Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-12
CONGRESSMAN JONES.
HE IS INDIRECTLY corIIxEsrEu
Br SENATOR GALLIxGER.
pURGMG THE PENSION ROLL.
Mr.. Jones's Position OF Long Ago %
This Subject Now Taken By the Me-
publican Chairman OF the ssnsts
Committee on Pensions.

| WASHINGTON. ID. c., Dccember H.
Especial. )--Senator Gallinger. OF New
Hampshire, chairman Of the Senate Conn
mittee on Pensions. yesterday indirectIy
PAID Congressman w. A. Jones. Of vir~'
ginia, high compliment by endorsing =
position taken by the latter in the Erfty-
fourth Congress. IN regard to granting
pensions to widows who married aead
veterans after the close OF the war. Mr..
Jones was for several sessions known ap
the pension ohjector' OF the House. ana
! he obtained considerable fame among the
Democrats. and corresponding degree
of dislike among the Republicans by suc-
cessfully defeating large number oe
bogus and Illegal claims for pensions.
which otherwise would have been grant,
ed. Senator Gallnger yesterday. in the
course OF a speech. calling halt on ex-
cessive pension Legislation. said:
Il want 10 put myself on record also
as being In favor OF the Recommendation
or the Commissioner OF Pensions, that
we should speedily enact q law that no
pension shall be paid to the widow Of .
soldier who shall be married subseQucnf
TO the passage OF the act. OF course.
excepting those who may enter the mill
tary service in the mean time; In other
words. that as TO the old soldiers who
are now permitting themselves 70 be mar
ried TO young girls. we should put a stop
TO the granting of widows pensions un-
der those conditions"
This was exactly the position taken by
Representative Jones long ago. He as
sumed questioning attitude as to
whether the immense outlay OF Sis0, 0oo.ooo
annually had been sufficiently well con-
sidered. He was not opposed 10 the sem
timent Of gratitude toward the widows
OF the men who perilled iife Leaith, and
the welfare OF their families In the field.
BOGUS YOUNG WIDOWS.
This attitude OF his has become mora
and more pronounced since 1t has been
seen that thousands OF young widows are
being annually added 10 the pension rolls,
to take the place OF the veterans who are
dropping of, and whose pensions. which
are for life, seem likely TO prolong for
another full generation a large portion
OF the national burden hitherto SO pa
tiently borne While the people are wills
ing TO save from want the widows Of
veterans who were disabled In the SER
vice, they cannot discern what claim the
woman who married an ex-soldser
long after the war can have upon
the country. Marrying q veteran for the
sake OF getting penslon--a practices
which has for years become common
cannot be classed among the acts Of pa
triotiam, for which pensions are usually
bestowed.
This was Representative Jones's con-
tenticn long ago. and II fs exceedingly
gratifying to him that Senator Gailinger
should now follow in his footsteps. and
again inaugurate q war on tho bogus
widows who are 'still Consistently APPLYING
\ for pensions.
MONUMENT AT WAKEFIELD.
Senator Daniel end Representative
Jones have been called upon by a com.
mttee of the Daughters of the ReYolu-
tlon, who wish 20 dedicate on April 3oth
next the monument at Wakefield. in
Westmoreland county, recently erected,
and completed about a year ago. 10 mark
the birthplace OF Washington. Tho
two gentlemen promised TO do all
I'm their power In that direction.
and they made an appointment with
the Daughters for a future day, to
accompany them in g call on Secretary
Alger In whose charge the monument
still is.
The credit for this monument is otiefiy
due TO Representative Jones, who intro
duced the bill detailing the historical
necessity for the monument, and pro-
vidlng for an appropriation 10 defray the
expense Of It. With the cooperation OF
Senator Daniel the bill passed both
houses and was approved. and when last
year the monument was received from
the contractor a description OF II was
published in the Dispatch.
Representative Jones also had passed
a bill to build wharf at Wakefield. for
the convenience OF visitors. and for an
iron enclosure for the monument, both %
which are now about completed.
The dedication on April the 30th next
will, no doubt, be an occasion OF great
interest. The President and Cabinet and
members Of both houses OF Congress
will be invited 10 attend, appropriate adj
dresses will be made, and an elaborate
programme OF ceremonies will be pre-
pared by the Daughters OF the Revolution.