The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-10

EARNINGS. IN SENATE AND MOUSE
or REPRESENTATIYE

atoms Committee on the Need of
Ecouomy-The Extreme Limit in Pri-
waite Pension Allowances.
Washington, Dec. 9.-In the house of
representatives to-day the pension APP
preparation bill was taken up in COM
mittee of the whole, Mr.. Payne, rep,
of New York, in the chair. The bill car
ries Sal, 121, $50, Of which $1,121,830 is for
fees of examining surgeons, salaries Of
agents, clerk hire, and the other items
for the execution Of the pension laws.
w, A. Stone, rep, of Pennsylvania, in
charge Of the bill, explained the differ
ent items.
Mr.. Stone then yielded to MIR. Cannon,
rep, of Illinois, chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations, who took oc-
casion to make a general statement Of
the estimates submitted by the secretary
of the treasury for the public service
of 1899, for the purpose, he said, of dis
abusing the minds of members and the
country of false impression made by
q comparison of these estimates with
those of preceding years. The estimat-
ed revenues for 1899 were $4S2,0O0,000,
the expenditures 1904, 900, 900, showing an
estimated deficit of $21000,000. Under
the last sundry civil act the secretary
of the treasury, he pointed out, was
compelled to estimate this year for $4S,-
100000 of river and harbor work, $685.,
100000 of which had not been author
lied by law If this sum not heretofore
Included in the estimates were deduct
ed, there would be an estimated sur
plus of $S,000,000, instead of a deficit.
Last year the estimated deficit under
the last tariff act was $46,0O0000. If
the 1900, 900 for river and harbor
work, for which the government then
stood bound, had been included, the es-
innate deficit would have been $63, 000,
900.
Mr.. Cannon said it might be that the
expenditures for pensions for 1899 would
exceed the estimates. The commission
er of pensions estimated the eXpendit-
ures at $14S. 900, O0O If he should prove
to be right, Mr.. Cannon pointed out
that $40, 900, 900 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 solemnly
warned the house that the large antici-
patory 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 was 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 applauded on the republic
can side.
Mr.. Allen, dem, Of Mississippi, COM
mended Mr. Cannon's appeal for econ
omy, but avoWed that the figures Of
the chairman of the appropriations
committee did not do the situation JUS
tfce. He produced figures that showed
an estimated deficit for the next year
of S72, 900, GEO. He referred to the in
crease 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 of the recent campaign in
Ohio"
He read from Commissioner Evans
testimony before the appropriations
committee, predicting a deficit of from
$4,000, 900 to $40, 900, 900 in pension eXpen-
ditures during the next fiscal year. The
maximum had not yet been reached.
"This question Of the maximum of the
pension-roll," observed Mr.. Allen, sis
one of the things that have protracted
any stay in congress. When [ 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'll have to come back again"
(Laughter)
Mr. Allen pictured 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 an
other season of anxiety on Mr.. Ding
ley's part next spring at another extra
session called for the same purpose.
Mr.. McRea, dem. Of Arkansas, advo-
Gated the transfer of the pension Of
fee to the war department, where it
would be out of politics.
Mr. w. A. Smith, rep. of Michigan,
said he would make the pension a vest
ed right if he had the power.
Mr. Norton, dem. of Ohio, declared
that it was not the democratic side of
the house which was assaulting the
pension roll He charged that Commits
sioner Evans had advocated a law that
would hereafter cut off the widow and
the orphan. He protested his friendship
for the old soldiers. Bring on your
pension BILL" he cried addressing the
republican side. "Raise it as high as
you dare and it will have the vote of
every northern democrat on this side. u
Messrs. Myers, dem. of Indiana, and
Campbell of Illinois, favored liberal
pensions. Mr.. Hepburn, rep. of Iowa
replied to some of the criticisms of the
pension roll which came from the other
side. He was especially severe in his
condemnation of a remark made by Mr.
Norton which he characterized as "mon.
strous." The statement was that the
regulations of the pension office COM
PEELED most soldiers to stand on the re-
jected list or commit moral and legal
perjury to reach these rolls"
Mr.. Norton disclaimed having used
the word "most." With a change of
that word. to many, he said he stood
by that statement. The pension office
required testimony which was not in
existence. He stood ready, he said, tc
aid in sweeping away these senseless