The record-union., 1897-12-10

prOximating the magn1ncent sum
which had been paid for the main line
of the Union Pacific. He said that the
result demonstrated the correctness OIL
the pcsition which he had held ever
since the Pacific railroad matter had
been a subject Of controversy. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the prosperous
business condition brought to the
country by the advent Of the present
Administration had so improved the
main line of the Union Pac1lc tnaI IL
would now probably earn dividends on
the full amount of the large purchase
price paid for it.
He said that he noticed in the Presl-
dents message that the ADMINISTRATOR
is committed to the policy of purcnaS-
ing the Kansas Pacific branch, unless
a better price was offered. He did not
believe in the Government ownership OF
railroads, as he was Of the opinion
that the experiment of such ownership
if It was to be tried, might better De
tried with some other than the Kansas
Pacific He suggested to the Paclhc
Railroad Committee that the authority
asked for by the President to buy in
the road be coupled with full power
to resell it.
At 2:4o the Senate adjourned until
Monday.
IN THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-The House
to-day, in Committee Of the Whole, en-
tered 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 John Allen Of Missis-
sippi who led the assault in speech
replete with his characteristics, pre-
Sentad a series of amendments, design
ed, ais he said, to correct some OF the
most glaring evils. They prohibit the
granting of pensions to widows whose
applications We're not filed during their
widoWhood, and the granting Of PEN
sions to widows whose applications
We're based on marriages contracted al
ter the passage of this Act, and to per-
manently insane or idiotic minors who
had reached their majority.
The Northern Democrats, however,
wed with the Republicans in their pro-
fessions OF friendship for the soldiers,
and one of them, Norton Of Ohio, de-
clared that the Republicans couldn't
make the bill too large for him. ;.
1t was admitted on both sides OF the
House during the discussion that the
$40, 100000 carried by the bill for the
pensions would not cover the expendi-
lures, but as Congress would be in ses-
sion, Cannon said it would be easy to
make good 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 es-
Inmates submitted by the Secretary of
the Treasury for the public service Of
1898, for the purpose, he said, of dis
abusing the minds of members and Of
the country Of the false impression
made by a comparison of these esti-
mates with those of preceding years.
The estimated revenues for 1899 were
$4S2, 900, 900, and the expenditures
felt of sd, 100000.
Under the last sundry civil Act the
Secretary of the Treasury, he pointed
out, was compelled to estimate this
year for $4S, 100000 of river and har-
Dor work, S33 100000 of which has not
been authorized by law. If this sum,
not heretofore included in the esti-
mates, We're deducted, there would be
an estimated surplus of $4,000, 900, in
stead of the deficit Last year the es-
timated deficit under the last tariff
Act was $46,0O00OO. If the $1,000
600 for river and harbor work for
which the Government then stood
bound had been included, the estimated
deficit would have been $63OOO.0OO.
Cannon said it might be that the
expenditures for pensions for 1899
would exceed the estimates. The Com
missioner Of Pensions estimated the ex-
penditures at $14S 600, ,OO0 If he should
prove to be right, Cannon pointed
out, the $14o,0OO0O0 appropriated by
this bill would pay all pensions for the
first eleven months of the fiscal year,
and a deficiency appropriation could
be easily made.
In conclusion, Cannon solemnly
warned the House that the large an
ticipatory importations would keep the
revenues under the present law down
to the minimum, and he appealed to
his colleagues to see to it that while
hAiC PopAAS VI VIC ID odilieiciilly
piled with money, not one dollar is ap-
propriated which is not absolutely nee
essary.''
This statement of Cannon was warm
ly applauded on the Republican side.
Allen Cd of Mississippi attacked
Cannon's statement in a speech in
which there We're flashes of his inim-
liable humor that set the House into
a roar of laughter. He gravely COM
mended Cannon's appeal for economy,
but avowed that the figures of the
Chairman of the Appropriation Com
mittee did not do the situation justice.
He produced figures that show an es-
timated deficit for the next year of
ST. coo, 600. He referred to the in
crease in the pension roll under the
present Administration, and ridicTled
the idea of a decrease, unless the in
crease was TO be attributed to the tex
igencies of the recent campaign in
Ohio" He read from Commissioner
Evans testimony before the Appropri-
alton Committee, predicting a deficit
of some SS,000,0O TO S10,00000O in
pension expenditures during the next
fiscal year The maximum had not
yet been reported.
This question Of the maximum of