Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-12-20
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

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Washington, Dec. 9.-In the senate
Mr.. Gallinger (rep., n. H.) chairman
of the committee on pensions, called
attention to the increasing demand
for private pension legislation and re-
quested the senators to be careful in
the future to see that their bills for
private pensions were meritorious be-
fore they were introduced. He thought
that the practice of pensioning remar-
ried widows and several other similar
classes of claimants ought to be stop
ped. An attempt was made by Mr.. Nc
Bride (rep., Ore.) to secure an APP
preparation for the relief of Klondike
miners, but the net result was a reso-
luton calling on the secretary of war
for all the information that he had on
that subject A resolution by the
Pacific railroad committee asking for
information regarding the sale of the
Kansas-Pacific was adopted. This gave
Messrs. Gear (rep., Ia.) and Thurston
rep, Neb.) opportunity for short
speeches congratulating the country
upon the settlement of the Pacific
railroad question. Mr.. Gear said that
too much credit could not be given the
present administration for the admir-
able manner in which it had handled
and disposed of the Pacific railroad
matters. Mr. ThurstOn congratulated
the country upon the result Of the adj
ministration's efforts regarding the
Pacific railroads He said that if the
plan proposed by Mr. Harris (dem.,
Tenn had been adopted the United
States would not have received any
thing approximating the magnificent
sum which has been paid for the main
line of the Union Pacific He said that
he noticed in the presidents message
that the administration is committed
to policy Of purchasing the Kansas
Pacific branch unless better bid is
offered. He did not believe in govern
ment ownership of railroads and he
was of the opinion that the expert
ment of such OWL ership, if it was to be
tried, might better be with some other
tran the Kansas Pacific railroad. He
suggested to the Pacific railroad com
mlttee that the authority asked for by
the president to bid in the road be
coupled with full power to resell it.
MIR. Hoar (rep., Mass.) presented
petition signed by 21,269 native Haw-
allans, protesting against the annexa-
ton Of Hawaii. Adjournment was
taken until Monday.
Washington, Dec. 9.-The house
entered upon consideration of the
pension appropriation bill and stirred
up debate that promises to continue
for several days. Several southern
democrats offered criticism on various
classes of pensioners and Private John
Allen (dem., Miss.) presented a series
OF amendments designed, as he said,
to correct some of the most glaring
evils. They prohibit granting pen
slons to widows whose applications
were not fled during their ~,
and the granting Oh pensions to wiz
ows whose applications were based on
marriages contracted after the passage
of this act, and to permanently insane
or idlotic minors who had reached
heir majority. It was admitted on
beth sides of the house during the
discussion that the $14O, 200 600 carried
by the bill for pensions would not
cover the expenditures but, as CON
gress would be in session, Mr.. Cannon
Crep., Ill.) said it would be easy to
make good any deficiency that might
occur. He gave a detailed statement of
prospective revenues and expendi-
lures and pleaded for economy. The
debt for 1898 was put by him at $21.-
100000 but Mr.. Allen (dem., Miss.)
declared it would be $72,OOO,OOO. A
long debate on pensions ensued.