-
pose. he said, of disabusing the minds of
members and the country of the false ina-
preston made by comparison of these es-
| Inmates with those of preceding years. The
estimated revenues for 1899 were $4S2, 100000,
the expenditures $50, 100000, showing an os-
timated deficit of $21 100000. Under the last
sundry civil act the secretary Of the treas-
ury, he pointed out, was compelled to esti-
mate this year for $4s,OOOOO0 of river and
harbor work, SS3.OOO,0O0 of which had not
been authorized by law. If this sum. not
| heretofore included in the estimates, were
| deducted, there would be an estimated sur
| plus of $S,0OO.OOO instead of deficit. Last
| year the estimated deficit under the last
tariff act was $460OO,0OO. If the $l7,OO0,0OO
for river and harhor work for which the
! government then stood bound had been in
cluded the estimated deficit would have
| been $63OO0,OO0. Mr.. Cannon said it might
| be that the expenditures for pensions for
1899 would exceed the estimates. The COM
missioner of pensions estimated the expend-
itures at $14S,0O0,O00 If he should prove to
be right Mr. Cannon pointed out that the
$14O,OO0,O0O appropriated by this bill would
pay all pensions for the first eleven months
of the fiscal year and a deficiency appropri-
alton could be easily made. In conclusion,
Mr.. Cannon soemny warned the House
that the large anticipatory importations
would keep the revenues under the present
law down to the minimum and he appealed
to his colleagues to see to 1t that, while
the public service was sufficiently supplied
with money, not one dollar is appropriated
which Is not absolutely necessary to the best
interests Of the public service" This state
ment of Mr.. Cannon was warmly applaude0
on the Republican side.
FUNNY MAN ALLEN TALKS.
Mr.. Allen attacked Mr.. Cannon's state
ment in a speech in which there was flashes
of his inimitable humor that set the House
into roar of laughter. He gravely COM
mended Mr.. Cannon's appeal for economy,
but avowed that the figures of the chair
man of the appropriations committee did
not do the situation justice He produced
figures that showed estimated deficit for
the next year of $72,OO0,0O0. He referred to
the increase in the pension roll under the
present administration, and ridiculed the
idea of a decrease unless the late increase
was to be attributed TO the "exigencies or
the recent campaign in Ohio" He read
from Commissioner Evans's testimony be-
fore the appropriations committee predict
ing deficit of from IS, 00O 900 to 5000 OOO0O in
pension expenditures during the next fiscal
year. The maximum had not yet been
reached. This question of the maximum
of the pension roll" observed Mr.. Allen, lis
one of the things that hes protracted my
stay in Congress When first came here
they were talking of the maximum. 7
has not yet come, and guess will have
to come back again Haughter:)
Mr.. Allen directed the batteries or his
humor at the Dingley law as revenue pro-
ducer, pcturing the intense anxiety of the
chairman of the ways ard means committee
at the extra session to get bill on the
statute books that would strike balance
between the receipts and expenditures and
predicting another extra session of anxiety
on Mr.. Dingleys part next spring at am
other extra session called for the same pur-
pose. Mr.. Allen seriously criticised some
cluSion he spoke of the hardships of this
great tax burden placed upon the people OF
the South, who were, he said. being relent-
lessly burdened by the gold standard and ~
Mr.. De Almond Der.. Mo- followed with
additional criticism of some of the classes
on the pension rolls.
Mr.. Lacey Rep., la defended the pres
ent liberal pension policy.
When Mr. Lacey concluded Mr.. Allen
again got the floor and disclaimed any in
tention of attacking the federal soldiers on
but marvel at the fact that $4,000 names
were now on the rolls and that there we're
100000 applications In II the e. Pension once.
eral army, and he was reminded of meet
ing between an ex-Confederate and an ex-
federal at a blue and gray reunion. They
were felicitating themselves on the disap-
pearance of all hostility.
''If there should be another war" said
the ex-federal, I'VE will be standing shoul-
der to shoulder under one flag"
I'VE will, but you won't, retorted the ex-
Confederate.
what do you mean?' asked the ex-fed-
eral
Legally you are disabled" Gaughter.l
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
Mr. Allen gave notice that he would offer
amendments to prohibit the granting of a
pension to a widow whose application was
not filed during her widowhood, to prohibit
the pension of widows who had not married
prior TO the passage of this act and to
strike from the rolls the names of all per-
manently insane or helpless children who
had reached their majority.
Mr.. McRae (Dem.. Arlx) advocated, as the
first step, the transfer of the Pension Of
flee to the War Department. where 1t would
be out of politics.
w A. Smith (Rep. Mich) said he would
make the pension vested right II he had
the power.
Mr. Norton (Dem., o. declared that it
was not the Democratic side OF the House
which was assaulting the pension roll. He
charged that Commissioner Evans. both on