·- 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1581

The reading of the bill was resumed at line 6, on page 84. Branch, at Marion, Ind., page 93, line 6, after the word " con­ . , The next amendmentof the Committee on Appropriations was, struction," to insert "and repairs;" so as to read: under the head of" National Home· for Disabled Volunteer Sol­ For construction and repairs, includin~ the same objects spo.:J ified under diers," in the appropriation for the Central Branch, at Dayton, this head tor the Central Branch, IS:20,264.55. Ohio, page 85, line 7, to reduce the appropriationfor subsistence The amendment was agreed to. from $319,610 to $317,000. The next amendment was, on page 93, line 16, to change the The amendment was agreed to. total of the appropriations for the Marion Branch, at Marion, The next amendment was, on page 85, line 14, under the head Ind., from $2,353,163.89 to $2,360,663-89. of "National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers." to reduce The amendment was agreed to. the expenditure for clothing at the Central Branch; at Dayton, The next amendment was, on page 93, under the head of ' ' State Ohio, from $76,800 to $74,000. or Territo rial homes,'' line 22, after the word " eigh ty-eig :) t," to The amendment was agreed to. strike out "each;" so as to read: The next amendment was, on page 86, line 17, after the words For continuing aid to State or Territorial homes for the support o! dis­ 11 For construction " to insert " and repairs," and in line 22, bs­ abled volunteer soldiers in conformity with the act approved August Z7, fore the word'; cents," to strike out "sixty-five thousand one 1888, $575,000. hundred and thirty-four dollars and eighty-one" and insert The reading of the bill was continued t o line 9, on pag-e !J7. "seventy-three thousand three hundred and twenty-three dol­ Mr. ALLISON. At this point I will ask the Secretary to sus- lars and eighty-eight;" so as to make the clause read: pend, and I will move that the Senate adjourn. Mr. GORMAN. Until11 or 12? For construction and repairs, namely: Pay o! chief engineer, builders, blacksmiths,ca.rpenters,cabinetmakers, coopers, painters, gas-fitters, plumb­ Mr. ALLISON. I move that the Senate do now adjoum. ers, tinsmiths, wire-workers, steam-fitters; stonemasons, quarrymen, white­ Mr. GORMAN. It would be better to fix the hour. washers, and laborers, and for all machines, tools, appliances, and materials The PRESIDING OFFICER. Unless amotion is mada to ad­ u sed under this head, $73,323.88. journ untill2, the adjournment will ba until to-morrow at 11. The amendment was agreed to. Mr. VOORHEES. I move that the S 3nate adjourn uutil12 The next amendment was, on page 87, line 9, to r.educe the o'clock to-morrow. total approprintions for farm at Central Branch, at Dayton, Ohio, Mr. ALLISON. Mr. President-- from $22,500 to $19,720.93. Mr. VOORHEES. I have seen the attempt to do business hera The amendment was agreed to. in the hour from 11 to 12, and it is a farce. The next amendment was, in the appropriation for the North­ Mr. STEWART. I think we had better adjourn until 12 to­ western Branch, at Milwaukee, Wis., on page 88, line 5, after the morrow. word "construction," to insert "and repairs;" and in line 6, b3- Mr. ALLISON. In obedience to thewishesof Senators, I will fore the word "thousand," to strike out" twenty" and insert not press the motion I made. "twenty-five;" so as to read: The PRESIDING OFFICER. •rhe Senator from Indian:1 moves For construction and repairs, including the same objects specified under that the Senate adjourn until to-morrow at 12 o'clock. this head for the Central Branch, $25,400. The motion was agreed to; and (at 5 o'clock and 42 minutes p. m.)the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, Wednesday, February The amendment was agreed to. 15, 1893, at 12 o'clock meridian. The next amendment was, on page 88, line 10, to increase the total appropriation for the Northwestern Branch at Milwaukee, Wis., from $307,152.75 to $312,152.75 .. NOMINATIONS. The amendment was agreed to. Executive rwminations 1·eceived by the Senate Februa1·y 14, 1899. The next amendment was, on page 88, line 23, in the appropri­ ations for the Eastern Branch at Togus, Me., to increase the ap­ DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS. priations '•for household, including the same objects specified Myron M. Parker, of the District of Columbia, to be a Com­ underthis head for the Central Branch," from $45,000to$48,500. missioner of the District of Columbia, vice John W. Douglass, The amendment was agreed to. whose term of office has expired. The nextamendmentwas under the same head, on page 89, line PROMOTIONS IN THE ARMY. 5, after the word "construction," to insert" and repairs," and in Pay department. line 6, before the word "thousand," strike out "twenty-three" First Lieut. John A- Dapray, Twenty-third Infantry, to be and insert "twenty-five;" so as to read: paymaster with the rank of major, February 14, 1893, vice Can­ For construction and repairs, including the same objects specified under dee promoted. this head for the Central Branch, $25,717.10. Cavalry arm. The amendment was agreed to. First Lieut. Edwin P. Andrus, Fifth Cavalry, to ba captatn, The next amendment was, on page 89, line 10, to reduce the February 11, 1893, vice Babcock, Fifth Cavalry, appointed as­ appropriations for fat>mat the Eastern Branch at Tog us, Me., ''in­ sistant adjutant-general. cluding the same objects specified under this head for the Cen­ Second Lieut. Jesse Mel. Carter, Third Cavalry, to be first tral Branch," from $13,819.32 to $11,819.32. lieutenant, February 11, 1893, vice Andrus, Fifth Cavalry, pro- The amendment was agreed to. moted. · The next amendment was, in the appropriations for the South­ Injant1-y a1·m. I • ern Branch at Hampton, Va.,page 89, line 24, to increase the appropriation for household, "including the same objects speci­ Corporal John F. Stephens, Company B, Eleventh I nfantry, fied under this head for the Central Branch," from $46,000 to to be second lieutenant, January 28, 1893, vice Kirkpatrick, $48,500. Tenth Infantry, transferred to Fourth Cavalry. The amendment was agreed to. The next amendment was, on page 90, line 6, after the word 1 ' construction," to insert" and repairs;" so as to read: HOUSE OF REPRESE~TATIVES. For construction and repairs, including the s::~.me objects specified under this head for the Central Branch, $25,000. TUESDAY, l!'ebruary 14, 1893. The amendment was agreed to. The House met at 11 o'clock a. m. P rayer by the Chaplain, Rev. The next amendment was, on page 90, line 11, to increase the W. H. MILBURN, D. D. total appropriation for the Southern Branch at Hampton, Va., The Journal of the proceedings of yesterday was read a.nd ap­ from $3 t16,774.65 to $389,274.65. proved. The amendment was agreed to. SENATE BILLS. The next amendment was, in tho appropriation for the West­ ern Branch at Leavenworth, Kans., page 91, line 6, after the The SPEAKER laid b ~ fo re the Housa Senate bills of the fol­ word "construction," to insert "and repairs;" so as to read: lowing titles; which were severally read twice, and referred as For construction and repairs, including the same objects specified under below: thls head for the Central Branch, $25,000. A bill (S. 3279) for the relief of R. Connable & Sons-to the The amendment was agreed to. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. o The next amendment was, in the appropriations for the Pacific A bill (S. 3689) for the relief of the schooner Henry R. Tilton Branch, at Santa Monica, Cal., page 92, line 5, after the word and the owners of personal effects thereon-to the Committeo "construction," to insert "and repairs;" so as to read: on Military Affairs. For construction and repairs, including the sa.me objects specified under POTOMAC STEAMBOAT COMPANY. this head !or the Central Branch, $30,000. The SPEAKER laid before the House a bill (S. 706) for the The amendment was agreed to. relief of the Potomac Steamboat Co-mpany. . The next amendment was, in the appropriations for the Marion Mr. LOUD. Mr. Speaker, as the House Committee on Clai.rruJ . '

