The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
PENSION BILL PASSED.
Statement from Mr.. Dingley Regard
ing PrOsDectiYe ReHennes

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10-The House to-
day passed the pension appropriation bill
without amendment, and adjourned until
Monday. The amendments offered by the
Democrats to correct alleged existing abuses
were all ruled out on the point of order that
they We're new legislation. AS passed. the
bill carried $141 1868, $50. The debate to-day
covered wide range. 1t touched not only
the question of our pension policy, but that
o. clVil-service reform and the receipts and
expenditures of the treasury under the
Dingley law. On the latter question Mr..
Dingley made an important statement. in
which he expressed the opinion that the re-
ceipts would equal the expenditures before
the close of the present fiscal year. and pre-
dicted a surplus of $10OOO,O 900 next year. The
ciyi-service law was savagely attacked by
several members, notably by Mr.. Brown
(Rep, Ohio) and Mr.. Lnney (Rep.. N. CO.
and was warmly defended by Mr.. Johnson
CRep, Ind.), whose remarks are quoted
above.
Preliminary to his statement Mr.. Ding
ley gave new Interpretation of the esti-
mated increase in pension expenditures
contending that the maximum was reached
IN 1893, when the pension payments reached
Sl5S,OO0OOO. In 1894 they fell to S141, 900 900;
1885, 10000; 1896, $1S9 900 OOO and in 1897
$l4l, 100000. If the expenditures for pensions
during the next fiscal year should be $14S,-
OOOOOC, as had been estimated, the increase.
Mr.. Dingley said, would not be due to new
leglslatlon, but to moro rapid administra-
ton of the present laws. 1t would there
fore involve no additional expense in tho
end. The question as to the revenues and
expenditures for the next fiscal wear pro-
ceeded Mr.. Dingley, was a practical one.
which Congress had to face. The statement
OF the secretary of the treasury he said
had caused much misapprehension owing to
the fact that under new provision of law
ne mad been obliged to include in the esti-
mates OF expenditures $73, 900 coo for public
works which neither he nor the secretary of
war nor any other well-informed person be-
! Heved would be expended. Counting this.
the estimated deficit he said, will be S21.
OOJOOO. He violated no confidence when ne
the President were confident that the re-
celpts next year would exceed the expend-
Mr. Dingley said he took it for granted
tfat Congress would exercise reasonable
economy. Tie estimated deficit for the
present year, not counting The money OBJ
railroads, was SIS, 600 600. The anticipatory
impOrtations had, Mr.. Dingley argued.
placed in the treasury before July l, $685.
600, 900. These importations had reduced the
defcit last year from $56 600, 900 to $18 600 OOO
lrasmuch as the importations were for con-
sumption this year. Mr.. Dingley contended
charged to the receipts of the current year
IL they were so charged. instead of a
deficit there would be surplus this year of
Sl0,OOO,OOO Mr. Dingley figured cut surplus
OF exactly that amount (Sl0, 900 00O for the
coming fiscal year. He described the steady
manner in which the revenues had been in
creasing at the rate of one to two millions a
month Although December was generally
q bad month for importations, he said that
If the increase for the first nine days of this
month We're continued the receipts this
month would increase from S25. 10000 In
November to $27, 600 coo in December When
he confidently predicted that the effect of
the anticipatory revenues would all be over
come during this fiscal year, and that after
May or June 1898, the revenues would ex-
ceed the expenditures, the Republican side
broke into repeated cheers.
Mr.. McMillin asked: IF revenues will
soon meet expenditures. why do you not use
scme Of the surplus to extinguish the public
debt?
"Or," interjected Mr.. Cannon lightly. amid
laughter, well get around in time to stop
the results of Democratic extraVagance"
During the ive-minute debate Mr. Linney
made an argument in favor of overthrow
ing the civil-service law which set the gal
leries in a roar.
All amendments, including those proposed
yesterday by Mr.. Allen, were either voted