Abilene weekly reflector., 1897-12-16
THE PENSION BILL.
II Carries $l41,263,88O and Is
Passed by the House.
SECRETARY CAGES CURRENCY VIEWS
Tie Secretary Of the Treasury to Divide
His Subject-DemOcrats to Caucus
Civil Service Conference

Tic Secretary Of the Treasury to Divide
His Subject-Democrats to Caucus
Civil Service Conference.-The
Free Homes I,IlL
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE house
yesterday passed the pension appropria-
ton bill without amendment and ad-
journed till Monday. The amend
ments offered by democrats to correct
alleged existing abuses were all ruled
out on the point Of order that they
were new legislation. As passed, the
bill carries SAL, ,263, $50, The debate
covered a wide range. 1t touched not
only the question of our pension poll
cy, but that of civil service reform and
the receipts and expenditures Of the
treasury under the Dingley law. On
the latter question, Mr.. Dingley made
an important statement, in which he
expressed the opinion that the receipts
would equal the expenditures before
the close of the present fiscal year, and
predicted surplus of $4,000, 900 next
year. The civil service law was saw
agelv attacked by several members,
notably by Mr.. Brown, republican, of
Ohio. and Mr. Linney, republican, of
North Carolina, and was warmly de-
Tended by Mr.. johnson, republican, of
Indiana On motion of Mr.. Foss, of
Illinois, Saturday, December IL, was
set apart for paying tribute to the
memory of the late representative Il.
D. Cook of Illinois
Mr.. Maxwell. of Nebraska, intro
duced bill topunish bribery, coercion
or intimidation of voters. 1t provides
that anyone who shall bribe or at
tempt to influence any elector In CIV
ing his vote or ballot at any election
held pursuant to the laws of the United
States SHALL on conviction, be impris-
oned in the penitentlary not over one
year and be fined $1,000 The person
brbed is declared to be competent
witness and not liable to prosecution
under this act The bill also provides
imprisonment OF not more than one
year for any creditor, employer, over
seer or agent who attempts to coerce
or intimidate any electors debtors or
other person under their authority to
vote contrary to their inclination, or
deter him from voting.
SECRETARY CAGES CURRENCY VIEWS.
WASHINGTON, Dec ll.-.it was stated
in reliable quarters about the house Of
representatives yesterday that Secre-
tary Gage had made his purpose known
not to embody his financial views in
one comprehensive bill, but to cover
special subjects in number Of special
bills, some Of which would 20 before
the house committee on banking and
currency and others before the com.
mittee on ways and means. The
banking and currency committee had
'o'ihai,y ,nVi'ou '"e see,c'"ry W pre.
sehe d piii covering ali the phases OF
financial reform suggested in his re-
cent recommendation 10 congress- ana
the desire OF members OF the commit
tee was to treat the subject as an en-
tirety. For that reason there was con-
siderable comment wnen ~ was stated
that Mr. uage would dlvioe the suo-
lect lnto several ollls' some OF which
would go before the ways ana means
committee
DEMOCRATS TO CAUCUS.
WASHINGTON Dec H.-Chairman
hlchardsoh' OF the democratlc caucus,
Yesterday issued call ior a caucus on
tuesday evening next December IA,
10 consider the 1our SUBJECTS OF Cuoa,
Hawaii hnance ana bankruptcy AS
TO the actlon on these' u pretty general
understanding mas been reached
among the democratic leaders, On the
subject OF Ouoa the sentiment Is prac-
hcally unanimous IN favor OF a resolu-
ton favorlng the recognition OF Cuban
oelllgerency' oh financial questions
the caucus probably Will take a posi-
tlon against the several plans OF hnan-
clal reform recommended by Secretary
Gage Opposition to the bankruptcy
OIL Is also contemplated by the caucus.
on the question OF Hawaiian anneXa-
ton IL Is stated by those who have
canvassed the feeling on the demo-
cratic side that 1t is practically unani-
nous against annexation, either by
treaty or legislation
civil. SERVICE rnNEERENrE