1582 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14, have considered a bill o1 a similar nature, I ask for the present HARBOR OF FERNANDINA, FLA. consideration of that Senate bill. Mr. BULLOCK. Mr.-£peaker, I ask unanimous consent for The bill was read. the consideration of the House resolution in regard to the im­ Mr. McMILLIN. Mr. Speaker, let us have the report read, provement of the harbor of Fernandina, Fla. reserving the right to object. The resolution was read. The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the House report, sub­ The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present considera­ ject to objection. tion of this resolution? The report was read. Mr. WATSON. I object. Mr. SPRINGER. Mr. Speaker, I shall have to object to the B. F. ROCKAFELLOW. consideration of that bill. I understand from the reading of the report that the company has alraady received $19,000. Me. TOWNSEND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for The SPEAKER. The bill will ba referred to the Committee the present consideration of Senate bill977 for the relief of B. F. on Claims. Rockafellow. SENATE BILLS REFERRED. The bill was read, as follows. Be it enacted, etc., That the Si3cretary of the Treasury be, and hereby is, The SPEAKER also laid before the House Senate bills of the authorized and directed to pay $614.11 to B. F. Rockafellow, on his account as postmaster at Canyon City, Colo., or so much of said amount as shall following titles; which were severally read twice, and referred as appear to the proper accounting officer of the Government to have been paid below: by said B. F. Rockafellow for necessary clerk hire tn said C::myon City post­ A bill (S. 2380) for the relief of Joseph J. Redfern and Eliza. office. Redfern his wife-to the Committee on Claims. Mr. McMILLIN. Let us have the report read. A bill (S. 1655) for the relief of D. Fulford-to the Committee Mr. TOWNSEND. The report is quite long, and, if I can have on Claims. permission, I will make a brief statement. This is a bill that A bill (S. 3280} to provide for the improvement of the provi­ has ·passed the Senate three different times, and has been rec­ sions of the act of Congress for the protect:.on of the salmon fish­ ommended twice by co1nmittees of the House in two different eries of Alaska, approved March 2, 1889-to the Committee on Congresses. It is to reimburse money actually paid out. The Merchant Marine and Fisheries. amount is only $614.. The bill is recommended by everybody who MARY DOUBLEDAY. has investigated it, and I know the facts to be absolutely as The SPEAKER also laid before the House a bill (S. 3819) grant­ stated. Mr. McMILLIN. It is the facts 1 am after, the foundation for ing a pension to Mary Doubleday, widow of Bvt. Maj. Abner the claim. Doubleday. Mr. TOWNSEND. Well, the claim is absolutely and unqual­ Mr. COOMBS. 1\fr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that ifiedly just. It arose by reason of the fa-ct that at the time of the that bill be considered at this time. discovery of the Leadville Camp and the Silver Cliff Mine (where The bill was read. I reside), the burden thrown upon the post-office at Canyon City, The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present consider­ which was then the terminus of the railroad, was so great and ation of this bill? the business increased to such an extent that this disbursement Mr. SEERLEY. I object. became absolutely necessary. The post-office was rateJ. accord­ Mr. COOMBS. Mr. Speaker, I trust the gentleman will allow ing to the business it had been doing before that, and, during me to make an explanation before he insists upon his objection. the intermediate time, until anincreasecould be made under the The SPEAKER. Objection being made, the bill will be re­ rules of the Department, the disbursement of this money b3came ferred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. absolutely necessary in order to carry on the business of the of­ EUNICE M. BROWN. fice and distribute the mails. The SPEAKER also laid before the House a bill (S. 2219) for Mr. McMILLIN. I recollect now the nature of the claim. the relief oi Eunice M. Brown; which was referred to th~ Com­ There were several similar claims before the Committee on mittee on War Claims. Claims wh-en I was a member of it. The question is whether any officer of the Government has a right to bind the Go-vern­ FEES OF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, MARSHALS, AND CLERKS. ment by the employment of clerical force that the law does not The SPEAKER also laid before the House a bill (H. R. 9612} to authorize. I believe, and have always believed, that he has not. amend section 833 of the Revisad Statutes of the United States Mr. TOWNSEND. But this money had to be paid Qut1 by relating to semiannual returns of fees by district attorneys, mar-. r eason of the peculiar circumstances, in order to carry on the shals, and clerks, with amendments of the Senate thereto. business. Mr. OATES. I askunanimousconsentthattheSenateamend­ Mr. McMILLIN. There is a regular machinery by which the ments be concurred in. postmaster could get the necessary assistance. If he had ap­ The amendments were read, as follows: plied to the Department for extra clerical force he could have Page 1. strike out all after the enacting clause down to and including got it. . "them," line 8. page 2. . . . Amend the title so as to read ''to prescnbe the number of d1Strict attorneys .Mr. TOWNSEND. There is nomachineryin the Department and marshals in the judicial district or the State of Alabama." that would have met this case, and the claim is absolutely just. Mr. McMILLIN. Well, if the postmaster there could not get The amendments were concurred in. along, he was at liberly to resign. Mr. OATES moved to reconsider the vote by which the amend­ Mr. TOWNSEND. He had to resign before be got through ments were concurred in; and also moved that the motion tore­ with it. It "broke" him. consider be laid on the table. The bill was ordered to a third reading; and it was accord­ The latter motion was agreed to. ingly read the third time, and passed. MARY DOUBLEDAY. On motion of Mr. TOWNSEND, a motion to reconsider the Mr. COOMBS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that vote by which the bill was passed was laid on the table. the bill granting a pension to the widow of Gen. Doubleday be POTOMAC STEAMBOAT CO~ANY. allowed to lie upon the Speaker's table until to-morrow. · Mr. SPRINGER. Since I objected to the consideration of the There being no objection, it was so ordered. bill (S. 706) for the relief of the Potomac Steamboat Company I have become satisfied that the bill should pass, and I desire to ROBERT C. BURTON. withdraw my objection to its consideration. Mr. COBB. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the The title of the bill was again read. present consideration of the bill (H. R.10053) for the relief of 'l'he SPEAKER. Is there objection to the consideration of Robert C. Burton. this bill? The bill was read, as follows: Mr. HOLMAN. The reading of the bill was not heard. Be it enacted, etc., That the Secretary of the Treasury be, aud is hereby, Mr. LIVINGSTON. I call for the regular order. directed and required to pay to Rober~ C. Burton, of the State of Alabama, $30, the same being the amount of money paid by the said Burton into the Mr. SPRINGER. Then I request that the bill lie on the table Treasury or the United States on the 6th day or Februa.ry, 1860, on his appli­ until to-morrow morning. cation for patent on horse power, and which application was not granted The SPEAKER. The Chair can not submit that request in nor the said money returned nor consumed in costs. view of the demand for the regular order. The bill was ordered to be engrossed, and read a third time; Mr. COOMBS. The gentlema-n from Georgia [Mr. LIVING­ and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time, STON] withdraws his demand for the regular order so as to allow and passed. the Doubleday bill to go through. Mr. COBB of Alabama moved to reconsider the vote by which The SPEAKER. Is tbe demand for the regular order with­ the bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider drawn? be laid on the table. Mr. LIVINGSTON. It is. The latter motion was agreed to. Mr. ANTONY. I renew it. .•

1893. . CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1583

EULOGIES ON HON. MELBOURNE H. FORD. the cost of printing these eulogies, to the sum, as in the present Mr. RICHARDSON. I desire to present a privileged report case, of $2, 720-a very large reduction. from the Committee on Printing. As to the portrait accompanying the eulogies, of which the Mr. SPEAKER. That is in order. gentleman inquires, tbat is not prihted at the Government Pri.nt­ The Clerk read as follows: ing Office, but at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and is done without any additional cost in this matter; that is to say, . , IN THE HOUS"E OF REPRESENTATIVES, Februa1·y 9, 1893. there is no appropriation now included in the resolution as we Mr. BELKNAP submitted the following, which was referred to the Commit­ tee on Printing: formerly provided. Heretofore these eulogies were provided "Resolved by the Hou~e of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That there for in a joint resolution in order that there might be an apprQ­ be printed or the eulogies delivered in Congress upon the Ron. Melbourne H priation of $500 included to pay for the portrait, but now the Ford, late a Representative from the State of Michigan, 8,000 copies, of which 2,000 copies shall be delivered to the Representatives and Senators of that chief of the Bureau informs us that out of the annual appropri­ State, and of the remaining number, 2,000 copies shall be for the use of the ation for the Bureau he is enabled to print the portraits, and we Senate and 4,0\JO copies tor the use or the House. And