The National tribune., 1900-05-17
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON D. c. THURSDAY MAY H. 1900

becoming visible. TO Sleep in cotton
tent or hut in the SHOWS of Winter alone,
would be felt later in life, and there is no
good reason why proof of every disability
should be attempted 10 be shown TO secure
to the widow pension.
We are one great Nation and l trust we
maysforever remain one united, prosperous
people under n flag that represents unity
and equality throughout our broad land.
The North and the South have been
united in reality by the soldiers of both
armies in the lead. Political parties may
try to make trouble ut times and say hard
army of soldiers can at all times join hands
as such and suppress the political rumpus
by their acts of generosity and mutual
respect
We are one in object and in sympathy
and in love for the greatest and best Gov
ernment under the sun. Therefore let us,
united as we are, protect and defend the
soldiers who will be to an extent at least
benefited by the passage of this bill. /
give the measure my approval. Jap
plause.l
Mr. Talbert. Mr.. Speaker, with some
some support. If allowed, 1 will offer an
amendment which might enable me to
support it. This bill has some good fea-
| lures in it. In the first place, it will benefit
| the private soldier, his widow, and chill
dren. As j understand, it is intended for
that class of soldiers, and they are the ones
who need most attention. | do not know
but it is Just and right that their disabilities
should be aggregated. For instance, if
their disabilities consist of one disease and
another and they can be rated higher than
| any one of the diseases, giving them pos
| slbly four or six dollars, it is only just and
right and proper that those disabilities
ShpIlln no added fpOpthar t,u,< Il
two make four and two more make six,
until they get up to SIP month. That
seems to be Just.
And then see no particular reason why
the limit of income of the poor widow Of a
private soldier should not be raised from
that OF S96 to the income that is stipulated
in this bill, of $3.50. That will benefit the
poor mans widow and his children. That
much is good, perhaps, as it will help the
poor.
Then another indication is that believe
the passage Of this bill will prevent, to a
certain extent, the introduction here of q
number Of bills asking for private and
special legislation, especially for increases
in pension.
Now, if the Chairman of the Committee
will agree that by unanimous consent this
bill be amended by adding proviso that
no more bills shall be introduced here for
special legislation for pensions under the
act of June 81, 1890, to which this bill is
applied, then am willing to give it my
| assent; otherwise | can not do SO. Then
it will balance itself.
But, Mr. Speaker, want to say that it is
really amusing to see the Republicans and
the Democrats and the Popujsts prancinp
up and down the aisle here, bidding for the
vote of the old soldier in such q vehement
manner.
am willing, Mr.. Speaker, to vote for the
bill with that amendment providing that
no more special bills be brought in here for
an increase of pensions thus received.
Mr.. Neville. Will the gentleman answer
a question? u
Mr.. Talbert. Yes, if I can.
Mr.. Neville. Does not the gentleman
know that this Congress can not pass apy
law which will prohibit the next Congress
from legislating on the subject?
Mr.; Talbert. Well, the gentleman has
asked me conundrlIfn. / can not tell
him what Congress will do or not do in
anything like this, because they camp out
side OF the Constitution one day, when it
suits them, and then come back into it the
next, when it suits them.
Mr.. Neville. Docs not the gentleman
know that Congress is, for the purpose of
right to pass any law seeking to control the
legislation of another Congress?
Mr.. Talbert. / say, under ordinary
conditions, yes; but Conditions and cir
curnstances have changed until j do not
know how to answer atquestion. Laugh
ter. o.V
Mr.. Sulzer. Mr.. Speaker, the measure
now before the House is in the interest Of
the soldiers of the Union, and am in favor
of it and shall vote for the bill. / am now,
always have been, and always will be a
friend of the man who saved the Union,
and / shall always favor the most liberal
pension legislation in the interest of our
heroic soldiers, their widows, and their
orphans. l would make the pension roll
roll of honor to the friends of liberty and
the brave defenders of our National exist
ence. All glory, | say, to the brave men
who fought for freedom in the dark hours
from 1861 to 1865.
Mr.. Calderhead. Mr.. Miers, of Indiana.
said very truthfuliy that this bill has the
unanimous support of the Committee.
That is true, but that does not mean that
the bill goes as FAR as the majority Of the
members of the Committee desire 1t does
not mean at all that the bill goes as far as
desire. | think that L ought to be frank
enough to say that would not give my
consent to the consideration or passage of
this bill at this time if it was not at the per
sonal solicitation of the SCARED veteran,
Gen. Sickles, who now sits in front of me,
and his fellow-members on the committee
who represent his comrades or the field.
do not believe that the bill accomplishes
all that they hope for it, and do not believe
it accomplishes that which the Committee
hope for it. 1t still leaves the application
Of its provisions to the discretion of the
Commissioner of Pensions. But, if the
bill should accomplish all that they hope
forit, | do not believe it still goes far enough.
Under the recent practice of the House,
there is seldom an opportunity for the
House to go into Committee of the Whole
for the consideration of the Presidents
message, and for that reason the annual
report of the Commissioner of Pensions
was not discussed in the presence of this
House. III upon consideration of the mes
sage that report could have been discussed
before the House, some things concerning
the practice of that Bureau, which my
colleague from Kansas Mr.. Curtis) referred
to a few moments ago, would have been
fairly plain to the House
l believe that If any member will take
the trouble to read that portion of the re-
port contributed by the Medical Referee,
he will discover practically where the
trouble lies. 1t is not necessary for us to
attempt to compare order 164 with Order
225 for the purpose of finding what the
difficulty in the Bureau is, when we read
in the report of the Medical Referee that the
local boards which have been appointed
throughout the country for the purpose of
examining these soldiers are either too
ignorant or too much governed by the
political prejudices and affiliations with
which they are surrounded to give fair
rating on examinations to the soldiers who
Snma hafora them lrFbara ara ipotonoac