Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-10
IN The SENATE.
Well Into Business -Hawaii-Private Pension
BiIIs-Business slapped Out.

| Washington. Dec. 9.--The Senate today.
! did considerable amount of business. al
though no very important measures We're
| considered or passed and there was very
| little debate. Senator Gallnger. chair
man of the committee on pensions. called
attention to the increasing demand for
| private pension legislation and requested
| senators to- be careful in the future to
see that their bills for private pensions
were meritoriouS before they were intro
| duced.
Senator Hoar presented a petition
! signed by 2l.61S natives of Hawaii, pro-
| tested against the annexation of those
| islands to the United States.
An attempt was made by Senator Me
Bride to secure an appropria ton for the
relief of the klondike miners but the
| net result was Il resolution calling on the
secretary of war for all information he
had on that subject.
An hour was devoted to the considera-
ton of private pension bills and Is Were
passed.
The resolution of the Pacific Railroad
| Of the Kansas Pacific was passed which
gave Senators Gear OF Iowa. and Thurs
ton of Nebraska, an opportunity to make
speeches congratulating the country upon
| the settlement of the Pacific Railroad
question
| Some work was laid out for next week
Senator Carter securing the right of way.
| Monday and Tuesday for his census bill
and Senator Lodge had the immigration
bill made the unfinished business during
| the week.
iioar secured unanimous consent for
| the presentation of Il petition signed by
2h9 native HaWaiianS. protesting against
the annexation of Hawaii.
The Senate agreed to adjourn today.
until Monday next.
Mcbride, Oregon. presented and asked
| for immediate consideration of Il joint
| resolution for the relief of American
| miners and other sufferers in the valley
| of the Yukon and tributaries. The reSo-
! luton authorized the secretary of war to
| transport supplies to the suffering miners
and provides that not more than $3.50 900
| be appropriated to carry out the Dur-
| pose OF the resolution. 1t went over on
| objection.
a resolution was offered by Chandler
ana referred to the committee on naval
| affairs. providing for an investigation of
the question of dry docks and naval sta
| ton.
| The resolution reported by the Pacific
| Railroad committee, asking the attorney
| general for information concerning the
| Kansas Pacific was adopted.
| Gallinger. chairman of the committee
| on pensions. requested that at the con-
| clusiOn of the morning business. today
| an hour be set aside for the considerable
| of the private pension bills. of which he
! said there were over 800 on the calendar
| endorsed by the committee.
Many OF them have passed the Senate
| at previous sessions but failed in the
| House. Eliminating duplicates Gallinger
| was of the opinion that at least 1000 pen
| sions. separate bills. had been presented
for consideration by this Congress.
81 want to say said he. that there
| Is laXity among senators about send
| ing pension bills to our committee. No
| inquiry is made by them to the merit
| of the measures and the result is that
| our committee is flooded with correspond
once concerning the details of bills that
ought to have been determined before the
measures were laid before Congress
| Senators should be absolutely satisfied
| of the merit of measures before introduce
| ing them
| II am satisfied that in private pension
| matters we have gone to the extreme
| limit and that ii is now time TO cal, "A
| malt. am and have always been friend
~ 70 the soldiers but | am constrained
that we are going too far and that we
| ought in the future to exercise the great
| est conservatism in the consideration of
| all pension Matters.
6ailinser thought that the practice of
! pcnsoning REMARKED windows and sew
eral other similar classes of claimants
ought to be stopped. He thought. too.
tnat the recommendation of the commits
sioner or pensions that Il law should be
enacted speedily providing that no pen
SION should De granted to Il widow if her
marriage TO the soldier had been subse-
qient to the passage of the law under
which he was drawing. Il pension. ought
to be enacted into law
IN response to a question by Allen
Neo:; Gallinger said that he was opposed
10 the granting of large pensions to
WIDOWS Of distinguished officers.
Inc order requested by Gallnger was
then made. va"
I Mcbride. Oregon. secured the passage
OF resolution asking the secretary az
war tor such information concerning the