of the quota of the make the resolution in concurrent shape instead of a joint reso­ House of Representatives, the Public Printer shall set aside 50 copies which he shall have bound in full morocco with gilt edges, the same to be delivered lution, which carried an appropriation. when complete to the family of the deceased. And the Secretary of the Mr. OATES. The reduction of which my friend speaks is Treasury is here by directed to have engraved and P-rinted, at the earliest day certainly a change in the right direction. possible, a portrait of the above to accompany saJ.d eulogies." The committee have considered the House concurrent resolution to print Mr. RICHARDSON. A geeat change. I ask the adoption of 8,000 copies of the eulogies delivered in Congress upon the Ron. Melbourne the report. H. Ford, late a Representative from the State of Michigan, and direct me Mr. DINGLEY. Before that is done: Mr. Speaker, a word as to report the same with the recommendation that it do pass. to the sufficiency of the appropriation. There has been already The estimated cost thereofts !2,7"20. • a large deficiency for public printing at this session of Congress; Mr. DINGLEY. I would like to have the gentleman from and certainly there has not been enough appropriated for the Tennessee [Mr. RICHARDSON] state whether this proposed method next fiscal year, so that any printing of portraits by Congress of distributing eulogies and binding a certain number of copies ordered in such cases will necessarily increase the deficiency. in morocco for the use of the family of the deceased is an inno­ Mr. RICHARDSON. I suggest that when this bill was up I vation? Is this proposition something new? did not hear the gentleman from Maine complain that the ap­ Mr. RICHARDSON. Thisistheform which has been pursued propriation was not enough. during the last two sessions of Congress. It is a reform recom­ Mr. DINGLEY. Whether the gentleman from Tennessee mended in the general printing bill which has already passed heard me or not, I stated succinctly that there would be a large the House and the Senate, and is now in conference. deficiency. Mr. DINGLEY. As I understand, 2,000 copies are assigned Mr. RICHARDSON. This is a large reduction from 12 500to to the Senators and Representatives of the State from which the 8,000 copies. deceased member came. Mr. DOCKERY. Let me say that the policy of contemplat­ Mr. RICHARDSON. Yes, sir. ing a deficiency for printing was established many years ago. Mr. DINGLEY. I would like to know whether this is to be Mr. DINGLEY. That is true. the practice from this time henceforth? Mr. DOCKERY. And has baen regarded as a wise provision, Mr. RICHARDSON. This is the form which haB been fol­ in the interest of economy. lowed already in several instances. I ask for the adoption of the Mr. RICHARDSON. I understood. the chairman of the Com­ report. mittee on Appropriations to state that the appropriation for The question being taken, the resolution reported by the com­ public printing was made with that object in view at the time. mittee was adopted. l\1r. DOCKERY. That is correct. EULOGIES ON RON. JOHN W. KENDALL. Mr. DINGLEY. Entirely so. Mr. RICHARDSON. I ask a vote on the report. Mr. RICHARDSON, from the Committee on Printing, sub­ The resolution reported from the committee wa3 adopted. mitted a report, which was read, as follows: REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE WEATHER BUREAU. IN THE HO"USE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 9, 1893. Mr. McCREARY submitted the following; which was referred to the Com­ Mr. RICHARDSON. I now submit another resolution, Mr. mittee on Printing: Speaker. "Resolved by the House of ReJYresentatives (the Senate concurring), That there be printed of the eulogies delivered in Congress upon the late John W. Ken­ The Clerk read as follows: dall, a Representative in the Fifty-second Congress from the State of Ken­ Rewlvedby the House of .Repre11entatives (the Senate concurring), That there tucky, 12,000 copies; of which 3,000 copies shcl.ll be for the use of the Senate be printed in quarto form o! the annual report or the Chief of the Weather and 9,000 shall be for the use of the House o! Representatives; and the Sec­ Bureau, with appendices, 9,000 copies; of which 1,000 copies shall be tor the retary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, directed to have vrinted a por­ use of the Senate, 2,000 copies for the use of the House of Representatives, trait of the said John Vf. Kendall to accompany said eulogies. That of the and 6,000 copies for the use of the Weather Bureau. The report to cover the quota. of the House of Representatives the Public Printer shall set apart 50 transactions of the Bureau from the date of its transfer .from the War to copies, which he shall have bound in full morocco, with gilt edges, the same the Agricultural Department, July 1, 1891, to December 31, 1892. to be delivered. when completed, to the family of the deceased." The committee have considered the concurrent resolution of the House to The committee have considered House concurrent resolution to print print in quarto form the annual report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau 12,000 copies of the eulogies delivered in Congress upon the Ron. John w. with appendices, and report the same with the recommendation that it do Kendall, late a Representative from the State of Kentucky, and direct me pass. to report a substitute therefor, which is herewith submitted. The substitute is in the form and provides for the number of copies which The estimated cost thereof is $6,595. has been agreed upon in all such cases. The concurrent resolution was agreed to. The estimated cost of same is about $2,720. Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That there REPORT OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. be printed of the eulogies delivered in Congress upon the Ron. John w. Kendall, late a Representative from the State of Kentucky, 8,000 copies, of Mr. RICHARDSON. I desire now to submit another report. which 2,000 copies shall be delivered to the Senators and Representatives The Clerk read as follows: of that State, and or the remaining number 2,000 copies shall be for the use of the Senate and 4o,OOO copies for the use of the House, and of the quota of the "Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That there Housethe PublicPrintersha.llset aside 50 copies, which he shall have bound be printed of the reports of the Smithsonian Institution:mdofthe National in full morocco with gilt edges, the same to be delivered when completed to Museum for the year ending June 30, 1892, in two octavo volumes, 10,000 extra the family of the deceased; and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby copies; of which 1,000 copies shall be for the use of the Senate, 2,000 copies directed to have engraved and printed at the earliest day practicable a por- for the use of the House of Representatives, 5,000 copies for the use of the trait of the deceased to accompany said eulogies. . Smithsonian Institut.ion, and 2,000 copies for the use of the National Mu­ seum.'' Mr. OATES. I wish to inquir·e of the gentleman from Ten­ The committee have considered the Senat~ resolution to print the reports . - nessee what is the expense incurred in these casesforenD"raving of the Smithsonian Institution and of the National Museum for the year ending June 30, 1892, in two octavo volumes, 10,000 extra copies, and direct portraits, printing the eulogies, etc. "' me to report the same with the recommendation that it be agreed to by the Mr. RICHARDSON. In this case the cost is $2,720. In this House. The estimated cost thereof is $18,000. connection I wish to call attention to the fact that formerlv in Mr. RICHARDSON. That is the usual report of the Smith­ some cases as many as 25,000 copies of the eulogies in a particu­ sonian Institution and of the National Museum, and I ask its lar case were printed. For some time we have been printing in adoption. It is a Senate concurrent resolution. each case 12,500; but the number now agreed upon by the Com­ The resolution was concurred in. mittees on Printing of the Senate and House is 8,000 copies. On motion of Mr. RICHARDSON, a motion to reconsider the The method of distribution, however, as I remarked a moment several votes just taken on reportsfromtheCommitteeonPrint­ ago, is different. ing was laid on the table. Instead of distributing the whole number to Senators and Rep­ resentatives from the various States we first assign 2,000 copies CALL OF COMMITTEES FOR REPORTS. to Senators and Representatives of the Stat9 from which the de­ The committees were called for reports, when bills of the fol­ ceased came; the remainder is then divided among the entire lowing titles were severally reported, and, with the accompany­ representation in the two HoUBes of Congress. We have re­ ing reports., ordered to be printed, and referred to the Calendars du,.l3d the expense from about $12,000, which has heretofore been named below: -·.

