The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-20

1 Contrasting tne records OF eight volunteer
/ regiments in the North and South. show
Ing that from the former came 3.sss pen
sion claims and from the latter III. Mr.
SINS had attributed the disparity 20 tie
I universal pension sentiment ia the North
| Mr. Hepburn potatd out thai Tor ths
! purpose Of comparison the taoles Gdducsd
/ by Mr. Sims were not alike. He was FeTy
! eaustic in his criticism OF Dir. Sims &C
/ ton The latter Sai0 he had Used tables
/ prenared at the Pension Offic-. he had
/ no personal knowledge of the facts
| Cause Of the Sick ness Of soldiers.
Representative Green. Of Pennsylvania,
/ who vas a captain in q volunteer regi-
nent during the Spanish war. ard who
served at Chickamauga, said that in tie
years TO come. in considering pensions
for the soldiers o. the Spanish war, the
sickness due to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF army
affairs would have to be recognized.
! Representative Cummings. OF New York
wanted IT not to be forgotten during this
discussion that Capt. Rafferty,. OF the
/ Seyenty-frst New York Regiment. was
the first man on the summit OF san Juan
! Hill. He paid a tribute to some OF The
dead New York heroes, Sergt. Hamilton
| Fish and William Tiffany. and 10 the
| splendid valor of Gov. Roosevelt. The
mention of Gov Roosevelt's name brought
1
| lection I have to him." said Mr.. Cum
mings, sis that he is a Republican"
| Representative Pearre wanted to set
| himself right. He had cast no imputation
upon the soldiers Of Massachusetts,. he
| said. He had simply referred to the
| statement made by Mr.. Sims. The latter
| said he had received the tables from the
| Pension Office He admitted that some
1 of the statements in them could not De
/ AM he stir TnnfEnlpn that me
| man point ne had made Othe immense
| preDonderance OF Northern over South
| ern pension claims was correet.
| Representative Mahon, OF pennsylvania
| said II vas unfortunate the pension ques-
| ton had been brought up TO create parti-
! san rancor. During the past few years the
| Democratic opposition TO pensions nad as
! appeared II should not be revived now.
| Representative Gaines, Of Tennessee de-
MED that the Democrats were opposed to
| liberal pensions: they were hostile only 10
| unworthy claims Mr.. Mahon declared
/ that Justice would be done TO the soldiers
OF the Spanish war without sectionalism.
CLAYTON Praises Volunteers.
Representative Clayton, of New York,
who commanded a troop of cavalry dur
| ing the Spanish war, resented the refec-
| tons upon the conduct of the war. Our
| officers. regular and volunteer, compared
| favorably with those of any country on
earth. We had made fewer mistakes than
the British were making and had made in
South Africa.
Representative Norton, of Ohio recur-
ring to Mr.. Sims remarks. declared that
il the Commissioner of Pensions prepared
the tables included IN the latter's remarks
he should be removed. Mr. Sims had said
earlier in the day that maybe it made
the Northern soldiers sicker to face bull
let's" and Mr.. Norton took up this state
ment, which he made the basis of a force
full statement about the valor of Northern
men in the war OF the rebellion.
Representative Talbert, of South Caro-
Ira, extolled the courage of Mr.. Sims.
Il am glad he has placed the facts before
u.s." said he. He has opened the eyes OF
the House and the country"
Representative Hepburn offered an
amendment to the provision providing
that all the employees of the departments
shall be divided into four classes, the
tenure Of members of one class to expire
at the end Of each fiscal year. II also
provided that the head Of a department
could reappoint for five years, but 40
longer. Mr.. Gillett, of Massachusetts,
made a point of order against the amend
ment.
Majority Opposed TO the Law.
Representative Hepburn appealed to Mr.
Gillett TO withdraw the point of order He
thought il only fair and right that the
House should have an opportunity to vote
upon this proposition. Through the leger-
domain of the rules and the sitting of
force Of committees the House had never
yet had an opportunity to vote. There
had not been a time In five years, he said,
when a majority of the House had not
h1ax,
Gilletts point of order was sustained
Representative John Allen, of Missis-
sippi, who is a member of the Committee
on Appropriations, thought that there was
sufficient law 10 GUST the aged clerks.
who are not able longer to be of service
to the government. He declared that il
was not fair for the department officials
to lay the blame for the retention Of these
old clerks upon Congress. Mr. Allen then
reverted 70 some figures he had collected.
showing that 1,100 clerks had been REIN
stated by the present administration who
averaged more than sixty years of age.
MI. Allen thought that this fact might ex-
plain a large part of the complaint about
lhefncient clerks being kept in office.
Moved 10 strike Out the Clause.
Representative Mudd of MARYLAND. then
moved 10 strike cut the civil service pro-
vision Mr.. Sherman, of New York who
was in the chair, ruled that debate was
not IN order. The motion to strike out
prevailed-I5 to 81. No record is made in
committee, and as soon as the announce
ment OF the vote was made, Mr. Cannon
gave notice that he would demand a yea |
and-nay vote in the House.
After seventy-stt pages OF the bill had |
been disposed Of the committee rose. The |
night session for pensions was postponed |
until Monday night on account. of the |
snOwstOrm
The Speaker appointed Representatives /
Grout, Heatwole, and Berry members of |
the board of visitors to the Naval Acad- |
envy, and Representatives Grosvenor, |
Olmstead, of Pennsylvania and Slayden. |
or Texas, members of the board OF visit |
ors to the Military Academy.
At O'Clock the House adjourned.
JEFFERSON was the pioneer imperialist |
OF the United States" said Senator Stag
art. of Nevada, discussing in the senate /
yesterday the Philippine policy. Accord |
ing to Mr.. Stewart. the acquisition of ter-
ritory is not imperialism and the acoui- |
sition ef the Philippines does not mean 1
dependent colony, because the people of /
the islands are 10 be allowed 10 conduc,
their own affairs. NO one pretends
SAID MI Stewart, that the FiIipinos are i
now n for Statehood, but l repudiate the /
suggestion that they are rot fit for .ust /
such government as Jefferson extended 10 |
the Louisiana purchase or Monroe 10 |
Florida"
MT stewart denied that there was any
intention of governing the Philippines as
dependent colony or through the strong
arm OF military force. He invelghed very |
strohgIV against the proposed tariff fo<
Porto Rico, and said IL would furnish sub-
stantial groundwork for the cbarga of
Imperialism THE colonial paIicv az
greed, ne said. with discriminating
duties against the products of our own
territory, would breed dissatisfaction and
discord. II might lead to militarism. II
might require large army TO maintain
order and force the people OF the colonies