The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-02-19
PENSION GREED CHARGED.
NORTHERN VOLUNTEERS BOLD
LY ARRAIGNED.
House Listens to Rambling Debate,
in Which Representative Sims
Is Referred to Scathingly.

washington. February 1s-The house
today INDUCED In its annual joke by
striking from the legislative appropriation
bin all provision for the civil service com
mission.
This action IS taken each year in com
mlttee OF the whole. where the members
do not GO on record and the provision
In then invariably restored when the bill
gets hack 10 the house, where members
have 10 respond TO their names upon
roll call The vote Today TO strike out
was - 10 81. Tomorrow tho house VIII
reverse this action, as usual. on an yea
and nay vote.
Most of the time or the house today.
beyond that occupied IN tho discussion
OF the civil service law, was devoted 10
attacks upon the speech made by MT.
Sims. democrat, OF Tennessee. on Wednes-
day tn which he furnished some figures
Of the pension office showing the numbe!
Of snnlications Tor pensions filed by sol
diors Of the volunteer regiments engaged
IN the SPANISH war TO show that the
northern soldiers were much more clam
orous IN that regard than the southern
ones and attributing this 10 the deoauch-
inc az uublic sentiment in the north on
The pension question.
Northern Troops Accused Of Greed.
Mr.. Pearre. republican, Of Maryland
raised the storm by reference 10 those
figures and the statement That hundreGs
OF Massachusetts soldiers VINO never
smelled powder had applied for pensions
This brought out an indignant reply from
Mr. Fitzgerald, democrat, OF Massachu-
sets who detailed the record Of the Mas
sachusetts volunteers in the late war.
He was followed by others who defended
the records OF soldiers from their several
states.
Mr.. Hepburn. OF Iowa. vigorously as
sailed Mr. Sims. Considerable temper
was shown.
When the session opened announcement
OF the receipt OF the currency bill from
Inc senate was made and by unanimous
consent amendments were disagreed TO.
THO sneaker appointed Messrs. Overstreet
republican OF Indiana: Brosius. Of Penn
svlvania. and Cox of Tennessee, conferees.
Tho house then went into committee OF
the whole on the Legislative approprla-
ton bill Mr. Pearre. of Maryland, Vlsor-
ousIv attacked the appropriation ror the
civil service commission and charged that
the department were full of incompetents.
lie denounced his unequivocal opposition
to the law He reiterated the charge
made several DAYS ago. that the depart
ments were fun of incompetents.
Old System Scored.
where are they?" asked Mr.. Fitzser-
aid democrat. OF Massachusetts.
where were they under the old sys-
tenn asked Mr.. Pearre. replying with a
question.
Everywhere, there are thousands of
them" replied Mr.. Fitzgerald. IF the
bars were down now you would have tho
departments crowded with Marylanders."
Massachusetts need not sneer at Ma
ryland," retorted Mr.. Pearre. "A few
days ago a gentleman read list OF hun
drsds of Massachusetts soldiers who
never smelled powder during the Spanish
war. but who are already clamorlng Tor
pensions.
Mr. Fitzgerald said he knew the law
WAS not lived up TO here IN Washing ton
and other sections of the country. II had
been grossly violated during the .ast
I rampalgn in OHIO. he said, wnen federal
I ofilcehoiders al over the country We're
appealed to for funds for that campaign.
Does the gentleman say that was not
I dome, unaer the Cleveland admiaiStra-
1 tom asked some one on the republican
side.