The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-20
THE PENSION ROLLS.|
All Practical Men Are Interested in
Revising Them,
WILL NOT LONG BE A PARTY QUESTION
No Objection to Legitimate Pensions.
but Fraud Is Too Apparent.
MR.. BALL OPENED THE FIGHT.
Ills Amendment Ia the Pension RtII
Is just and Eauitahle Provision.
His Vigorous speech.
WILL NOT LONG BE A PARTY QUESTION
MR.. BALL OPENED THE FIGHT.

Washington. December I6.-(staff Cor
respondence.) Tho enormous sum carried |
In the pension appropriation bill is causing |
all sorts of adverse comment here, not |
only among democrats. who were Union !
soldiers during the civil WAR; but among |
republicans who were also soldiers, but |
who, under the crack of the party lash. |
were compelled to vote for 1t in the house.
They are men who will leg against 1t
in the senate. The enormity OF the con-
slant increase of this pension business is
outrageous and these men. who are hon
est see that something must IN done TO
decrease this annual expenditure or the
people will revolt and wipe out the whole
thing The leaders of the Grand Army OF
the Republic ami the Loyal Legion are
foremost in The work of reforming the PEN
sion list for they see disaster ahead for
the old soldier who is really deserving OF
a pension.
There is no man, no matter how much OF
a Confederate he was during the war. un-
less he be an unreconstructed and power
fully preiudiced man. that objects TO thG
old soldier who was manned in the services
of his country receiving pension that
will maintain or assist in maintaining his
family in his disabled old age; but they
do strenunusly object TO making the PEN
| sion an incentive for young girls marry
| ing old veterans who have been too honest
| 10 apply for a pension because they were
capable of maintaining themselves, and
| then after their death applying for PEN
sion and obtaining several thousand dol
| lars back pay, marrying some man Of their
choice and setting him up in business at
the public expense.
| Not only is this practiced to an alarming
degree. but men who are well-to- do, men
of money and property and men occupy
ing lucrative positions In the employ OF the
general government, are today drawing
pensions, and people who meet and mingle
with them every day and respect them
highly know nothing OF the positive OUT
rage they are committing on the people
OF this country.
If the scheme to publish the names OF
people drawing pensions is carried to Il
successful conclusion Il will b. the best
1 thing that ever happened from the stand
point of dollars and cents. and also from
the standpoint Of justice. II viii compel
tens OF thousands OF persons now drawing
, pensions who obtained them by perjury, to
| either relinquish them or hang their heads
in shame before their fellow men who be-
lieved them honest and upright in every
sense OF the word and who did not dream
they were doing any such thing'
In view OF the foregoing laot' as wei
ne IN the interest of economy. Congress-
w., p.u oeforod an amendment r.
man ioNl 'a'' -.
the pension Dill as oheTea III 'ne nou7e
II is not often that member OF congress
from the South tackles the pension husl-
:. ,,,,,a,,, ,brous tho Nor.b.
ness pecau9e ~ 80. 70 thn oId solaie
efh eletieht VIZ o@ IT. hut inasmuct
as 20 many ~, y, a',a o-,hhing at every
thtna hat would suggest relief. it was
most opportune time TO do something OF
thar line, and NJ Ball as usual, aia IN
proper th'ns' ms
lows .., rhot anu, so,a,or .
; froViuee , iui W, ~, Zee. nn o,hsy. narson ,ov
the war Of 1871 " tno' VI o,n IN 80, hnro
on the rehslo1 Io'' - on,Io, roi,s VIII
AFTER De piactu VII .i. Ptl' ~ ,,a sar,,,n
Is no" Oh MAJ rn,.rr,nan, IN =, civI
o. me ohIleu III" $50 taHtan annc,r,
capacity' ~helhet ny .,,'h norsan re
menJ or eIMlse' ~ , - off,c
celVes py Fl'luT ~ 't,," ,,a ~. go oo,,t ,
5 or posi'lon sal"as, ~" ~ s,r,, ~ Sim nn
or eXccedihg III Nsiur ~" a" ~. ~ inc,,,,
month nan moi I'lns US ef o -, Wv,
bency OF sucn ciNl' poSi'luu. us,sv " va,
ployment receive VI, n," ia, a"o ,a,s now !