New-York tribune., 1911-12-07
From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Decemht


Washington. December 8.
DEMOCRATIC LUNACY.-obsessed by
an insane desire to put the President In A
hole, and with that utter disregard for
consistency which has always characterized
the Democracy, the leaders of the majority
I'm the House have decided 10 pass the sher-
wood pension bill. which viii add A5.op"o
10 the annual pension budget. Representa-
tive Underwood. who now completely over
shadows Speaker Clark in the direction OF
the affairs of the House admitted this
evening that such was the purpose of him
self and his party associates. 1t Is not
going 10 be presented as partisan meas
ure, but We think Il should PASS this ses-
sion, and we shall give General Sherwood
an opportunity 70 call II up In the near
future" lie said This bill, IT will be re-
membered, gives a pension of at least 81
Il day to every man Who served In the civil
War. regardless of whether his term of
enlistment was short or long. or Of whether
ne suffered any disability as a result OF
such service When Mr.. Underwood at
tention was called TO the impassoned pro-
test against Republican eXtravagance emit
ted by Representative Fitzgerald to-day
the Democratic leader said "Of course, 1t
will put crimp I'm the retrenchment plans
but We propose to economic in other di-
rections. and thus offset the extra amount
required for pensions When asked why.
after adiourning over every calendar
Wednesday Of last session In order 10 avoid
a vote on this bill the Democrats had now
decided 70 pass IL, Mr.. Underwood eN-
planned that his party was opposed To 1t
last session because It was not on the
Democratic programme" or course, the
real purpose I'm passing tho bill at this ses-
sion Is TO compel the President 10 veto H.
as the Democrats believe such step would
deprive Mr. Taft Of large part of the old
soldier vote. 1t is not probable that the
measure could get through the Senate were
it not for the insurgents, but IS they are
as anxious to embarrass the President AS
are the Democrats, 1t may be passed by
the upper house.
F1TZGERALD'S WAIl4-It is Of more
than ordinary interest. IN the light OF Rep
resentativc Cnderwoods admission that
he purposes to pass the Sherwood pension
bill, TO observe Chairman Fitzgerald, OK
the Appropriations Committee, holding up
his hands I'm holy horror and cxclaiminS
that the extravaganza Of the present ad-
ministration Is shocking Mr.. Fitzgcr-
aid pretends TO have found some discrep-
ancies between the actual amounts the
government Will be called upon to cXpend
I'm the next fiscal year and the total as es-
timated by the Secretary Of the Treasury.
Ignoring the fact that the Postuftce De-
partmcut is now a self-supporting institu-
tion for the first time in the history of
the nation, Mr.. Fitzgerald lays great stress
on the contention that the estimates as
summed up by the Secretary of the Treas
ury do not include the amount expended
for tho postal service. which amount, of
course. Will be collected from the sale of
stamps. registry receipts, etc. Mr. Fitz-
gerald also claims 20 find some discrepan-
cies i'm the amount TO be expended for pub
lie buildings. but as there is always wide
between the totals of the eN-
penditures Of each session of Congress as
prepared by opposing members OF tho Ap-
committees, II is not surpris-
ing that the Democratic chairman should
find some differences I'm the estimates.
CONGRESS GUESSING.--The system
adopted this wear by the President Of send
ing his message to Congress in sections IS
the cause of considerable discomfort TO the