1584 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE.. FEBRUARY 14,

SECTION 4233, REVISED STATUTES. Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE (to Mr. GROUT). Do you accept By Mr. O'NEILL of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on that? Interstate and Foreign Commerce: The bill (S. 2966} to amend Mr. GROUT. No; it is not time enough. Rule VII, section 4233, Revised Statutes-to the House Calen­ Mr. BINGHAM. Does not the gentleman think we could dar. reach an amicable arrangement as to time? JUSTICES OF THE PEACE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. By Mr. STOCKDALE, from the Committee on the Judiciary: MUTCHLER] moves that the House resolve itself into the Com­ The bill (S. 3409} to extend the jurisdiction of justices of the mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union for the purpose of c~:msidering general appropriation bills; and pending that peace in the District of Columbia, and to regulate the proceed­ motiOn he moves that all general debate be closed at 6 o'clock ings before them-to the House Calendar. this evening. TRESTLE ACROSS SHOAL WATER BETWEEN CEDAR POINT AND Mr. GROUT. Now, Mr. Speaker, let me ask the gentleman DAUPHIN ISLAND. to add to that six hours euch time as he thinks will be wanted Mr. CRAIN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign on that side of the House, and I think thera will be no difficulty Commerce, reported back favorably the bill {S. 3811) to amend about it. But gentlemen on this side want to be heard on these an act entitled "An act to grant to the Mobile and Dauphin Is­ amendments, and I think in the present temper of this side that land Railroad and Harbor Company the right to trestle across they are bound to be heard. the shoal water between Cedar Point and Dauphin Island," ap­ I am certainly willing, personally, to do everything I cJ.n to proved September 26, 1890; which was referred to the House expedite this discussion, and close it up early. • Calendar, and, with the a(:companying report, ordered to be Mr. MUTCHLER. Amend the motion so that we take are­ printed. cess at 5 o'clock until8 o'clock this evening. the evening session The SPEAKER. This completes the call of the standing and to be used in general debate. · select committees. Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. I wish to make a motion to amend ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED. the groposition of the gentleman from Pennsy1 vania [Mr. MUTCH­ Mr. OHLIGER, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, re­ LERJ, so that debate shall close at 5 o'clock to-morrow. ported that they had examined and found truly enrolled bills of The SPEAKER. The Chaie will state the question. the following titles; when the Speaker signed the same: Mr. HATCH. Mr. Speaker, before the question is put, I would A bill (S. 741 ) to incorporate the Eclectic Medical Society of like to make the suggestion to the gentleman from Pennsylva­ the District of Columbia; nia [Mr. MUTCHLER], and to gentlemen on the floor of the House, A bill (S. 2852} to change the name of the Capitol, North 0 that I have waited here very patiently for three or four days for Street and South Washington Railway Company; and the consideration of a very important bill that has precedence A bill (S. 3859) to amend an act entitled "An act for the con­ even over an appropriation bill; and I want to serve notice on struction of a railroad and wagon bridge across the Mississippi the gentleman from Pennsylvania and the House, that if this bill can not be concluded within a reasonable time, that I shall River at South St. Paul, Minn.," approved April26, 1890. ask consideration of a meagure that I am sure will be indorsed ORDER OF BUSINESS. by a majority of the members on this floor. Mt·. MUTCHLER. Mr. Speaker, before going into the Com­ I have been very patient, and have been willing to wait pa­ mittee of the Whole for the purpose of considering general ap­ tiently until this bill could be disposed of, but if this general de­ propriation bills, I would like to ask my friends on the other side bate is to run throughout this week I just want it understood how much time they want for general debate. right now t;hat you will have to defeat a measure which has M:r. GROUT. Mr. Speaker, I have from recollection prepared precedence over this in the House before you shall reach this bill a list of those who wish to be heard against these amendments. again after to-day. The list comprises eighteen names, and I will say to the gentle­ Mr. RICHARDSON. What is· it? man that I think most of them want only tenorfifteenortwenty Mr. HATCH. It is the antioption bill. minutes each; but some members of the committee wish as much Mr. RICHARDSON. I wanted to know. as an hour each. I think no less than six hours will accomo­ Mr. HATCH. I have no hesitation in saying what it is. It date those who want to be heard against the amendments. I is a revenue bill of the very highest character of privilege. hope that six hours will do so. The SPEAKER. Pending the motion that the House r esolve Mr. MUTCHLER. Mr. Speaker, the committee are very anx­ itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the ious to close this debate with this day's session. We will not Union, the gentleman from Pennsy1 vania [Mr. MUTCHLER] moves req.uire six hours on this side, nor do I think that we shall re­ that all general debate on the pension appropriation bill be qmre one-half of that time; certainly not more than one-half. closed at 6 o'clock this evening; to which the gentleman from Now, I propose to my friend from Vermont [Mr. GROUT] that we Pennsylvania [Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE] moves an amendment go on until5 o'clock this evening_and then hold an evening ses­ that all general debate on that bill b3 closed at 5 o'clock to-mor­ sion at 8 o'clock and close the debate to-day. row evening. Mr. COGSWELL. But not to take a vote this evening? Mr. MARTIN. · Mr. Speaker, is an amendment to the amend­ Mr. GROUT. The evening session to ba for debate only. ment in order? Mr. LIVINGSTON. We could consider the matter until 11 The SPEAKER. It is. o'clock to-night. Mr. MARTIN. I move, then, to amend the amendment so that Mr. GROUT. Certainly I should not object to that. all general debate be c ~ osed at 6 o'clock on the evening of the Mr. DINGLEY. Mr. Speaker, it seems to me this is too im­ 21st, a week from to·day. portant a bill to be considered at an evening session for the pur­ The SPEAKER. Pending that, the gentleman from Indiana poses of debate. The debate is not simply for the country, but it moves that all general debate be closed at 6 o'clock on the even­ is upon important amendments, nine of them, that have been ing of :the 21st day of the month. The question will be taken on pro.Posed to this bill, involving very serious changes of our pen­ th~ter motion. sion laws, and it seems to me that all the members of the House Tne question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the ought to hear what is to be said. noes seemed to have it. Mr. LIVINGSTON. Can they not be here to-night just as Mr. MARTIN. Division. well? The House divided; and there were-ayes 16, noes 117. Mr. BURROWS. But they will not be. Mr. MARTIN. I demand the yeas and nays. Mr. DINGLEY. The gentleman knowR very well they will The question was taken on ordering the yeas and nay!:'. not be here. The SPEAKER. Ten gentlemen have arisen in support of the Mr. LIVINGSTON'. It will be their fault if they are not here. demand for the yeas and nays-not a sufficient number, and the Mr. BURROWS. I shall object to an evening session, Mr. yeas and nays are refused; the noes have it, and the amendment Speaker, if no one else does. is not agreed to. The question now is on the amendment of­ Mr. BELTZHOOVER. Mr. Speaker, I want to enter a very fered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. WILLIAM A. earnest protest against relegating any gentleman opposed to STONEJ, that all general debate be closed to-morrow afternoon these amendments to an evening session. If the gentlemen who at 5 o'clock. are in favor of them desire to speak at night, I shall certainly The question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the not object. . noes seemed to have it. Mr. REED. Does that seem to be more appropriate? [Laugh­ Mr. BURROWS. Division. i ter.] The House divided; and there were-ayes 58, noes 88. Mr. MUTCHLER. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House re­ Mr. WILLI.Al.i A. STONE. I demand the yeas and nays. solve itself into the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Mr. HOLMAN. Mr. Speaker, in order to save time, I suggest Union for the purpose of further consideration of general appro­ to the gentleman from Pennsylvania to propose that general de­ priation bills, and I move, pending that motion, that all general bate be closed at 3 o'clock to-morrow evening. That is a reason­ debate upon the bill close this evening at 6 o'clock. able compromise.

