The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-02-20
A SPIRITED DEBATE
In tn, House over tho Payment Of Claims.
commlttsso on RnIss Attasked.

In the House Over The Payment Of Claims.
COmmlttsaon RnIss Attacked.
WASHINGTON. Feb. IA very
spirited debate on the general subject OF
the payment os claims found to be due
against the United States was INDUCED
IN ny the house to-day, during the con-
slderatioa OF the general deficiency bill,
which WAS entered upon to-day Mr..
Richardson. OF Tennessee, had called at.
tanIion to the apparent inconsistency OF
sn i.esn 20 pay The costs o. defending
suits and the fact that the bill contained
20 Item to pay the 1udgTnentA
This furnished Mr.. Walker, Of Mass, a
text for q lively speech against the mig
gardly'' and "dlshoneSt" policy Of the
E0vernmeut, and q severe arrlignment
81 the committee on rules for the tyran-
Hy Il was said to exercise over the pro-
Ceeding5 OF the house. Mr.. GruHvenor,
q Ohio. came TO the defense Of the coIu-
lnittee, warmly declaring that the house
had made the rules and should abide by
them, No one. he said, would resent the
exercise OF power not conferred on the
committee more bitterly than he.
Mr.. AIahon. OF PennsJ'iva chairman
cf the war claims committee. made the
statement that the house had been
frightened by ''bogle uiaa'' and that al
the juSt claims aGainS: the governments
instead Of sSgrcgaSing hundreds OF niI-
Hons as was frequently stated, could DC
discharged with ten millions.
'rhe Items appropriadng money Tor the
payment Of special attorney fees Tor de-
fenilns tic interests OF the United States
in the court OF clalm8 werc made the
basis Of an attack by Mr.. Richardson
Dem, Team y, on tile policy Of the gov
ernment paying the attorney fees, but
decllhing 70 pay the judgment ~ the
csNyrk whan tlsy were against the United
siaies. He urged that the approprla-
tions committee should have brought n
an appropriation to pay the findings un'
der the Bowman act (atnountinG now to
about 100000. This opened up the
whole question as to the payment Of Just
claims and led Mr.. Waller (Rcp"
SIaSS1. Ia make a bitter assault upon the
legislative methods adopted 10 prevent
tho consideration OF Just clalms.
EN- Gods name" he said, show are We
10 get our rights"
MI. sayruS, (Dani., TGx1sl, created
laugh by replying that the Republicans
had the power to change the rules He
branded the rules Of the house IA sys-
tom al tyranny ana described how mem
bers who sought the committee on rules
in the Interest Of bills were allowed 70
cool their heels" while one member OF
that committee intimated that the mem
ber was boring" him.
Afr. M0honG, CRep., Penna,),. followed
in the same line. He said the house Tor
years had been terTorized hy "boeie
man" He said he had made a careful
examination Of all the claims paid since
the war and they amounted 20 81. 100000.
With $40, 900 900 more commission could
wipe out every claim. OF the millions OF
claims fled The court had allowed but
eight and o half per cent. The house
either should pay the claims or abolish
the court Of GLAZING There was no es-
cape from the alternative.
Mr. Grosveror defended tho rules OF
the house.
Mr., Cameron, In closing the discussion
said he dId not mind the ''scold" OF the
gentleman from MassnchuRetita, for he
wanted 10 call attention 70 the fact that
the house made the rules ana he would
he n7niss in his duty to the house II he
neglected 20 insist upon ruling out
amendments which did not come within
the rule.
Without completing the consideration
N the bin. the house at Q o'clock, tool; 4
rconss until 3 O'clock, the evonlng session
IL be devoted 10 private pension leBlala-
tlon