The San Francisco call., 1897-12-10
Pension Appropriation
Bill Now Being
Debated.
SARCASM AND SOME
HUMOR.
Private Allen of ssiSSippi
Presents a Series of
Amendments.
NORTHERN DEMOCRATS AS
FRIENDS OF VETERANS.
Criticisms That Cause Warm Dis
oussion Among Members of
the House.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE, RIGGS House,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9. (

The House to-day entered upon the
consideration Of the pension apprcpria-
tion bill and stirred up a debate that
promises 20 continue for several days.
Several of the Southern D Democrats Of
fered criticisms OF various classes of pAn-
sioners, and Private John Alien of Mi sis
sippi, who led the assault in a speech
replete with his characteristic humor,
presented a series of amendments, de-
signed, as he said, 10 correct some OF the
most claring evils. They prohibit the
granting of pensions to widows whose
applications were moi filed during their
vi Ui!owhood, and the granting of pensions
to widows whose applications were based
on marriages contracted alter the passage
OF his act and TO permanently insane or
IdioJic minors who had reached their ma
jority.
The Northern Democrats, however, Wed
with the Republicans in their professions
Of friendship for the soldiers and one of
them, Norton of Ohio, declared that the
Republicans could not make the bill too
large for him. 1t was admitted on both
sides of the House during the discussion
that the $40 600 900 carried by the bill for
p'nsions would not cover the expendi-
Il,
cannon said, it would be easy to make
-ood any deficiency that might occur.
Stone, in charge OF the bill, yielded to
Cannon, chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, who took occasion to
make a general statement OF the esti-
mates submitted by the Secretary of the
Treasury for the public service of 1899 ior
the purpose, be said, of disabusing the
minds OF mem bers and OF the country OF
the false impression made by a compari-
son of these estimates with those of pre-
cedjug years. The s:imated revenues for
1899 were $4S2 o00,0OO; the expenditures
$5O4 600, 900; showing an est mated deficit
OF $21, 100000.
Under the last sundry civil act, the Sec
retary OF the Treasury, he pointed out.
was com PEELED to estimate this year for
SIS 600 600 for river and harbor work
$50, ,000 600 of which had not been author
lzed by law. If this sum, not herei iofore
included in the estimates, were deducted,
there would be an estim ated surplus OF
$S000,00O, instead OF the deficit.
Last year the estimated deficit under
lhe last tariff ac1 was SAC coo coo. If the
81, 600 900 for river and harbor work for
which ne Government then stood bound,
hau been included the estimated deiici-
would have been $63 600, 600. Cannon said
II might be t al the expenditures for pen
ions for 1899 would exceed the estimates
Tae Commissioner of Pensions estimated
the expenditures at $14S 000 900. If ne
should prove 10 be right Cannon pointed
ont, the $40, ,000, 600 appropriated by this
bill would pay all pensions for the first
eleven months Of the fiscal year and de.
6ciency appropriation could be easily
made. In conclusion Cannon solemnly
warned The House that the large anticipa-
tory portations would keep the revenues
under the present law down to the mini
mum and he appealed to his colleagues to
see 10 1t that while the public service is
sufficiently supplied with money, not one
dollar is appropriated which is not al bso-
lutely necessary to the best interests of
the public service"
This statement OF Cannon was warmly
appauded on the Republican side
Allen CD OF Mississippi attacked Can
mons statement in speech in which there
were flashes of his inimitable humor that
set the House into roar OF laughter. He
gravely commended Cannon's appeal for
economy, but avowed that the figures of
the chairman of the Appropriation Com
mlttee did not do the situation Justice. He
produced figures tha. showed an es-
timated deficit Tor the next year of ST.
600, coo. He re ferred to the increase in the
pension roll under the present administra-
a
unless the increase was to be attr butcd 10
the ''eXigencies of the recent campaign in
Ohio" He read from Commissions
Evans testimony before the Apr opria-
tions Committee pred citing deficit OF
some IS 600 600 to $40 090, 900 n pension ex-
pendltures during the next fiscal year
The maximum had not yet been reached.
This question of the maximum Of tn e
pension roll observed Allen, sis one of
the things that has protracted my stay N
Congress. When [ first came here they
were talking Of the mailman. l stayed
tenor fifteen years 10 see it, but it has not
yet come and | guess | will have to come
back again" laughter.
Allen directed the batteries of his humor
at The Dlngley law as revenue producer,
picturing the intense anxiety of he Chair
man of the Ways and Means Com mittee
at the extra session to get bill on the
statute books that would strike a balance
by the receipts and expenditures, and pre-
dicted another season Of anxiety on
DIngley's part next spring, with another
extra session called for the same purpose
Allen criticized some classes of pensions
gran ed. In conclusion he spoke of the
hardships this great tax burden placed on
the people of the South, who were, he
said, being relentleSsly burdened blythe
gold standard and Al cent cotton.
De Almond (D) of Missouri followed
with some additional criticism OF some
OF The classes on the pension rolls.
Lacey (R.) of Iowa defended the present
lite raj pension policy.
When Lacey concluded Allen again got
the floor and disclaimed any intention of
attacking the Federal soldiers or the PEN
sion rolls, but he said he could not but
marvel at the fact that 976. 900 nan es were
now on the rolls and that there were
GOO 900 applications in the Pension Office:
Tnere had been but 2, 200 600 men in the
Federal army, and he was reminded of
meeting between an e1-Confederate and
an ex-Federal at blue and gray reunion.
They were facilitating themselves on the
disappearance of all hostility
"If there should be another war" said
the ex Federal, "we will be standing
shoulder to shoulder under our flag"
Il will. but you won't" retorted the ex-
Confederate.
What do you mean?' asked the ex-
Federal.
Legally you are disabled" Laughter.
McRae CD OF Arkansas advocated for
the first step the transfer of the Pension
Office to the War Department, where it
would be out of politics.
w. A. Smith (R.) OF Michigan. said he