The herald., 1897-02-20
IN THE HOUSE
Debate Is Spirited But Not Productive of
Results

WASHINGTON, Feb. A very spir-
tied debate on the general subject of the
payment of claims found to be due
against the United States was indulged
in by the house today during the consid-
Grafton of the general deficiency appro-
priation bill, which was entered upon
this morning. Richardson of Tennessee
had called attention to the apparent in
consistency of an item to pay the courts
for defending suits and the fact that the
bill contained no item to pay the 1uds-
ments. This furnished Walker of Mas
sachusetts text for a lively speech
against the "niggardly' and "dishou-
est policy of the government, and in
severe arraignment of the committee
on rules for the tyranny it was said 10
exert over the proceedings of the house.
GrosVenor of Ohio came to the defense
of the committee, 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 con-
ferred on the committee more bitterly
than he. Mahon of Pennsylvania, chair
man of the war claims committee, made
the statement that the house had been
frightened by "bogey man" and the
just claims against the government, in
stead of aggregating hundreds of mill
ions, as was frequently stated. could be
discharged with 10000, 600. The con-
sideration of the bill was not completed
The bill carries $S.441 027.
The house again today stood by the
policy adopted a few days ago in the
case of the widow of Major General
Stoneman, in fixing the rate of her pen
sion at $50 per month, by rejecting the
action Of the conference report granting
a nnOSinu nj 37S tp ba tr-i1oNt, RJoi,,.
General Joseph B. Carr. An effort was
made by Mr.. Cannon to fix a limit for
debate on the general deficiency appro-
priation bill under consideration.
Grow, Republican, of Pennsylvania,
however declined to agree, and when
the house again went into committee he
secured the floor in his own right. He
proceeded to discuss the free homes bill,
which was pocketed by the public lands
committee. He spoke feelingly of his
part in the passage of the original home
stead act of 1862. For ten years he had
advocated that measure in season and
out of season and he said he could not al
low this session to close without calling
attention to the fate of the free homes
bill now slumbering in the committee
Mr.. Grow spoke for an hour. General
debate was then closed but an agree
ment was reached to allow one and a
ldlI UOQNS On a SlQe Tor DEBATE Oh the
Southern Pacific item.
The items approprating money for
the payment of special attorney fees for
defending the interests of the United
States in the court of claims were made
the basis of an attack by Richardson,
Democrat, of Tennessee, on the policy
of the government in paying the attor-
neys' fees but declining to pay the judg-
ment Of the court when it was against
the United states. lie urged that the
appropriations committee should have
brought in an appropriation to pay the
findings in the Bowman act, amounting
to about 100000 This opened up the
whole question as to the payment of
just claims, and led Walker. Replblic-
an, of Massachusetts, to make bitter
assault upon the legislative methods
adopted to prevent consideration of just
claims
I'm Gods name!" he exclaimed, Chow
are we to get our rights?"
Sayers (TeX., Dem) created a laugf
by replying that the Republicans hac
the power to change the rules. II,
branded the rules of the house as (
system of tyranny, and described how
members who sought the committee n
rules in the interest of bills We're allowed
to cool their heels, - while one membc
of that committee intimated that tn,
members We're boring him.
In an impassioned speech he denounc
ed the system, appealing to member
about him to bear testimony to the fac
that they had no opportunity to Drin,
up measures for which their district
We're clamoring. He declared our treat
ment of creditors had become nationa
scandal 1t was the duty Of the way
and means committee he said, to pre-
pare tariff bill that would raise sufIi
cleht revenue to pay the government
! debts. Many of the claims were old