The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-17

,..mDers Defended the Volunteers from
Their Several States.
THE PENSION SYSTEM WAS ATTACKED
OWN service Appropriation Was
stricken Out in Committee OF the
wholc-An Annual Proceeding.


today INDUCED in its annual joke by strik-
ing from the legislative appropriation bill
all provision for the civil service commits
sion. This action is taken each year in
committee OF the whole, where the mem
bers do not so on record, and the provi-
sion is restored when the bill gets back
into the house. where members have to
respond to their names upon roll call.
The vote today to strike out was rs to
g. Tomorrow the house will reverse this
action as usual on an aye and no vote.
Most OF the time of the house today,
beyond thai occupied in the discussion of
the civil service section. was devoted to
attacks On tie speech made by Mr.. ms
tTenn.) On Wednesday. in which he FUR
nished some figures of the pension Office
and showed the number OF applications for
pensions filed by soldiers OF the voluntee
Regiments engaged in the Spanish war. to
prove that the Northern soldiers were
much more clamorous in that regard than
the southern soldiers.
Mr.. Psarre (Rep.. Md made references
to those ngures and the statement that
hundreds OF Massachusetts soldiers VINO
never smelled powder had applied for
pensions.
This brought out an indignant reply
from Mr.. Fitzgerald Dem, MassD, who
detained the record Of the Massachusetts
Toluni eers in the late war He was fol-
lowed by others. who defended the records
Of the solaiers from the several States.
Mr. Hepburn tlowal vigorously assailed
Mr. Sims.
The SPEAKER appointed Messrs Over
street tRep Ind, Brosius (Rep., Pa)
and Cox Dem, Tenn) conferees on the
financial bill
The house then went into committee OF
the whole on the legislative bill.
Mr.. Pearre rep, Md vigorously at
tackled the appropriation for the civil SER
vice section. He announced his unequlvo-
cal opposition to tho law He reiterated
tho charge made several days ago that
the departments We're full of ncompetents
Where are they?" asked MIR Fltz-
gerald tDem Mass).
where were they under the old sys
tenn asked Mr.. Pearre. replying
Everywhere. There were thousands OF
them" replied Mr. Fitzgerald. III the
pars we're down now YOU would have the
departments crowded with Maryland
ers."
Massachusetts, need not sheer at Mary
land retorted Mr.. Pearre. IA few days
II O
OF massachusetts soldiers who ne er
smelled powder during the war but WAC
are already clamorlug for pensions"
Thus began a lively debate
MT fitzgerald said he knew the law
was not lived up to here in WASHINGTON
and other sections Of the country. 1t had
been grossly violated during the last cam
pslsu IL ONO, he said, when Federal Of
hcOaolders all over the country were an
pealed to for funds for that campaign.
Does the gentlemen say that was not
ddne under the Cleveland administration? ,"
assoc some one on the republican side.
never, replied MIR, Fitzgerald. Mr.
rHLgerald then Indignantly denied that
the Massachusetts, regiment had never
ssiheiea powder In the Spanish war. Tie
Second Massachusetts. he said had three
men Killed, three officers ana forty-one
mtn wounded in the Santiago campaign.
III al the Second Massachusetts LOST nine.
t-Llns men the Eth Masaachuse, Is afty-
hvs uen. the Sixth, 1OS. the Elgnth, l91.
a4d he Ninth $50.
nat was the cause of their death %
asked Mr.. Watcher rep Md.
diseases contracted on account OF tho
men cheney OF the government" replied
Mr, Fitzgerald, hoty, amid applause
Mr. Fitzgerald told a narrowing story
OF the return home q the Massachusetts
i volunteers. broken and wrecked by dis
\ - 10y lhb bStn ItnuNfeu ineAOl-
me OF earning a living by the failure of
tne government TO provide them with
proper CAKE and snstenance then. said ne.
they are entitled 20 pensions.
Mr.. Hepburn (Rep., Iowa. called atten-
ton to the Sc tement made by Mr.. Sims
last Wednesday contrasting the records
OF eight volunteer regiments In the Nortb
and South, showing that from the former
came 1888 pension claims. and from tho
latter T6i. Mr. Seas had attributed INA
disparity to the universal pension sentI-
mcnt In the North Mr.. Hepburn pointed
out that for the purpose OF comparison tho
tables adduced by Mr.. Sims were MOI alike
He was very caustlc In his criticism of
Mr.. Sims action "
The latter said he had received the
tables from the pension Office. He admits
Ted some OF the tables differed but said
that the main point he had made tthe nre-
ponderance OF the Northern pensions
claimsl was correct.
MT, Green (Dem,. Pal, who was a can
tain IN volunteer regiment during t1e
spanish war and who served at Chielxa-
manga. said that in the years To come in
lderlng pensions for the soldiers ~
lsh war, the sickness due to NAL
canon q a; my affairs would have
icognized.
Cummings (Dem,. ~ W mid a
&c to some OF the dead New York
<oes. praising Hamilton Fish and VII.
am Tiffany. and to the splendid yalor OF
f<TLo TtS Loaoa -