New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-19
FIGHT OVER PENSIONS.
DEMOCRATS DEFEATED.
House Passes General Deficiency
Bill, 5cith Pension Item.
[rRost THE TRIBUNE BUREAU


Washington April 1S.-In their attempt to
manufacture campaign material out Of the con-
sideratlon OF the appropriation OF S1,5OO,OOO for
age pensions under the Ware ruling car
ried by the General Deficiency bill. the Demo-
Gratis Of the House to-day completely over
reached themselves and made an igncminious
failure, after prolonging the session until $40
o'clock this evening. After a stormy debate
members Of the minority absented themselves
from the chamber IN order to break a quorum,
but their game of politics proved unavailing,
and the bill with the pension item inserted was
passed.
When the 81. 10000 appropriation was reached
the Democrats began their futile fight by mo-
lions to adjourn and offering amendments which
obviously not Germane and changed exist
ing law. These were ruled out points of or
DER and then Representative Moon, OF Tennes-
see. exploded his carefully loaded mine. He
submittd amendment which was In reality
service pension oil. providing pension Of Sc
month for veterans OF sixty-two years, IS at
sixty-fve years. SO at sixty-eight years and S12
at seventy years. By this action he not only at
tempted to place the majority the defensive,
but expected seriously to embarTass the admin
istration.
The chair however, sustained the point OF
order that such an amendment changed existing
law. The Democrats, in their great anxiety.
overlooked the parliamentary point that they
should have offered the order OF the Commits
sioner of Pensions a substitute for the bill.
In arguing his point Of order Representative
Hemenway maintained that Commissioner Loeb
ren. under the Cleveland administration. made
the first order dealing with the pension for age
question. Commissioner Evans, in ruling ap
proved by Secretary Bliss followed this by fixing
sixty-five years for one-half disability and sew
enty-fve years for total disability. Commissioner
Ware following the same line OF reasoning In
which the same principle involved, went a
step further and issued his order. Mr.. Hemen-
way contended that the experience obtained
from dealing with thousands Of cases in the
Pension Office had clearly demonstrated that
at this age II was a fixed fact that this manual
disability existed. He showed that the govern
ment was wasting 100000 a year in having
examinations Of claimants made in cases OF this
kind, that the claimants themselves were spend
inf S1.5O0,OOO a year In securing evidence and
paying travelling expenses in order TO take these
examinations. They were merely forced to prove
what the Commissioner OF Pensions knew to be
an unalterable fact. He insisted that Congress-
by passing every pension appropriation bill since
the Lochren and Evans orders were Issued, had
ratified their action.
After the committee rose and the bill was be-
fore the House. Representative Payne by clever
parliamentary practice. gained control Of the
proceedings, but It was only after persistent
naroeUvring that quorum Of one was obtained
and he was enabled to utilize his advantage.
The Democrats then realized that they had lost
the fight and retired from the contest. In this
way. after the hardest parliamentary struggle
OF the session, the last OF the great approprla-
ton bills passed the House.
All the pension amendments were rejected In
committee and the bill was reported TO thG
House. ,.
Mr. Moon was recognized for parliamentary
in0uiry but moved to recommit the bill, with In
structions to incorporate the executive order IN
the bill -.
The gentleman was not recognized for that
purpose" the Speaker Interrupted with some
irritation.
In the mean time. MI Payne moved to re-
commit the bill
The Speaker OF the House cannot refuse 10
entertain the motion OF the gentleman from
Tennessee" Mr. Williams broke in
With some warmth. the Speaker replied: The
Speaker did refuse"
Mr. Payne demanded the previous question.
and the roll being called, the absence of a
quorum developed on the second roll call where
upon Speaker Cannon, In order. he frankly
said, to gain time and secure the attendance OF
absent members, for whom clerks were scurry-
ing had the rollcall read a third time, regard
less of the rule limiting the reading to twice.
Finally the quorum was obtained, the motion
TO recommit defeated and the bill passed.
Late Ia the afternoon Mr.. Hit offered his
Chinese Exclusion bill introduced Saturday as
an amendment to the General Deficiency bill,
and It accepted without objection.