The herald., 1897-12-10

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0ors who had reached their majority
The northern Democrats, however, viet
with the Republicans in their profes
sions Of friendship for the soldiers, ant
one OF them, Norton of Ohio. declared
that the Republicans could not make
the bill to large for him. 1t was ad'
mitted on both sides of the house dur
ing the discussion that the $140, ,0O(
carried by the bill for pensions would
mot cover the expenditures, but as con-
gress would be in session. Mr.. Cannon
said, it would be easy to make good any
deficiency that might occur.
Mr.. Stone, in charge of the bill, yielded
TO Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations, who took oc-
casion to make a general statement OF
estimates submitted by the secretary OF
the treasury for the public service OF
1899 for the purpose, he said, of disa-
, busing the minds of members and OF
the country of the false impressions
made by a comparison of these estimates
with those of preceding years. The es-
timated revenues for 1899 were 4S2,OO0,-
900: expenditures, s504,OO0,0Oo, showing
an estimated deficit of s21,00O,oo0.
~ Under the last sundry civil act the
BcCrGLdTy VI lIG tlCoSoi AN
out. was compelled to estimate this year
for S4S, 900 900 of river and harbor work,
$50. 900, 900 of which has not been author
ised by law. If this sum, not heretofore
included in the estimates, were deducted
there would be an estimated surplus OF
$4,000 900 instead of a deficit. Last year
the estimated deficit under the last
tariff act was $46,000,000. If the sl',ooo,-
600 for river and harbor work for when
the government then stood bound had
been included the estimated deficit
would have been s69,000,000
Mr.. Cannon said it might be that the
expenditures for pensions in 1899 would
exceed the estimates. The commits
sioner of pensions estimated the eXpen-
ditures at S14S00O. If he should prove
to be right, Mr.. Cannon pointed out, the
$40, 100000 appropriated by this bill
would pay all pensions for the first
eleven months of the fiscal year and
deficiency appropriation could be easily
made. In conclusion, Mr. Cannon SOL
emnly 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 it that while
the public service is sufficiently supplied
with money, not one dollar is appropri-
ated which Is not absolutely necessary
to the best interests of the public SER
vice"
This statement of Mr.. Cannon was
warmly appauded on the Republican
side.
Mr., Allen, Democrat, of Mississippi
attacked Mr.. Cannons statement in a
speech in which there were flashes of his
inimitable fumor that set the house in
q roar of laughter. He gravely COM
mended Mr.. Cannon's appeal for econ
omy, but avowed that the figures of the
chairman of the appropriation commit
tee did not do the situation justice. He
produced figures that showed an esti-
mated deficit for the next year of S72.-
100000 He referred to the increase in
the pension roll under the present ad-
ministration and ridiculed the idea of
q decrease unless the increase was to
be attributed to the "exigencies of the
rcent campaign in Ohio"
He read from Commissioner Evans
testimony before the appropriations
committee, predicted deficit of some
IS, 900 900 to s1OO 900 in pensions expen-
maximum had not yet been reached.
"This question of the maximum of the
pension ROLL" observed Mr.. Allen, sis
one of the things that has protracted
my stay in congress. When 1 first came
here they were talking of the maximum.
I stayed ten or fifteen years to see it.
but it has not yet come, and I guess I
will have to come back again" Laugh
ter)
Mr.. Allen directed the batteries of his
humor at the Dingley law as revenue
producer, picturing the intense anxiety
of the chairman of the ways and means
committee at the extra session to get
bill on the statute books that would
strike a balance between the receipts
and expenditures, and predicted that an
other season of anxiety on Mr.. Dingley's
part, with an another extra session,
would be called for the same purpose.
Mr.. Allen criticised some classes of
pensions granted. In conclusion he
spoke of the hardship this great tax
burden placed on the people of the south
who were, he said, being relentlessly
burdened by the gold standard and Az
cent cotton. Allen dsclaimed any in
tention of attacking the federal soldiers
or the pension rolls. But he said he
could not but marvel at the fact that
$4,000 names were now on the rolls and
that there were 100000 applications in
the pension office. There had been but
2,200,000 men in the federal army.
Mr.. Norton, Democrat, of Ohio de-
clared that it was not the Democratic
side of the house which was assaulting
the pension roll.
Bring on your pension BILL" he cried,
addressing the Republican side. RAISE
1t as high as you dare, and it will have
the vote of every northern Democrat on
this side.'
Messrs. Meyer, Democrat, of Indiana
and Campbell, Democrat of Illinois sub
mitted brief remarks in favor of liberal
pensions.
When God or the country had the
misfortune to give the only Democratic
president we have had since the civil
war, replied Mr.. Norton, I'VE found it
too late. He belonged to you and you
owned him." democratic applause)
Remedies do not begin with the pres
ident," said Mr.. Stone, but with con-
gress. Why did a Democratic congress
do nothing but reduce the pension roll :?
1t does not lie in your mouths to COM
plain. Republican applause.) If YOU
committed wrong why should YOU sit
by supinely and not seek to correct it 2"
democratic applause and Republican
jeers.)
AT this point the committee rose and
the house adjourned.
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