The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-10

Washington, Dec. 9.-The house today
entered upon the consideration of the
pension appropriation bill, and stirred
up a debate that promises to continue
for several days.
Several OF the southern Democrats
offered criticisms of various classes Of
pensioners, and Private John Allen OF
Mississippi, who led the assault in a
speech replete with his characteristic
humor, presented series OF amend
ments, designed, as he said, to correct
some of the most glazing evils. They
prohibit the granting of pensions to
widows whose applications were not
filed during their widowhood, and the
granting Of pensions to widows whose
applications were based on marriages
contracted after the passage Of this
act, and to permanently prohibit in
sane or idictic minors who had reached
their majority. The northern Demo-
Gratis, however, Wed with the Repub-
lcans in their professions of friend
ship for the soldiers, and one of them.
MIR. Norton of Ohio, declared that the
Republicans could not make the bill too
large for nin. 1t was admitted on both
sides of the house during the discussion
that the $40, 100000 carried by the bill
for pensions, would not cover the ex-
peuditures, but as congress would be
in session, MIR. Cannon said, 1t would
be easy to make good any deficiency
that might occur.
CANNoN's FIGURES.
Mr.. Stone, in charge of the bill, yield
ed to Mr.. Cannon, chairman Of the COM
mittee on appropriations, who took oc-
casion to make q general statement OF
the estimates submitted by the secre
tary Of the treasury for the public ser
vice Of 1899, for the purpose, he said,
Of disabusing the minds of members,
and Of the country, of the false impress
SIGN made by comparison of these eSt1-
mates with those of preceding years.
The estimated revenues for 1899 were
S4S4,oe0,00o; the expenditures $504, 1000,
showing an estimated deficit of $21,-
Oeo, 900.
Mr.. Cannon solemnly warned the
house that the large anticipatory i'm
portatiols would keep the revenues un-
der the present law down to the mini
mum, and he appealed to his colleagues
to see to II that while the public SER
vice is sufficiently supplied with money,
not one dollar is appropriated which
is not absolutely necessary to the best
interests of the public service
ALIENS FIGURES.
Mr.. Allen Dem., Miss.), attacked Mr.
Cannon's statement in a speech in
which there were flashes of his inimit-
able humor that set the house into a
roar of laughter. He gravely commend
e0 Mr.. Cannon'S appeal for economy
but avcwed that the figures of the
chairman Of the appropriation commit
tee did not do the situation justice He
produced figures that showed an eSti-
mated deficit for the next year Of ST.
600 000 He referred to the increase in
the pension roll under the present ad-
Ilinistration, and ridiculed the idea of
n 1lca ftae ae-e, 70
be attributed to the ''eXigencies of the
recent campaign in Ohio" He read
from Commissioner Evans testimony
before the appropriations committee,
predicting a deficit of from $4,000 600 to
$40 coo, 900 in pension expenditures dur
ing the next fiscal year. The maximum
had not yet been reached.
This question of the maximum of
the pension roll observed Mr.. Allen,
is one of the things that has pro-
tracted my stay in congress. When I
first came here, they were talking of
the maximum. I stayed ten or fifteen
years to see it, but it has not vet
come. and ] guess I will have to come
back again" Naughter.)
FAKE REVENUE PRODUCER.
Mr.. Allen directed the batteries of his
huwor at the Dingley law as a reve-
nue. producer, picturing the intense
anxiety o. the chairman of the ways
and means committee at the extra SeS-
son to get q bill on the statute books
that would strike a balance between
the receipts and expenditures and pre-
dieting another season of anxiety on
Mr.. Dingley's part next spring at an
other extra session, called for the same
purpose. In conclusion, he spoke of
the hardshiDS this great tax burden
placed on the people of the south, who
were. he said, being relentlessly bur-
-
cent cotton.
Mr.. Lacey (Repr Ia-), defended the
present liberal pension policy
WONDERFUL INCREASE.
When Mr.. Lacey concluded, Mr.. AL
len again got the floor and disclaimed
any intention of attacking the federal
soldiers on the pension rolls. But, he
said, he could not but marvel at the
fact that $4,000 names were now on the
rolls and that there were 10000 ap-
plications in the pension office There
had been but 100000 men in the feder-
al army. and he was reminded of q
meeting between an eX-confederate and
an eX-federal at a blue and gray re-
union. They We're felicitating them
selves on the disappearance of all hos
tility:
If there should be another war;
said the ex-federai, I'VE viii be stand
ms shoulder to shoulder under one
nag"
y viii but you won't" retorted the
ex-confederate.
What do you mean?' asked the ex.
federal.
Legally you are disabled" (Laugh.
teri
POSITION OF DEMOCRATS.
Mr.. Norton Dem, o. declared thai
it was not the Democratic side of tn,
house which was assaulting the pen.
sion roll. He charged that Commits
sioner Evans, both on the streets anc
before the pension committee, had ad
vocated a law that would hereafter
cut off the widow and the orphan. H,
protested his friendship for the ole
soldier.
Bring on your pension BILL" h,
cried. addressing the Republican side
''Raise it as aigh as you dare, and i
will have the vote of every northern
Democrat on this side.
Messrs. Meyer (Dem., Ind ant
Campbell (Dem., Ills.) submitted brie