Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-12-23
PENSION FRAUDS.
THE PATRONAGE USED TO IN
FLUENCE PIVOTAL" STATES.
Tic Gar Aroused to Dcfense-The Resie.
nation of Secretary Bliss Result Bailey
on Army Congressman - The Nicaragua


on Army Congressman - The Nicaragua
Canal
WASHINGro%, Dee 16, 1898.
Senator Vest mad spirited attack
on the evils OF the present pension
system, saving that the government
had fallen into ga most inquitous ex-
p"ndiiure by its illadvised legislation
and thorough political influences" and
was now acting as sort OF political
accident Insurance company. lie de-
clared that he did not wish to deprive
Il single honest applicant of his pen
sion, but he did wish to have the
abuses stopped. He said that although
Illinois had furnished $1,000 more
soldiers for the civil war than Indiana
did, that the pension payments in
Indiana exceeded those in Illinois by
81 300 600, and charged that the rea-
son was that Indiana is a pivotal state
politically, and that it was notorious
fact that pensions had been granted to
almost every applicant in districts
that were close.
The Lodge immigration bill is
thought to have received its death.
blow, this week, when the House, by a
majority vote declined to take it from
the Speakers table, where it has been
since il passed the Senate, early in the
last session. This makes twice that
the House has refused to take the bill
up, and it is regarded as very doubtful
whether its friends will make another
attempt.
Representative DeArmond, of Mis-
souri,, had the pleasure OF nagging Gar
Reed into making speech this week.
The incident was started by Represent
alive Grow. of Pennsylvania, Repub.
lican, making forceable speech at
lacking the well known gag rules of the
House. Mr.. DeArmond then took the
!lpor and charged that Reed had COM
PEELED the committee on Rules to re.
frain from reporting a new set of rules,
in order that the rules of the last
House, supposed to have been adopted
temporarily at last years extra session.
might continue in force. Mr.. Reed
tried to wriggle out by being funny.
He made the House lsugh-any clown
could do that-but he didn't convince
anybody
Col. Bryan is in Washington confer
ing with the Democratic leaders in
Congress.
When Boss Platt was asked whether
anything else besides the demands of
his private business had influenced
Secretary Bliss to resign the portfolio
of Secretary of the Interior, he could
hardly keep his face straight. He
didn't answer the question, in words !;
he wasn't expected to. Bliss was taken
int" the Cabinet to head off demands
made by Platt, and he has been used
for the same purpose at various times
since. So Plat isn't grieving over his
resignation. Indeed, it is altogether
probable shat Plat has done his part
to push along the petty annoyances
which have resulted in convincing Mr..
Bliss that his private bust ness needs
his attention. While it is not likely
that the resignation OF Mr.. Bliss was
brought about by any open rupture, it
was probably the elimination of dis.
satisfaction because Of thousand and
one little things, no one of which il
important enough to be assigned as
reason for resignation. 1t has been an
open secret in Washington that Mr..
Bliss didn't like bis job.
Representative Bailey OF Texas, has
made a statement concerning his arri-
tude towards Gen. Wheeler and three
other members Of the House who hold
commissions in the volunteer army.
He quotes section 6 OF article |, of the
constitution" That no person hold
ing any Office under the United States
shall be member or either house dur
ing his continuance in office"-and
cites two cases in which the House
decided members to have forfeited
seats, one by accepting majors COM
mission in the District of Columbia
militia, and the other, by becoming
colonel Of a volunteer regiment, in
the Mexican war. Mr.. Bailey thus de-
fines his own position: 81 am one of
those who believe that il is the highest
duty Of every man to obey the law and
10 respect the constitution; and have
little p ,tience with the weak suggestion
that II me mber of Congress shall shrink
from his sworn duty because public
sentiment would allow a brave and
distinguished man 10 hold two high
offices, even though it b. against the
constitution oi our country" Another
phase of the same question is now be-
ing discussed in the Senale--the con-
slitutional right of Senators to serve
rs government or presidential COM
miSsiOners.
Senator Turpie never mincts words
when he has anything to say. He
favors the Nicaragua canal, hut does
not favor letting the Maritime Canal
Co. have anything to do with it, con-
struction. In the course of short
speech advising the postponement of
action OH the question until the re-
port of the commission, sent over to
investigate, is submitted to Congress,
Mr.. Turpie said the object of the Mari
time Canal Co. was not to cut canal
but Ito cut channel Of communities
ton at the least possible cost between
the treasury of the United States and
the empty Golfers of that beggarly
corporation"
Senator Berry has offered an amend
ment to the Nicaragua Canal bill, pro-
viding for direct appropriation of
money to construct the canal, instead
of guaranteeing interest bearing bonds,
and to limit the cost to $l15,000O0O,
and stated that Senator Morgan was
willing to accept the amendment so
far as it related to appropriating
money instead of issuing bonds. SEN
ator Rawlins mas offered an amend
ment to the bill, providing that the act