. - -· 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUS:F!. 1585• Mr. GROUT. That wi.ll be satisfactory to this side, provided employment of over 2,000 officials to carry the system on, is a six hours be given to those opposed to these amendments; fit subject for revision at any time along the lines which experi- otherwi!:'e it is not satisfactory. If this should be arranged, we ence may suggest or ad vise. . will accept the proposition. But no such great system should be radically changed, as is now Mr. MUTCHLER. I have no authority to agree to that. I proposed, when so little consideration has been given to the think it altogether probable that one-third of the time would be subject-ma~ter as has been given by the committep which pro­ all that would be required on this side; but I can give no assur­ po3es the amendments now before us. ance as to that. All this would seem "to go without saying," when the Mr. BINGHAM. I would say. to the gentleman from Penn- slightest examination of the amendments shows them to be ilylvania-- crude, undigested, hastily prepared, and not justly accomplish­ Mr. MUTCHLER. But we will agree to it. ing improvement, retrenchment, or reform Itisanopensecre~ Mr. BINGHAM. Does the gentleman agree to it? that nearly every one of these amendments was overwhelmingly Mr. MUTCHLER. Yes; with the understanding that all gen­ rejected in the Committee on Appropriations when first pro­ eral debate close at 3 o'clock to-morrow. posed, but some days after something came over the "spirit of Mr. O'NEIL of Massachusetts. Make the motion. the dreams" of the majority, and, by a close vote, they were Mr. MUTCHLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent recommended to be inserted in the bill. that all general debate upon the pending proposition shall close Nor should such a change in so vast and important a system, at 3 o'clock to·morrow. where so much is at stake to those to whom this Republic owes Mr. O'NEIL of Massachusetts. Six hours to be given to those so much, be made in the heat of hot partisanship, or under the who oppose the amendments. wholesale charges, here and elsewhere, that the present pension The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. list is full of corruption and fraud. MUTCHLER] asks unanimous consent that all general debate upcn Mr. Chairman, the pension list of this country is still a "roll the pension appropriation bill be considered as closed at the hour of honor," and will remain so when every one of its beneficiaries of 3o'clock to-morrow. shall have passed away, and so long as this Republic shall en­ Mr. BURROWS. Six hours to be accorded to those who op­ dure. pose the amendments. And although severe charges and much abuse have been The SPEAKER. Six hours to be controlled by th03e whoop­ heaped upon the present administration of the Pension Bureau, pose the proposition, and the balance of the time by those who there is not one of its best informed enemies, if fair and honest, favor it. Is there objection? [After a pause.] The Chair hears be1t now admits that the present administration of that Bureau none. The gentleman from Pennsylvania moves that the House has never been-excelled in intelligence, honesty, and efficiency resolve itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state by any administration it ever had. They now disclaim any criti­ of the Union for the further consideration of general appro­ cisms on Gen. R:1um and his assistants, but base them solely on priation bills. the law itself. The motion was agreed to. Cdticism of our list ofpensionera is not confined to this House. The SPEAKER. Before the gentleman from West Virginia Indeed,! think it much more severe outside, where less is known [Mr. WILSON] takes the chair, the gentleman from Virginia about it. [Mr. MEREDITH] desires to enter a motion to reconsider. Mr. Chairman, all were not saints who entered the Union WASHINGTON AND ARLINGTON: RAILROAD COMPANY. Army, but I have known even sinners to fight bravely and to die nobly. Mr. M~jREDITH. Mr. Speaker, I desire to enter a motion to reconsider the vote by v{bicb the bill (H. R. 9651) to amend tha In a million of men, of any class there must be a ce!'tain per­ charter of the Washington and Arlington Railroad Company centage of unworthy ones and frauds. It must be so. Such is was defeated here yesterday. human nature; but the parcentage is not larger than in any Mr. WATSON. Is it not too late to enter that motion now? other class, whether it be of the learned professions of law, Mr. MEREDITH. No, sir. · medicine, or the clergy, of the laymen, or even of that noble and Mr. WATSON. After the taking of the vote? patriotic class of men who engage in public service. Mr. MEREDITH. The vote was taken on yesterday. I doubt if it be so large. This wholesale denunciation of the The SPEAKER. The vote was taken on yesterday; and the present law, of its beneficiaries, and of its administrators, is not motion to r econsider may be entered now, just, it is not fair, it is not true, and coming from any of us who Mr. WATSON. After the vote has been taken to go into the now enjoy the blessings and the Government which the valor of Committee of the Whole and the Chair has announced there­ these men vouchsafed to us, is wicked, cruel ingratitude, and sult? when it comes, as toagreatextentitdoescome, from those whose The SPEAKER. Under the practice of the House, the right bonds alone became valuable by the sacrifices of these men, from to enter a motion to reconsider, being one of high privilege, and those who were willing to wrench the last dollar in gold· from only being permitted at a limited period, it would even be per­ the Treasury for both principal and interest, and who have se­ mitted that the committee rise so that a motion to reconsider cured in profit more than double the amount of any anticipated might be Entered, not to be called up. pension appropriation, when these pensioners themselves took Mr. DINGLEY. What is the bill on which the motion tore- without a murmur their own small pay ina depreciated currency, consider is entered? it is infamous; and such· conduct, which is in keeping with the The SPEAKRR. The Clerk will report the title of the bill. greed and extortion and ingratitude of a certain class of wealth of the present time, is the sure forerunner of a political rovolu- T!:ie Clerk read as follows: ":6n in which those who persist in such conduct will surely go to A bill (H. R. 9651) to a.mend the charter of the Washington and Arlington Raih·oad Company. the wall. The SPEAKER. The motion will be entered. Now as to the amendments. If the amendment to transfer the Pension Bureau to the War PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL. Department could have come to us as a single proposition, and The House resolved itself into Commit~e of the Whole House not complicated as it is with the other amendments, I think I on the state of the Union, Mr. WILSON of West Virginia in the should have supported it. That would have given an opportunity chair. in the next Congress for an intelligent revisiort of our pension The CHAIRMAN. The House is in Committee of the Whole laws, if any is necessary, based upon the recommendations of the for the consideration of general appropriation bills, and the Clerk War Department. . will report the title of the bill under consideration. The amendment as to requiring inmates of the soldiers' homes The Clerk read ·as follows: to set apart a portion of the pension to the soldiers' wife or child A bill (H. R.10345) making apppropria.tions for the payment of invalid and or dependent mother I can support. other pensions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, and for other purposes. But to my mind the most obnoxious amendment, because it The CHAIRMAN. ·By order of the House all general de bate effects injuriously by far the largest numbar, is the one abolish­ on this bill is to close to-morrow at 3 o'clock. ing the eighteen pension agencies throughout the country. This Mr. COGS WELL. Mr. Chairman, it is to be taken for granted, amendment is supported on the ground of a saving of expense, I suppose, that any system which involves the adjudication of a on the ground of economy. This can not be maintained, in my million or more of claims; which requires the sifting of evidence judgment. The work of these agencies has always been satis­ obtainf.ld from imperfect records, and the memory of witnesses factory; not a dollar has been lost in their disbursements of the to facts which happened more than a quarterof a century ago; public money. They go right to the pensioner as nearly as prac­ which requires the interpretation, and construction, and appli­ ticable and pay him his money. They see him face to face and cation of existing and sometimes conflicting laws to so many do not keep him waiting. · cases, bnt few of which are exactly alike-a system which These agencies are in a better position to learn of and correct passes upon the disbursament of from one hundred and fifty to errors and frauds, to ascertain facts as to death or remarriage two hundred millions of dollars annually and necessitates the than any system which could be devised for doing this work in XXIV-100 1586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. lfEBRUARY 14,

