Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-14
CRITlCISES TALBERT
AN OLD SOLDIERS PROTEST ON PEN
SION BILLS.
Mr.. Loud Protests Against Rushing
Cases Through Without
investigation.

InNest1Gut1On.
The House yesterday favorably acted
upon fifty-three pension bills, among which
were two Senate bills to increase the pen
sions of the widows of Capt. Allyn Capron
and Capt Allyn X. Capron father and son,
victims of the recent Spanish war. The
Senate fixed the rate of each of these wild
owS at $40. The House reduced the amount
to $50 in the case of the former and $50 in
the case of the latter
Pension Bills Passed.
Senate bills granting an increase of pen
sion to the following named were passed:
Lillian Capron, Agnes Capron, Eudora S.
Kelly, Herman Piel Eli J. March, Oscar
Taylor. Arethusa Wright, James NJ Sim
eral, Lizzie II. Hyndman, Henry Frank,
Thomas Jordan Mary E. Law. Jerusha w.
Sturg1s, Henry Atkinson, James A South
ard, Julia NJ. Edie, Celia A. LETTERS, Allen
Buckner, Frederick Higgins David Hunter.
John b. Ritzman, Casper Miller, jr.; Benz.
F. Bovine, Rhoda A. Foster. Annie B. Good
rich, Franklin c. Plantz, Robert Black,
Ellen c. Abbott, Cornelia De Peyster Block,
Josephine 1. Offiey, oliver ]. Lyon and
Amos H. Goodnow.
Senate bills granting pensions to the fol-
owing named were passed: Hattie Z. Red
field. Sarah r. Burrell. Mary A. Russell.
fSitHOSE herring, HatrtCk I4dynee,
Cummins and Maria A. Thompson.
Senate bill restoring to the pension roll
the name of Annie A. Gibson was passed.
House bills granting an increase of pen
sion to the following named were passed:
Simon Price. william F. Boykin, Festus
Dickinson, Pleasant II. Mcbride. Catherine
Brown, Geo. II. French and William Pad
gett.
House bills granting pensions to the fol-
lowing named were passed: Cora l. Crom-
well. Elijah Biddle, Margaret Burns, Jere-
miah B. Moore. ]. ]. Angel and Flora b.
Kinds.
Mr.. Talbert of South Carolina produced
several letters. that were read from the
clerks desk. touching upon his course to-
ward pension legislation. He said that he
had received these letters of communication
from hundreds of old soldiers all over the
country.
An Old Soldiers Protest.
One letter from a veteran residing
in the congressional district of Representa-
tive Charles a. Bo,!teIe of Maine 1t read:
NORTH BEDFORD, Ne, March 81, 1900,
Hon. Mr.. Talbert:
Dear Sir: see by the papers that Con-
gress last Friday passed 142 private pen
sion hills. Now, | and thousands of other
old soldiers protest against this wholesale
private pension business. Any coffee cooler
or hummer who has political pull or can
get up big petition can get big pension,
while others, ever so worthy have to take
whatever the pension bureau gives them.
Il believe that that is where all claims
should be settled. and that congressman
should find other business to attend to be-
side tumbinS over each other in passing
claims, many of which are fraudulent.
Il see that George NJ. Brown of Bangor,
Me, has been voted a pension of $40 a
month. Now, / do not doubt but what
Brown was good soldier, but why should
he be entitled to more than any other sol
der who is rated the same? 1t is claimed
that he is poor, yet he has house worth
$1,000 and some money in the bank.
Now, Mr., Congressman, l served in the
1861. and was discharged in September.
1863. l carried musket three years and
then was commissioned. I was wounded
three times and have been a physical
wreck for the last thirty years. l have
ever been treated fair by the government
and have no fault to find with the pension
department. l have medal of honor that
| received from Congress, but I am not as
worth $500, neither have I any bank
stock. From the effects of my wounds and
heart trouble ] can do no work or business.
There Is man living in an adjoining
town that was with me In the LIST Maine
Heavy Artillery who came home as sound
and well as when he went to the war, and
continued so till few years ago, when he
got hurt by a vicious horse which he was
handling for a neighbor. He has been get
ting $50 a month has a good property and
money to loan, when he can get IT. per cent
interest He was not satisfied with what
he was getting, but by a special act he got
II increased to 800.
Now. l think this congressional pension
bureau is all wrong, and the old boys are
sore over the way pensions are ground out.
Please excuse me for thus addressing
you, but l saw that yolEdid not believe in
the grab business, and thought l would
write you how we old fellows feel about it.
Truly yours A J. KNOWLES,
Late Captain, Company D. LIST Maine
Heavy Artillery.
Mr.. Sihlcy Pa) said d simple calcula-
ton would show that it cost $36,ot0 day
for a session of the House, or $1,000 an
hour. The time frittered away by Mr..
Talbert since he came to Congress. he said.
would more than pay all the special pension
bills passed during that period.
Mr.. Norton (Ohio) protested against Mr..
Talbert's course. II he found an unjust bill
and could demonstrate that it was unjust
he Norton) and many members on the
floor would join him in defeating 1t. He ap-
pealed to Mr.. Talbcrt to abandon his oppo-
Sition.
Charges Existence of Combine.
Mr.. Lamb Va.) joined in the appeal, and
his remarks drew scathing denunciation
from Mr.. Talbert. He said the trouble was
the gentleman from Virginia had claims be-
fore the House he desired to get through.
The same was true of other gentlemen. 1t
was a log-rolling combine They dared not
fight these unjust pension bills as he was
doing. When he went into the confederate
army, he said, he and his had staked every
thing and lost It, They were not passing
the hat around now.
Mr.. Fordney (Mich) attacked Mr.. Tai
bert a little later. He said that when
Mr.. Talbert said he was friend of the
soldier he would not believe him on oath.
Mr.. Talbert, in wrath, replied that when
the gentleman imputed untruthfulness to
him he hurled 1t back and .'crammed it
down his rotten throat" He grew SO ex-
cited that the chair was obliged to call
him TO order.
MIR. Loud Joins Talbert.
Mr.. Loud of California joined Mr.. Tai
bert in protests against some Of the bills.
You can laugh 10 scorn my friend from
South Carolina ne said. II had about
made up my mind to not enter this field
again. because it can only break by the
weight of Its own wickedness; and If you
are permitted TO pass sixty or eighty cases
per hour, then that fact alone will 50
arouse the sentiment of the people of this
country that I believe Won ultimately NAV