The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-10
Effort to Block Private Pension Bill
Legislation That Failed I'm the
Presence Of q Quorum.
sULzER TO THE FRONT AGAIN
WANTS THE NEW TREATY WITH
BRITAIN REJECTED BY SENATE.
Rear Admiral McNair an Invalid
Rulings by the Commissioners of
Internal Revenue.

WASHINGTON. Feb. s. - There was
scene at the night session of the House to-
night which momentarily recalled the
stirring and exciting days Of the Fifty
first Congress. An irate member rushed
down the main aisle brandishing his arms
and shouting for recognition, while half the
Democratic members were their feet,
execrating the occupant Of the chair for
what they termed his arbitrary course. and
from several places in the hall came loud
Kisses.
Last Friday night Mr.. Talbert (Dem., s.
Co. blocked private-pension legislation be-
cause there was quorum present and
threatened to continue to do so at every
subsequent Friday night session unless
quorum were present. His warning had its
effect. There was an unusually large at
tendance when the House was called to
order at o'clock tonight Speaker Hen
derson himself was in the chair, and the
galleries. usually empty at night sessions.
were crowded in anticipation of lively
time. Mr.. Talbert made good his threat as
soon as the motion was made to go into
committee of the whole, but the roll call
showed the presence of a score more of
members In excess of a quorum. The
friends of private pension bills were jubi-
liant
Mr. Hepburn (Rep., Ia.) was called to
preside over the committee of the whole,
and the clerk read the first bill. Mr.. Tai
bert arose leisurely while the bill was being
Put through the legislative stages = the
adoption of committee amendments, en-
grossment third reading and final passage
and addressed the chair. He was COM
pletely ignored. Another bill was read,
engrossed, read a third time and passed,
all in the space Of a minute. with Mr.. Tai
bert still clamoring for recognition. A third
bill was passed in the same way.
BY this time the whole Democratic side
was aroused. A dozen members were on
their feet. Mr.. Talbert, thoroughly angered.
started down the main aisle, shouting. "Mr.
Chairman." "Mr. Chairman!'' as he ap-
preached. He reached the area in front of
the speakers rostrum, all the while roar
ing out his denunciation of the chairman's
arbitrary course before the chairman con-
descended to recognize him. Democrats
all about were also shouting their disap-
prevail The Republicans seemed to be
enjoying the storm which the chairmans
course had raised.
Mr.. Talbert rapidly cooled down after he
had been recognized and explained in
brief speech that the presence of quorum
had completely vindicated his position He
had no feeling against the men who served
on the federal side in the civil war. but he
was opposed to loose, reckless. unconstitu-
tional methods. He suggested that the
House set aside a day each month for pen
sion legislation and discontinue the night
sessions.
Mr.. Sims Dem.. Tenn.). who is interested
in Southern war claims, made some caustic
remarks in criticism of the Republican
leaders for side-tracking those "just obli-
cations" of the government In favor of
pension bills.
Does the gentleman contend that the
government owes the old soldiers moth
ing?" interrupted some one on the Repub-
lican side.
"Ohv' "Oh!' jeered the Democrats.
The committee then proceeded with con-
sideration of pension bills, and thirty-five
were favorably acted on. AT 10:30 the
House adjourned. Before adjournment
Representative Gaines of Tennessee called
the attention of the House to Section 4716
of the Revised Statutes, under which
widow, child or heir of any person who
engaged i'm, aided or abetted the rebellion
can be given a pension, and the pension
committee signified that it would look into
the matter and take suitable action.
The House transacted no business dur
ing the day, and at 1:2O p. m. took re-
cess until o'clock Many of the members
attended the Lawton funeral exercises.
During the brief session this afternoon
Representative Sulzer, of New York. in
troduced the following resolution:
Resolved, That in the judgment of the
House of Representatives the bill for the
construction of the Nicaragua canal, to be
exclusively built, owned and controlled by
the government of the United States.
should be Immediately passed and enacted
into law, in spite of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty now awaiting ratification in the
United States Senate. and that said treaty
should be rejected because 1t contravenes
the policy of the Monroe doctrine. surren-
ders American rights to British interests
and re-estabHshes the so-called Clayton
Bulwer treaty. long since lapsed and now
null and void"
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