The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-02-03
TALBERT DETERMINED.
South Carolina Congressman Holds
Up the National House.
PENSION LEGISLATION BLOCKED.

Hr. TaIbert Declares That No More
Pensions Shall Be Granted Unless
a Quorum of the House IL Present
to Shoulder the Responsibility.
Washington, Feb. 3.-An effort by
Senator Pettigrew, of South Dakota,
to discuss the situation in the Philip
pines yesterday. taking for his text the
resolution he offered Thursday, was
Of no avail, as he was met by point
Of order, which took from him the
floor. He had gotten only SO far as
to charge that the great journals Of the
country would not publish the facts
concerning the Philippine war when
the point Of order was made by Sem
ator Gallinger and sustained by the
chair. Subsequently he offered an
other resolution on which he will
speak next week. Senator Allen, of
Nebraska, concluded his speech in ar
raignment Of Secretary Gage because
of his transactions with the National
City bank, of New York. He had pre-
viously introduced resolution pro-
viding for an investigation by the SEN
ate of the treasury department, but
objection to its consideration sent it
over until next week.
The house yesterday devoted its at
tentton to the Indian appropriation
bill 1t got no further, however, than
the appropriations for Indian schools,
when an effort was started by Mr..
Fitzgerald. Of Pew York. to permit the
secretary of the interior to contract
with schools for the education of In
dian children where the government
lacks facilities. No appropriation is
made for contract schools in this bill.
1t is claimed that present Indian
school facilities are inadequate.
Representative Talbert, of South
Carolina, who gave notice during the
consideration of the pension appro-
priation bill last week that he proposed
to block all special pension legislation
at Friday night sessions unless a
quorum of members was present, car
sion after having had read editorials
from different papers warning con-
gress Of scheme to put through
bill to place every soldier who had
served 60 days in the civil war on the
rolls. There was to be a return, one
Of the editorials said. to the halcyon
days when pension attorneys made
81. 900 day.
Now and henceforth, Mr.. Speaker"
announced Mr. Talbert, Il shall insist
upon quorum of this house when
nc nctn
at the special Friday evening session.
So long as I may be able to drag my
self to the capitol no pension bill shall
pass this house without quorum OF
its members present The abuse must
stop Innocent people will be hurt,
possibly, but that will only accentuate
the responsibility.
Il believe the pension laws are suf-
fciently liberal to pension any deserv-
Ing soldier or widow, and / am op-
posed to sitting here every Friday
night as a court Of appeals to pass
special cases which have been refused
by the pension bureau. II It is to be
done, there must be quorum. Menu
bers cry aloud their love for the old
soldier, but they will not give up their
pink teas and poker parties and that
sort of thing to vote pensions"
When Mr.. Sulloway, Of New Hamp.
shire. chairman on invalid pensions,
moved to go into committee of the
whole to consider pension legislation
,nly 80 members were present. AID Mr. |
ralbert made the point Of no quorum.
Therefore call of the house was Or
Tered. but only 106 members responded. |
Mr.. Miers, an Indiana Democrat. in
listed as . member OF the pension m
nittee that the bills 1t reported were
ard gave several pathetic
|xamples Of cases for the relief of 1