Washington. And as to the saving of expense, how absurd to these vouchers can not be executed earlier than the first day- of the quarter, and hence the farther removed the pensioner is from the disbursing omcer say that a. class of clerks here, whose average pay is say $1,200 the greater will be the delay in his receiving the check. per annum, can be employed more economically than the pres­ This view or the case excludes all consideration of the many thousand ent force of the agencies, where the pay averages, say, less than pensioners throughout the country who by reason of the present location of $700 per annum. It can not be well said the work will be better the disbursing pension omces are able to go there in person and draw their pension without any delay; also the savin~ to these pensioners of the pay· done here, for it can not be done better, or more promptly, or ment of a tee to magistrates for administerillg an oath (no fee being charged more accurately than it is now done. for this service at the agencies). The number who draw their pensions in person at this agency i'l about 10,000, and is constantly increasing. The Still more absurd is it to say, that a system which now expends poverty of the pensioners as a whole and the necessity of their receiving about 16 mills on the dollar to make its disbursements can dis­ their pension money at the earliest moment practicable is, I think, not burse our pension money at less expense than the present system fully understood by the people at large. Probably nine out of every ten on my roll are so poor that it is with diM­ of agencies, which expends for this purpose only about 3 mills on culty they can wait for the time of payment. So poor are they, indeed, that a dollar. hundreds of them leave their homes on the night preceding the first day of In this connection and as a part of my speech, I send to the the quarterly payment and come to this building (the Federal building) and spend the entire night ·in the corridors and doorways, so as to be the first Clerk's desk to be read this letter. on hand when the omce opens in the morning, which for their accommoda­ The Clerk read as follows: tion opens for business for the first week or more at hall past 6. This was BOSTON, MASS., February 7,1893. the case on the night before the December payment, notwithstanding the weather was bitter cold and stormy. DEAR SIR: My attention has been called~ House bill10345, and the re:port Many of these pensioners, who are so feeble as to be scarcely able to stand accompanying the same, making appropriation for the payment of penBlons alone, are among those who come here for their money, being impelled to do for the year ending June 30, 1894. so by sheer want. By constant attention and working over hours we are By the terms of that bill the act of February 5, 1867, and all a:cts supple· able with the force now employed to pay the great bulk of our pensioners mental thereto relating to the establishment of pension agencies and the eachquarterin about ten or fifteen days, and by attesting thecheci{s or those payment of pensions by pension agents are repealed, to take e:l'fect from and who come in person enable them to go directly to the subtreasury (located after July 1 1893. The reason assigned for the proposed change is the sav­ in this building) and get their checks cashed without further identification ing of expense in the matter of the disbursement of pensions. My knowl­ or the payment of a commission. edge of these matters is confined chiefly to the Boston pension agency, of Our checks being drawn mostly on the assistant treasurer of the United which I ha.ve had charge since July 1, 1890. . . . States at Boston, are readily receivable at the local banks and by dealers, in This agency, as now constituted, pays all Army penswners residillg in the most instances, I think, without cl!arge, but if instead they were drawn on States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and all the Navy somedistantdepository-NewYork, for instance-it is mybeliefthat a thriv­ pensioners in New England. The n~"~?er of all pensioners no~ on my l'Oll ing business would be done by brokers and claim agents in cashing them for is 53 000 of which number 36,000 reside ill Massachusetts, 11,000 ill Connecti­ a fee. There is now no law regulating or restricting such charges, nor is ,. . cut, 'anci 4,000 in Rhode Island, the balance, having been orig~lly on these there practically any law restricting the charges of magistrates in adminis­ rolls and not having been transferred to the rolls of other agencies, are scat­ tering oaths to pensioners. tered throughout the di:l'ferent States and in foreign countries. The bill in question contemplates the closing of the work of all agencies For the payment or these pensioners and the transaction of the ot-her work in the country on the 1st day of July next and the consequent st~ppa:ge of of the agency I am allowed a force at present of twenty-six clerks. Notwith­ the salaries of the agents there employed. Some of the agencies, 1t Will be standing the statements made before the committee to the contrary, the fact remembered, make their last quarterly payment for the year in the month is that these clerks are kept constantly employed. The working hours have of June. In all these cases the work of preparing the abstracts of payments never been shorter than from 9 a.m.. to 4 p.m., and for a much larger part arrangement and filing of vouchers with the auditors, and numerous other of the time from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and for about one month in each quarter things necessary for the settlement of the agents' accounts for the fiscal the hours of labor are not limited, ranging all the way from 6:30 a. m. to year, rendering annual reports. etc., can not begin before the 1st day of July, midnight. at which time the agent finds himself without a single clerk to do the neces­ A clerkship in this agency so far from being a sinecure is one that calls for sary work or the means to pay them. severe work and long hours and the constant application or the mind, tll;ere This in my case would mean the disbursement of $2,000,000 of the public being no work of the omc~ that ca;n safely be done in a _Purely mechalllcal funds wit,hout any means at my disposal of settling my accounts and thus way. Owing to the large illcrease ill the number of pensiOners on our rolls relieving myself and sureties of liability under my bond. during the present fiscal year it has been impossible to give the clerks here Very respectf ,llly, more than a single week's vacation. The work has been so arduous that not W. H. OSBORNE, a quarterly payment has passed for the last two years that has not resul~ed United States Pension .Agent at Boston, Mass. in the sickness and ~reakingdown of from one to a half dozen of clerks, srm­ Hon. WILLIAM COGSWELL. ply as the result of overwork. My space would hardly permit me to give the details of the work of this Mr. COGSWELL. I submit also, Mr. Chairman, the follow­ omce. It is very varied, but all of a necessary character, and C:fpay­ There are about 10,000 pensioners on our roll who come here quarterly for men ts of all pensioners pa1d during the month, embracmg name of penBloner, their pay, and in the country at large about 50,000. No one can question a.mount and date of payment, number of check, and a classification or the pen­ that these pensioners are paid more promptly than they could be by any sioners paid under the several laws-two abstracts being made each month, other device. Then again, a quarterly payment does not go by without in­ one of the Army and one of the Navy, which are filed, respectively, with the formation being brought here of some poor pensioners (anywhere from 10 Third and Fourth Auditor or the United States Treasury. • to 30) who are in the last stages of sickness, and who for their comfort re­ Also the classification, arrangement, and fo!warding to these auditors of quire instant payment. Such cases are always attended to promptly, and a. voucher for each payment made. Besides this is the neces~ary corre~p~~d­ hundred'3 of poor dying men and women have had their last moments made ence of the omce. Owing to the location of the omce and 1ts accesSibi~ty happier by the reception of a check and the knowledge that the expenses or to a large number of pensinners on the roll about ten thousand verbal ill­ their last sickness would be promptly paid. There are so many facts perti-· quiries by them and their friends and relatives are made l!-~ually. Each nent to the issue that one familiar with them hardly knows where to begin verbal or personal interview saves on an average the wntillg of at lea~t and where to end. three letters, so that H all the correspondence o_f the omce was co~duc~d ill writing (including that which is so conducted) It would represent ill a smgle At every quarterly payment a greater or less number or checks sent year not less than fifty thousand letters, a work that or itself would require through the mails fail to come to the hands of the pensioners, and for their an addition to our present force of not less than ten clerks. Thus much for protection as well as that of the Government, it is necessary that payment the amount of work done at this agency. . on them should be immediately stopped. These checks bemg drawn on the The honorable Third Auditor in testifying before the comnuttee spoke of subtreasury (located in this building), payment on them can be quickly and rea-dily stopped, and in this war check~ that have inadvertently and wrong­ overpayments and short payments by the agents. In a disbursement of ~bout fifteen million dollars thus far made by me not a cent has been lost either fully fallen into the hands of third parties are saved from improper use and restored to the rightful owners. . . by a pensioner or the Government, while my personal loss by reas~n _of overpayments in the disbursement of this sum has amounted to the lllSig­ No precaution on the :Qart of an agent can p1·event acCidents of this nature. nifica.nt item of U.20. It is true that overpayments and shor_t payments are In nine cases out of terf'lt is the result of the pensioner changing his resi­ occasionally made, resulting from the vast number of indiVIdual payments dence after the forwarding of his voucher to this omce and before a check made and the haste with which they have to be made, especially in the midst is mailed to him, or by the taking from the post-omce the letter containing of a quarterly payment. his check by some of his family or neighbors, or by somebody bearing his These mistakes, here have been made by some of the most competent and n~~rn_g in constant communication with the people of the district, the agents experienced clerks in the omce. and~ almost every ~tance have been di­ are constantly obtaining information of various sorts that is or great value rectly traceable to the physical wearmess and excessive h!JurS of work of to the Government. By this means we obtain early information or the death the clerk making the error. These errors as a rule are rea~y corrected !illd of pensioners, and consequently are enabled to keep our rolls in proper Cely and with the assistance l}Ossibly of an _exa.mining surg8

