The Portland daily press., 1897-12-10
TALKED ABOUT PENSIONS.
Appropriation Bill Before House
yesterday.
DEMOCRATS CRITICIZE
VARIOUS CLASSES OF PENSIONS.

In tue Senate Mr.. Gailinger Says a Ea1t
Must Be Called on Passing Private
Bills-The Country Congratulated on
Settlement of Pacific Railroad Case.
Washington, December 9.-The House
today entered upon the consideration CT
the pension appropriation bill and stirred
up debate that promises to continue for
several days. Several of the Southern
Democrats offered criticisms of various
classes of pensioners.
The Northern Democrats, however, We'd
with the Republicans in their professions
of friendship for the soldier.
Representative Jerry Simpson of Kan
sas was IN his seat for the first time this
session and was warmly greeted by his
colleagues. After some preliminary bust
ness the House went into committee of
the whole, Mr.. Payne of New York in the
chair, for the, consideration of the pension
appropriation bill, which was reported
yesterday.
The bill carries S14l, 121 $50, Of which
81 ,121 $50 is for fees of examining sur
geons, salaries Of agents, clerks, and the
other items for the execution OF the PEN
sion laws. Mr.. W. A. Stone, Republican
explained the different items.
Mr.. Stone then yielded to Mr.. Cannon,
chairman of the committee on appropri-
atlons who took occasion to make a gen
eral statement of the estimates submitted
by the Secretary of the Treasury for the
public service of 1899 for the purpose be
said of disabusing the minds of mem bers
and the country of a false impression
made by a comparison of those estimates
with those of preceding years. The aSti-
mated revenues for 1899 were S4S2, GOO, 900,
the expenditures $504, 900, 600, showing an
estimated deficit of $21 600, 900. Under
the last sundry civil act the Secretary of
the Treasury, he pointed out, was com
PEELED to estimate this year Tor S48, 900, 600
of river and harbor work $83, ,00Q. 600 of
which had not been authorized by Law. II
this sum not heretofore included in the
estimate were deducted there would be an
estimated surplus Of SS,000,0 instead
of deficit.
Last year, as estimated the deficit
under the last tariff act was S46, Geo, QUO.
If the ST 1000, 600 for river and h arbor
work for which the government then
stood bound had been included, the esti-
mated deficit would have been $63, ,00o,-
000 Mr.. Cannon said it might be that
thea expenditures for pensions for 1899
would exceed the estimates. The COM
missioner of pensionsestimated the expen-
ditures at S4S, ,000, 600. If he should prove
to be right, Mr.. Cannon pointed that the
$40, 100000 appropriated by this bill
would pay all pensions for the first eleven
months of the fiscal year and g deficiency
appropriation could easily be made
In conclusion MIR. Cannon sols7aniT
warned the House that the large antici-
patory inportations would keep the rev
enues under the present law down to the
minimum and he appealed to his COL
leagues to see to 1t "that whileathe public
money not oneI dollar is appropriated
which is not absolutely necessary to the
best interests of the public service"
This statement of Mr.. Cannon was
warmly applauded on the Republican
side.
Mr.. Allen, Democrat of Mississippi,
attacked MIR. Cannon's statement. He
graveiy commended Mr.. Cannon's appeal
for economy, but avowed that the figures
given did not do the situation justice.
He produced estimates that showed an
estimated deficiency for the next year Of
$72, 900, 600. He referred to the increase in
the pension roll under the present ad-
ministration and ridiculed the idea of q
decrease unless the late increase was to be
attributed to the "exigenoes of the recent
campaign in Ohio" He read from Com
missioner Evans testimony before the ap.
preparations committee predicting
deficit of from IS, coo, 900 to $40, ,000, 900 in
fiscal year. The maximum has not yet
been reached. "rhis question of the
maximum of the pension roll, observed
Mr.. Allen, sis Que of the things that has
protracted my stay in Congress. SWhen
first came here they were talking Of the
maximum. l stayed ten or fifteen years
to see it but 1t has not yet come and
guess I'll have to come again" (Laugh-
ter)
Mir. 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 a
bill on the statute books that would
strike abalance between the recent expen-
ditures and predicting another season of
anxiety on Mr.. Dingley's part next
spring at another session called for the
same purpose.
MIR Allen with mock gravity offered
as his excuse for discussing the pension
question the conspicuous part he had
Continued on Second Page.