The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10
PENSION BILLS PASSED
Ninety-Seven Reported and DispOs-
ed of by The House.
4 Successful Test of the View Rule
The Point Of No Quorum Raised
Only Once During the Day-Criti-
cism of a Committee by Mr.. Loud
ProvoLcs n Reply by Mr.. SuIIovaY.

An opportunity was afforded in the
House yesterday to test the working Of
the new rule setting apart the second and
fourth Fridays in each month for the con-
sideration Of private pension bills and it
worked successfully. Mr.. Talbert of South
Carolina, demanded and secured the pres
ence Of a quorum when the vote was taken
on the motion TO go into Committee Of
the Whole. Only once during the after
noon did he suggest that there were too
few members present to justify final ac-
ton by the committee. The required 100
speedily trooped in and business pro-
crossed without further interruption. The
scene on the floor nearly all the afternoon
differed in no appreciate way from that
observed on the usual Friday night ses-
sions. The committee continued its ses-
sion until O'Clock. at which time ninety
seven bills had been considered. They
were reported to the House and one by
one passed in ffty-two minutes.
Mr. Sulloway OF New Hampshire moved
that the House go into Committee of the
Whole TO consider bills of the classes
named, and the vote showing but 100
members Mr.. Talbert made the point that
no quorum was present. The yeas and
nays were ordered and the rollcail re-
suited: Yeas, POP; nays, 0; present and
not voting, 16.
In the course Of the consideration Of the
calendar. Mr.. Loud OF California criticised
the action OF the Committee on Invalid
Pensions in some cases. Defining his posi-
ton on the subject Of pensions, Mr.. Loud
said that if a man went into the service
and suffered loss, the Government BY taxa
tiSn should make good that loss. The SER
vice was one that every able bodied man
was in duty bound 10 render to his country
in its hour OF peril. And If in after years
he lost an arm or a leg, or an eye, or be-
came incapacitated by age, he had no more
claim upon the bounty OF the Government
because Of such infrnity than any other
citizen. If the committee wanted to pro-
vide for such cases, said Mr.. Loud, it
should do so by a general measure.
Responding to Mr.. Loud, Mr.. Su'loway
of New Hampshire. Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Invalid Pensions, ironically said
the members Of the committee ought TO re
better men for having heard the lecture
of the gentleman. For himself Mr.. Sullo-
way said that he stood by the declsTatio
made by him some days ago that so long
as there were thousands of veterans in
want, he believed the gentleman should
provide for their relief. II was a source Of
great pride to him, Mr.. fSulloway added,
that his Government paid more for PEN
sions than any other on earth. Regarding
the criticism against legislating by special
bills Mr.. Sulloway said there was never
bigger bugaboo, nor cheaper or more de-
ceptive humbug than the cry against spe-
cial Legislation. 1t amounted to almost
nothing in dollars and cents, he said and
added:
III the three hundred special bis passed
in the Fifty-ifth Congress were ali in OPP
Grafton today by the continued exist nee
Of the benefciaries, e-lifth Of whom have
already died, the total cost of them would
amount to but 50. $50 a month, less than we
and the members Of the other branch OF
Congress spend for oysters in the Iestau-
rant"
At I O'Clock the committee rose and The
bills that had been acted upon were re-
ported TO the House with a favorable re-
port and passed. At 4.55 the House ad-
fpurugd 1yri1 today