came a law in the Fifty-first Congress, when the House and they are entitled, and I will go as far as any gentleman on this President were Republican. floor in eliminating any such from the pension rolls of the United · It was never meant for disabilities incurred in the service. States. It was meant to take care of the old soldiers of the country, who But this measure now under consideration goes entirely be­ were beJoming infirm from old age, or any cause, and their sur­ yond any such purpose as this, and cuts down the pension roll of viving widows. It is carrying out its purpose well, and it is not the country one-third or one-half. a fair attack upon it to hold up a pensioner under it who never My home at Canton, Mass., is a town of 4,500 inhabitants. I was wounded or became diseased in the Army, for it was in­ know every soldier in that town; I served with many of them in tended, as I have said, for any soldier who is now disabled from the army. A number of them draw pensions, and I can notre­ any cause not the result of his own vicious habits. call a single one not entitled to and deserving a pension; and I It was a compromise in place of a service pension, because the presume what is true of my town is true of other towns. And humanities of the case seemed to justify the taking care of the I repeat that these wholesale charges of fraud made against disabled first. Why make such criticisms, when in every war, Union soldiers are unjust and untrue. except this war for our own Union, you are pensioning the sur­ Mr. Chairman, I oppose the abolishing of the United States vivors, whether disabled or not. pension agencies as contemplated by this bill. In the four years The disability act of 1890 is right. It has brought comfort to that I have been a member of this House I have heard frequent many an impoverished and deserving home. It is not to be and bitter complaint of inequality and injustice in the distribu­ tested by the acts of a few improvident or foolish men-if any tion of Government clerkships among the several States of the such have got upon the roll-but by the many it has saved from Union. And I have heard frequent and bitter complaint that want and the poorhouse, whom a grateful nation will always re­ these clerkships were largely given to the inhabitants of the member with an abounding pride and an increasing reverence. District of Columbia and to the people of the States immediately -Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. Before I adjoining. take my seat I ask unanimous consent that my colleague on the Now here is a proposition to abolish the United States pension committee, Gen. Henderson, of Iowa, who, as we allknow, is ab­ agencies and the large number of clerkships connected there­ sent sick, may have leave to printin the RECORD some remarks with, scattered over eighteen widely separated States of the upon this bill. Union. and perpetuate the inequality complained of by bringing There was no objection, and it was so ordered. all of these additional clerkship3 to the city of Washington. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Massa0husetts [Mr. It seems to me as though this proposition was a serious error, CoGSWELL] has used twenty-eight minutes of his time. and that the committee has acted in great haste, without proper [Mr. BINGHAM withholds his remarks for revision. See Ap­ investigation of the effect. I should have supposed that had they wanted to know the facts they would have taken the testi­ pendix.] mony of the agents themselves. Mr. MORSE. Mr. Chairman, lhavereadofa certain Athenian There can be no saving of expense by the proposed change orator who when he was about to declaim in public was in the except possibly the saving of the salaries of the eighteen agents, habit of putting- up a prayer to his heathen gods "that what he at $4,000 each. For if the pensioners are to be paid at the Treas­ might say might be to the purpose." Now, I never attempt to ury an increase in the clerical force there, equal to that of all speak upon so important a question as that now pending but what the agencies combined, will be necessary. If such clerks are to I feel like putting in a prayer not to the heathen gods of myth­ be paid sufficient to live in Washington, their salaries will ology, but to the one living and true God, that what I may saJ1 have to be larger than those now paid by the pension agents at " may be to the purpose." the differents agencies scattered throughout the Union. Mr. Chairman, I listened attentively to the speech of my col­ There is no doubt that these clerks are far more poorly paid league from Mas~achusetts [Mr. O'NEIL]. It was a patriotic than almost any other class of Government clerks. speech, but! submitthatitwasentirely out of harmony with the I think that the poor pensioners will be largely the sufferers unpatriotic provision'S of this bill. My colleague extolled Massa­ by this change. It can not be that their interests have been con­ chusetts, he recited her grand deeds, he read the utterances of sidered very carefully... her great Republican war governor, Andrew. He did well. The New England pension agent at Boston, Mass., Hon. Wm. There is no State in the Union so kind to her soldiers, to her H. Osborne, writes me: poor, insane, and even criminals as Massachusetts. She is and W e pay our whole roll of fifty-eight thousand pensioners, on an average, always has been a Republican State; she gave President Harri­ in about three weeks time, when probably, if paid by the Treasury, it would take three months. That means intense sutrering to the pensioners. son's Administration an indorsement of 25,000 votes at the recent As it is they are not paid rapidly enough to save some of them from going election, and elected ten Republican Congressmen out of thir­ without the necessaries o:f life. teen; and elected a Democratic governor only by accident and The people at large do not know how poor the great mass of these pen­ sioners are, and how seriously any delay in the payment of their pension confusion of names which lost to the Republican candidate several affects them. thousand votes intended for him. The December payment began on Monday. On the night previous over three I know not what the future may have in store with our hundred pensioners, men and women, spent their ent.ire night in s.nd about changing population and immigration, but the past of Massa­ this building, so as to be on hand when our office opened on Monday morning chusetts is at least secure. at 6:30; so poor were they and so sorely in need of their little pittance. My colleague said that this bill and his position were unpopu­ Then once more, the pension agencies have long since become lar. I will bear witness to the fact that he told the exact truth bureaus of information to the pensioners and their friends. Thou­ then, especially with reference to Massachusetts, who believes sands of personal interviews are held in these agencies annually, in redeeming to the fullest extent the unwritten promise which where thesoldierorhiswidow talksface to face with the pension he quoted from her great war governor, Andrew. agent, and gets necessary information. If this were conducted My colleague, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. by mail it would result in a vast correspondence and delay. MUTCHLER], rung the changes on the alleged fact that thousands I denounce the proposition to abolish the United States pension of soldiers having no disability were drawing pensions, and the agencies as a great injustice to the soldiers and their widows, gentleman from Missouri [Mr. TARSNEY] went so far as to say and to the widely separated States in which these agencies are that tens of thousands of soldiers were villains, rascals, and scoun­ located, for the reasons that I have. partly set forth. drels, and were drawing pensions fraudulently from the Govern­ The claim that it is a measure of economy, I believe to be en­ ment. tirely fallacious. I do not believe there is a place on the face of I submit that these wholesale charges of ira,.ud and corruption the earth where there is as little work done fora dollar, and with against Union soldiers are without a shadow of truth. No man as short hours of work1 as in this city of Washington. who has not a disability is entitled to a pension under the exist­ The employes of the Departments here saunter in at 9 o'clock ing law. The Pension Bureau hasfield officers whose duty it is jn the morning and out again at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, with to hunt down frauds upon the Pension Bureau, and to cancel a dinner hour out of that. pensions of those who are not entitled to them, or to reduce them This Admini5otration is in no way responsible for this condition where they are excessive. of affairs; it is a practice of long standing. I deny and resent the wholesale charges of corruption and In the different States where these agencies are now located, fraud made upon Union soldiers by the gentleman from Missouri different hours of work and a different standard for a day's work [Mr. TARSNEY]. prevail; I remember during the Fifty-first Congress to have heard that The employes are required to work the full eight hours, and ,·· gentleman make a speech upon the bill to pension survivors of at paying--off time, as seen by the letter quoted above from the the prisoners of Andersonville, in which he described that place Boston pension agent, the office is open from half-past 6 in the as a sort of a second-class hotel. morning until late at night. I am not prepared to deny that there are no fraudulent pen­ There is no adequate compensation to the Government and to sions obtained, that there are no soldiers drawing pensions to the people in the saving of the salaries of the eighteen pen­ which they are not entitled, or in excess of the amount to which sion agents. Those same eighteen men will have to be em-

