The times., 1898-07-08
HUBBUB IN THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Hny Seeks to ArIaign Democ-
rncx. Ruf La ChnnI-nd

4 nut IN DeefHtus
| For several days. Mr. Ray Of New
| York. Chairman of the House Committee
/ on Invalid Pensions has been endeavot-
| ing to get in a long speech which he had
written and had printed. Not until yes
| terday did he succeed in getting the
| floor in the House.
| After having disposed of batch of
| pension bills. he reserved the last as the
/ text for his speech. He drew from his
| desk huge roll of printed proof sheets
| and began speech on pensions. the old
| soldiers and the records of the two poiit-
| ical parties.
| Before entering upon the merits of his
| subject, Mr.. Ray asked unanimous con-
| sent to publish some tabular exhibits in
! the Record The Democrats wanted to
| know If he proposed to discuss politics
| or indulge in partisan comments. They
| did not want an attack upon their party
| TO go into the Record just on the eve
of the adjournment of the session too
, late for them to have an opportunity TO
! reply. ts5rt, -......
Mr.. Ray replied that he was not go
| ing in o politics or partisanship. but as
he proceeded and warmed up to his sub
ject, he got beyond the n0n-partisan line
and began 10 arraign the Democracy for
its neglect Of the soldiers. He read a
letter which he said had been written
by Democratic member OF the House. to
a soldiers widow. This Democrat wrote
that if there WIS any way to get a
pension bin for deserving widow
through this Congress he had not dis
covered it. That Republicans were per-
mitted to pass bills for rich widows of
officers. but the Democrats were exclud-
ed. Mr. Ray. with very distinct empha-
sis. announced that this letter was writ
ten and signed by Champ Clarke of Mis-
souri,
Then there was lubbub. Democrats
called attention TO the fact that Mr..
Clarke was absent. This attack upon
the absent Missourian so fncensed his
f-:ccts that they began to harass Mr..
Ray with points of order. They insist
ed that, under the rules, he must con
fine his remarks 10 the Identical pension
bill pending and that he could not gener-
alize The Chair (Mr. Payne) sustained
tn point of order
Many Republicans went to the assist
anoe of Mr.. Ray. but they could not
extriCate him from the dilemma. Every
tire he read line Of his speech. which
was a general review of pension legisla-
ton. the Democrats would renew the
point of order.
Finally. the chair delivered ruling
that took Mr. Ray off the floor. with
only a small portion OF his speech read.
He then retaliated by making points
of order against Democrats who sought
TO speak, and this proceeding was kept
up for an hour producing much confu-
sion and impeding the business of the
body
In that part of his speech delivered Mr..
Ray said that during the present Con-
gress over $500 private pension bills had
been introduced and referred TO the In
valid Pensions Committee and over 600 tC
the Pensions Committee
Mr.. Ray earnestly condemned what he
described as the common practice of en-
trapping old soldiers into marriage He
said that old soldiers. decrepit and near
ing death. are hunted by young women
and often enticed to drink and are en-
trapped into marriage: that then the
young wife disappears until the death of
the old soldier when she claims her PEN
sion.