The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-09
Why the Pension List Keeps On
Growing.
SPolLATIoN MUST STOP
SOUTHERN SENATORS MAY NOW
EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
Since the Country Has Become United
Their Motives Will Not Be Mis-
construed-War Ended Thirty
three Years Ago, Yet the Pensions
Aggregate $141, 100000 per Year.

Washington, Dec. Sat the opening
of today's session of the senate it was
decided that the adjournment should be
until Monday. 1t was also determined
to give one hour of today's session to
the consideration of pension bills. In
connection with the consideration of
bills on the pension calendar, Mr.. Vest
of Missouri said
81 do not want to be captious about
this pension business, and do not want
to set myself up as a reformer, but
this thing of passing a lot of pension
bills simply by the reading of the titles,
and when a quorum of the senate is
not present, has got to be stopped
After further reference to the meth
DDS by which pension bills are passed
by the senate, Mr.. Vest said:
Men Of the south have sat here and
permitted these bills to be passed, hav-
ing some delicacy about entering OBJ
jections to the course of procedure.
Recent events have obliterated section
alism, and we are united. We can,
therefore, come here and object to this
spoilation-and [ use the word advised
ly-without fear of having our motives
impugned or our words misconstrued.
I'VE are paying out in round figures
$141, 100000 annually for pensions, and
it is our duty to find out why it is that,
thirty-three years after the close of
the civil war, this thing of pension
claims shows so enormous a sum. I
have been criticised by some of my peo-
pie because I have not taken a more
determined stand on this pension ques-
ton. l want, however, to pay munifi-
Gently and literally in pensions. 1 re-
gard such payments as a sacred duty.
but l do object to the passage of these
bills without proper consideration, and
without the same restrictions that are
hedged about other measures"
Mr.. Gallinger of New Hampshire, as
chairman of the pension committee,
agreed with Mr.. Vest in his endeavor
to have the pension bills carefully con-
sfdered. He thought a quorum of the
senate ought to be in attendance when
the pension calendar was considered.
CLAYTON TREATY.
During the consideration of bills on
the pension calendar, Mr.. Caffery of
Louisiana introduced this resolution:
That it is the sense of the senate of
the United States that the president
enter into negotiations with the gov
eminent of Great Britain with the pur-
| pose of abrogating or modifying the
/ Clayton Bulwer treaty, so far and to
the extent that the same may be
deemed to prevent the United States
from owning, constructing, controlling
| or operating any oceanic canal across
| the ISthmuS of Darien."
The anti-scalping bill, passed yester-
day by the house, was received and, at
the request of Mr.. Cullom, chairman
! OF the committee on Interstate COM
merce, was laid upon the table, instead
of being referred to the committee. A
similar bill has already been reached
/ by the senate committee on interstate
! commerce.
! A considerable number of pension
bills had been passed before the sena-
tors, one or two at a time, began to
leave the chamber. Finally, true tC
/ his warning, Mr.. Vest raised the point
| OF no quorum. Forty-eight senators
! responded to their names, and consider
alton of the pension bills was re-
/ sumed.
At the expiration of the one hour
| allotted to the consideration of the pen
| sion calendar, tWenty-six bills had beer
/ passed.
At 11:5O o'clock the senate went into
! executive session. At 2:15 the senate
resumed business in open session.
Mr.. Morgan called up the Nicaragua
canal bill, with a view to making il
| the unfinished business. He moved
! that the senate proceed to the consid.
! GRAFTON of the bill.
Inst, ltly Mr.. Pettigrew moved to adj
journ. On this motion the ayes and
noes We're demanded. The vote resulted
! 10 yeas, ~ noes.
Mr.. Morgan's motion to proceed with
! the consideration of the Nicaragua ca.
nal bill was then carried, and after the
bill had been laid before the senate
thus becoming the unfinished business
the senate, on motion of Mr.. Morgan
at 2:20 adjourned until Monday.