The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-14
The PENSION BURDEN
.,, PROSPECT OF DECREASE
HA' At LAST IN SIGHT.
vp RIxEY CAUSES SENSATION
rNI0N SOLDIERS HOMES
opr>Ep TO CONFEDERATEs.

,:...;uinn strongly Urges His
~" INT Leader Richardson and
nemocrats DisavOw It-He
r.o wants National Aid for
o-p soldiers HOmes-Messrs.
.,cnor and Hepburn Explain
,oprse ON the Veteran Pref
srencc Bill.
.,.-,ipoton. Jan. 13.-The House of
.sartatives spent the day in gem
NY .I discussion Of the pension appro-
,.top bill. the first of the annual
r.1rets The debate took wide
,f. Grosvenor of Ohio and MI.
,%.ah,,rn Of Iowa took occasion to de-
,nco report presented to the last
,.o,d Army of the Republic encamp-
,riticising the course of them
.r,.s and other members of Congress
4,o veteran preference" bill, which
5afc7ted at the last session. They
,,ired that their opposition to the
MI was due to the incorporation in
-. hill of a clause which had not been
,,dorsed by the G. A. r., placing vet
...ns of the Spanish war i'll the prefer
,t;.l class. Mr.. Rixey of Virginia
cgused something of stir on the Dem
,,roti. side by advancing a PROPOSE
ia, to opeu the doors of national SOL
#.rs homes to ex-Confederates and
~ mrnish Federal aid to state Confed-
;fl,o nf A 10
noma was the only Democrat who
orei Mr.. Rixey in spport of it.
Mr. Barney of Wiscinson, in charge
of the bill, said the estimates for the
nsunent of pensions had decreased
from $4,000, 900 to $1SS, 100000 He
was asked by Mr. Richardson of Ten
nsssee why the amount for pensions
decreased five and q half million while
Inc number cf pensioners was said to
he larger.
Mr. Barney explained that this was
aecounted for by the fact that the
arrearages were decreasing, and the
ndmber of large pensions (those from
g0 to S75 month";, was also decreas-
ing In reply to another question, he
stated that the commissioner of PEN
soDs believed that the high tide Of
pension payments had been reached,
and the amount required probably
would remain stationary for some
years.
Mr. Talbot of South Carolina, deliv-
cred general speech on the subject
Of pensions, to show the growing ex-
tayaeance and fraud of the present
system. lie said the pension roll had
nf hnnnr a hn
practice of passing special pension
bills should be abandoned.
Open Doors to Confcderatcs.
Mr. Rixey of Virginia, took occa-
sion 70 submit an argument in favor
Of a bill introduced by him to-day to
admit Confederate veterans to National
Soldiers Homes. and to extend the
same national aid to State Confederate
Homes in the South as was extended
TO state Union Homes. Mr.. Rixey
said that Il somewhat similar bill in
lFoduced by him in the last Congress,
had provoked considerable hostility
and criticism in the South and in the
North, but he believed the time had
come when the doors of Union homes
could be opened to Confederate vet
erans
The restrictions against ex-Confed-
crates participating in the government
ana against eX-Confederates holding
COMMISSIONS in the army or navy hav-
ing been removed, he argued that the
barrier which stands across the path
o. ext tontederate soldiers should also
be removed
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee, the
Democratic leader, interposed to de-
Gare that never would he be willing
70 see ex-Confederates enter Union
MONIES. The debate grew lively, differ
fhces of opinion developing on the
nmocrauc side. Mr.. Richardson, AL
ssosma, sided with Mr.. Rixey, while
af' Lamb of Virginia, Mr.. Bartlett of
Teorela and others opposed the sug-
seSuon Mr.. RiXey declared that he
popOsed to continue to advocate the
passage of the bill he had introduced
Snether it proved popular or not.
Mr' Gaines of Tennessee secured the
Moor and talked for some time about
IA ,ae result of his observations in the
rNlpplnes on his recent trip to the
Archipelago.
al the conclusion of Mr. Gaines re-
marks MI. Lever of South Carolina
iofInally announced the death of the
lale representative Stokes of his state,
ESnlch occurred last summer, and Of
Ie1eu the customary resolutions of re-
s.eC which were adopted, after which.
al TOO p. m, as a further mark of
respect the House adjourned.
-------s-<s-e-
a wW-Rwn