The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-10

IN THE HOUSE.
Private John Allen Vigorously Assaults the
Pension List.
tBy Associated Press.)

Washington, Dec. 9.LThe house today
entered upon the consideration of pension
appropriation bills and stirred up de-
bate that promises to continue for sew
eral days. Several of the southern DEM
ocrats offered criticisms on various
classes of pension bills, and Private John
Allen, of Mississippi, who lead the as
sau ult in a speech characteristic of his
humor, attacked a system, as he said,
full of the most giaring evils.
The northern democrats, however, vie
with the republicans I'm their pros ssions
of friendship for the soldiers, and one of
them, Mr. Norton, of Ohio, %elared that
,the republicans could not make the bill
too large for him.
1t was admitted on both sides of the
house thar the $140,000,00O carried by the
bill for pensions would not cover the
expenditures, but as congress would be
in session, Mr.. Cannon said I. would be
easy to make good any deficiency that
might occur.
Cannon's Estimate
Mr. Stone in charge of the bill, yield
ed to Mr. Cannon, chairman of The COM
mittee on appropriations, who made
statement of the es s-imates submitted
ny tHG SECRETARY VI tilC WCoouiy AOl tit
public service of 1899.
The estimated revenues for 1899 were
s4S2, 900, 900, the expenditures $504 100000,
showing an estimated deficit of $21 000,-
900. Under the last sundry civil act, the
secretary of uhe treasury, he pointed
out, was compelled to estimate THE ex-
pendi lures for the year at $47,000,000 for
river and harbor work. 100000 of
lxrI 10
the sum not heretofore included in the
estimates was deducted there would
have been an estimated surplus of $S,-
100000 instead of deficit Last year
the estimated deficit under the last tariff
act was $4600O000. If the s17,000,000 for
river and harbor work, for which the
government then stood bound, had been
included, the estimated deficit would
then have been $63,000.0O0. Mr.. Cannon
said it might be estimated that PEN
sions for 1899 would exceed the esH-
mates. The commissioner of pensions
estimated the expen nditures at $148,000,-
600. If he should prove to be right, Mr..
Cannon pointed out shat the s140, ,000, 900
provided by this bill would pay all PEN
sions for The first eleven months of the
year and a deficiency appropriation
could easily be made.
Note of Warning
Mr.. Cannon solemnly warmed the house
that large anticipatory importations
would keep the revenues under the pres
ent law down to HI minimum and he ap-
pealed to his colleagues to see to it that
while the public services were sufficient
ay supplied with money, not on= dollar
be appropriated that is not absolutely
for the best interest of the service.
Private John Allen Talks
Mr.. Allen, democrat, of Mississippi, at
tackled Mr.. Cannon's statement in
speech in which there were frequent
flashes of his inimitable humor witch
set the house into roar of laughter.
I'll gravely commended Mr. Cannon's ap-
peal fcr economy, but avowed that the
figures of the chairman of the appropria-
tion committee did not do the situation
justice. He produced figures that showed
an estimated deficit for the next year
of $72,0O0,000. He referred to the increase
in the pension roll under the present ad-
ministration and secuted the IDA of
decrease unless the late increase was to
be attributed to the exigencies of tbs
congressional campaign in Ohio.' He