The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-10

ChRmbeF'
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec, 9,-The
house to-day entered upon the oonsld-
Grafton OF The pension appropriation bill
and stirred, up d debate that promises
10 continue for several days. Several
OF the southern Democrats offered critl-
elsms Of various classes of pensioners,
and Private John Allen, of Mississippi.
who led the assault in u speech replete
with his characteristic humor. present
ed n series Of amendments designed, as
he said, to correct some of the most
glarlng evils. They prohibit the grant,
lnE Of pensions to widows whose appli-
cations were not filed during their Wild
owhOod, and the granting of pensions to
widows whose applications were based
on marriages contracted after the pas
sage Of this act, and to permanently
insane or idlotlc minors who had reach
I'd their majority.
The northern Democrats, however,
vie with the Republicans in their pro-
iesslons OF friendship for the soldiers.
and one of them, Mr., 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 $4,000
900 carried by the bill for pensions
would not cover the expenditures, but
as Congress would be in session, Mr..
Cannon said It would be easy TO make
good any deficiency that might occur.
Mr.. Stone, in charge of the bill, yield
ed to Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the com
mlttee on appropriations, who took oc-
Caslon to make a general statement Of
the estimates submitted by the secre-
tary OF the treasury for the public ser-
vice Of 1880, for the purpose, he said,
OF dlsabusing the minds of members and
the country of false Impression made
by comparison OF these estimates with
those Of preceding years. The estimated
revenues for 1899 were S4S2,O0O,O0O, the
expenditures 1904 100000, showing an es-
timated deficit of s21,0OO0O0. Under the
last sundry civil act the secretary Of
the treasury, he pointed out, was com
PEELED to estimate this year for AS,00O,-
900 Of river and harbor work, SS3,OOOOO0
Of which had not been authorized by
law. II this sum- not heretofore In
Cluded In the estimates, were deducted,
there would be an estimate Of a surplus
Of $S,0O0,O0O, instead OF q deficit.
Last year the estimated deficit under
the last tarlrr act was SAG, 100000. II the
Sl7.00O.00O for river and harbor work
for which the government stood bound
had been included, the estimated deficit
would have been SG3,000OOO. Mr.. Can
non said II might be that the expendi-
lures for the pensions for 1899 would eX-
ceed tho estimates. The commissioner
oF ranuInpu aotItnota1 tho esXppnditlrpg
at $l4S, 100000. II he should prove to be
right. Mr.. Cannon pointed out that the
El40,000,000 appropriated by this bill
would pay all pensions for the first
eleven months of the fiscal year, and
deficiency appropriation could be easily
made. In conclusion Mr.. Cannon warn
ed the house that the large anticipa-
tory importations would keep the reve-
nues under the present law down to
the minimum and he appealed to his
colleagues TO see to 1t that while the
public service was sufficiently supplied
with money not one dollar Is appro-
priated which Is not absolutely neces-
sary to the best interests Of the pub
lie service"
This statement OF Mr.. Cannon was
warmly applauded on the Republican
side. Mr.. Allen (Dem., Miss.) attacked
Mr.. Cannon's statement In speech in
which there were flashes of his mimi
table humor that set the house into q
roar OF laughter. He gravely commend
ed Mr. Cannon's appeal for economy.
but avowed that the figures OF the
chairman OF the appropriation commit
lee did not do the situation justice. He
produced figures that showed an esti-
mated deficit for the next year OF $72,-
099499 He referred 10 the Increase In
the pension roll under the present ad-
mnistratlon and ridiculed the Idea OF
decrease unless the late increase was
10 be attributed to the "cXlEencies OF
the recent campaign IN Ohio" He read
from Commissioner Evans testimony
before the appropriations committee,
predicting a deficit OF from S,OOO'OOO TO
10000 900 IN pension expenditures III the
next fiscal year. The maximum had not
Jet been reached. This question OF
the maximum OF the pension roll, OBJ
served Mr. Allen. sis one of the Things
that has protrncted my stay IN Con-
grcss. When first came here they
were talking Of the maximum. stayed
ten 0r fifteen years TO see II, but II has
not yet come, and ! guess I'll have to
come back 1Cnin" (Laughter)
Alr Allen directed the batteries OF his
humor to the Dingley law as revenue
producer, pictuTing the Intense anxiety
ot tho Chaiman OF the ways and means
committee nj thc extra session to get
bill on the statute book that would
flTlk" q balance between the receipts
and expenditures. and predicted anoth-
cr eesslun called for the same purpose
next npriug and another season OF ahX-
Ioly on Mr., Dingley'g part.
MF fIsH gttiTiunU ammo nj
l1o Glasses OF the pensions granted. IN
'ohouplnn hc spoke Of the hnrdships
ana the iIant tax burden placed on the
people of the south, who were, he said,
being relenilosaly burdcnod by the gold
standard and Ai5c cotton.
Mr. DC Almond CDcm., MOD followed
with romc additional criticisms of some
Of ttc clnRBc1 on the pension rolls,
Mr Lacey Utep, Iowa. defended tho
I..ont liberal pension policy.
Whnn Mr. Lacey concluded Mr. Allen
hR1l1 rot the floor and dlBclalmed any
lhleullyn OF attacking the federal aol.
ul'f7 on the pension rolls. Hut he said
hn could not but marvel Mt tho fnct that
g,hVlU nalnor werC now on the rolls, ana
ihbi thor" were 100000 applications IN
w. pension uiIlcc, There had been but
sNlODO mon In the federal army, aud
n" "nn reminded Of meeting between
on tY'Confrdcrntp and nm OK Federal nt
l'lun ana Gray reunion, They wern
I'Utllhtlng themselves ON the dlsnp.
pNntnnoc NJ Nil hostility.
, lf There BhOuld be another war;" mid
we rKs Federal, Eve would hr standing
hOlQllur 10 shoulder under Ono nag"
W" VIII but you won't" retorlcd the
'Ai,DntodoralC
Federal
"lHrpilv ,nu ,v, nu dttnthind "