,· ' 1588 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. - FEBRUARY 14, ployed as superintendents in Washington, with a change of from a large number of these physicians scattered throughoui name, and possibly some reduction of salary. the country. I most earnestly hope that this proposition will be stricken out Mr. Chairman, there are one or two of the proposed amend­ of the bill. ments to this bill to which I can agree. I think nonresidents of Mr. Chairman, I am very much opposed to the proposed the United States and foreigners not wounded or disabled in the amendment to this bill, the one which takes pensions awayfrom service should not be allowed to draw a pension under the disa­ soldiers' widows married later than 1870. The statistics show bility act of June 27,1890, though the amount so paid is insignifi­ that the average age of the soldiers of the Union Army was but cant and unimportant. I favor the soldiers' home amendment, 25 years, so that this provision will take the pension away from also, which converts into the Treasury any pension in excess of thousands of widows, the first and only wives of Union soldiers. $5 drawn by inmates of soldiers' homes who are not willing to I myself enlistad at 19, my brother at about 18. I married at pay such excess to their dependent relatives. The inmates of 26 years of age, and should I die and my wife survive me, and the soldiers' homes I know from personal observation are pro­ need a pension, she barely comes within the provision of this vided with everything that they require, food, clothing, medical bill. Representative McKINNEY of New Hampshire tells me he attendance, recreation, entertainments, and amusements, and is on the other side of the line and his wife would be cut out. they have very little use for money for any proper purpose. Mr. Speaker, mauy an old soldier has been comforted by the I spent three months at Fort Monroe during my illness last thought when dying that the widow and the fatherless would winter, and I had a large opportunity to make observations upon have a pensioz: for their support, which it is now proposed to take the soldiers' home located at Hampton, 2 miles away. I met at away. the hotel gentlemen from all sections of the country, and 1 met In the vestibule of the beautiful memorial hall erected in the charge from some of my Southern friends that the inmates honor of the Union soldiers in the town in which I live stands of that home were specimens of the men who composed the Union a bronze soldier. Every time I go in or out of the hall I look armies, hired by the North to put down the rebellion. up in his countenance; he is a young man just ripening into I confess that a more embruted, degraded, drunken set of men manhood; his eye was bright, his arm was strong; he left I never saw. Of course there were many honorable exceptions to father, mother, and sweetheart behind him to do service for his this rule; but I want to tell my Southern friends that the North­ country. ern soldiers who fought the battles of the Union are not in any 0, could that brass heart beat, could the bronze lips move, soldiers' homes. The inmates of these homes are almost exclu­ could the tongue of brass speak, what would he say now to this sively of foreign birth. And it is the misfortune of that class of proposition? He would say: "Mr. Chairman certain unwritten people in this country that too many of them think that the Gov­ promises were made to the soldier of the Union in the hour of ernment is paternal and owes them a living without work, and the nation's deadly peril, and when the life of the nation hung the fact that these men did duty in the army gives them an op­ trembling in the balance, to promote enlistment." portunity to put their theory into practice under the patriotic, In my State these promises were made by such representative wise, and beneficent Government under which we live. men as Governor Andrew, Judge Russell, Vice-President Henry There were many patriotic foreigners in our Army in all the Wilson. The soldiers were promised civil preferment if they gr2at struggles of the country-in the Revolution, in the war survived the war; they were promised pensions for themselves, of 1812, and in the war of the rebellion-but the statistics show their wives and their little ones, if they were wounded or dis­ that notwithstanding there were foreigners in the Union Army, abled or sickened in the service. and even Irish and other regiments composed of foreigners, It is proposed here now to violate this solemn promise written who rendered great service to the Union cause-! say that the in blood and tears, and strike dawn one-half of the pension roll, statistics show that it was a remarkable fact, considering the in the amendments proposed by the Committee. foreign population of the country, that the percentage of foreign­ Mr. Chairman, I am ready to use every means at my command ers in the Union Army was very small, and that these armies under the rules to prevent the pas:oage of this measure. were made up largely and principally of soldiers of American The opponents of pension legislation are wont to describe the birth and parents. money as squandered and wasted, and as an oppressive burden And I repeat that the inmates of the soldiers' homes are not of taxation on the country. There is no truth in this repre­ fait· specimens of the Union Army. Surrounding the Soldiers sentation; this money is taken from the wealthiest of our peo­ Home at Hampton, at Chesapeake City (so called)-it should be ple in the form of duties upon luxuries, such as cigars, tobacco, called "Chesapeake Rum"-is a whole village of liquor saloons. champagne, and broadcloth, and is paid to the very poorest of While I was there last winter the quarterly payment of pension our people, and goes immediately into circulation to buy agri­ was made, amounting, I think, to something over $80,000, and a cultural products, boots, shoes, clothing, and necessities of every person in authority and qualified to speak told me that in less kind. than one week these whisky saloons around the Home would And I assure you that dire distress and great suffering and have $70,000 of that money, and for a week or two following pay sorrow will follow the passage of this leg-islation. Other gov­ day the streets in the vicinity were filled with drunken soldiers, ernments of vastly smaller territory than ours, and of vastly less and numbers of them could be found lying by the roadside in a commercial importance, spend a much larger sum to maintain a beastly state of intoxication. standina army, to live in idleness, and to eat out the substance of Now, I submit that it would be a downright blessing to the in­ the people. We have no standing army, we rely upon our citi­ mates of this home to take this money away from them, and I zen soldiery to repel invasion and to defend our Government. submit that the condition of things tolerated by the Stat.e of I submit that in view of that fa.ct we can not afford to violate Virginia without the jurisdiction of the United States and in the unwritten promise made these men. The nation may need and around that home is a disgrace to that ancient Common­ r.oldier.3 again. wealth. And some measure of relief ought immediately to be I am also opposed to that section which reduces. t~e num~er had. of medical examiners. The duty of these officers 1s rncreasrng Mr. Chairman, I earnestly desire to call the attention of the rather than being diminished by the number of soldiers requir­ committee and of the House, and to call the attention of the ing examination at their homes; in consequence of increasing country to the fact that the most vicious legislation on the sub­ years and increasing disability. . . . . ject of pensions which we have is the special acts of Congress, Nearly or quite al~ of these phys1c1ans do not f!1Ve ~p the1r which have overridden the law and the rules and regulations of local practice, and thlS Government employmen~ 1s a httle.ad­ the Pension Office. dition to the income of a very worthy and deservmg professwn. I am not here to say that some worthy and deserving cases It is pretty safe to say that the average physician is the hardest have not been met by this legislation, but I do declare that it has worked and poorest paid man in the community. He never been the source of favoritism in many cases, and partiality shown knows what it is to have a continuous night's sleep. He has to the few who happen to have a friend at court in the person of calls at all hours of the day and night. He answers hundreds a Senator or Representative. Believing such partiality to be of calls where he never expects to receive any compensation unjust and unfair to the multitude of the wounded, the needy, whatever. and the equally deserving, I have discouraged such legislation Homer says: and have introduced but three such bills during the four years The wise physician, skilled our wounds to heal, I have been a member of this House. Is more than armies to the public weal. Mr. Chairman, I have beard aspersions cast upon the soldiers And Cice!:'o says: of the Union armies upon this floor-a few may deserve it. Not­ There is no way in which men so much approach the gods as when they withstanding, I am proud that I was a Union soldier. I am try to give he ~ lth to other men. proud that I have hung up in my home, for my children and And Charles IX, the bloody wretch who ordered the massacre children's children to see, a certificate issued by the Common­ of St. Bartholomew, and who sweat blood when dying, spared wealth of Massachusetts showing that I was a soldier. Aye, Pare, the autbor of French surgery. more, I am proud that I was one of those, though only a boy, who This bill proposes to take a little Government business away answered Abraham Lincoln's first call for troops, and responded 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1589

"We are coming, Father Abraham, three hu.ndred thousand Hear the promise of President Lincoln at Gettysburg: more." I have read in the history of France how, after the sur­ Let us strive on to fin1sh the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds rendeJ• of Napoleon Bonaparte and his banishment to St. Helena, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and or~ phans; to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace Marshal Ney was made a prisoner and sentenced by the House among ourselves and with all nations. of Bourbons to be shot like a dog. The day of his execution was fixed, the awful day and hour Hear Gen. Alger, of Michigan, ex-commander in chief of the drew near; they drove him with his coffin to the plac3 of his ex­ Grand Army of the Republic : . We go to the seat of Government and we tell the men there to brin.,. from ecution, they placed him in position and drew up a file of soldiers 1ts temple the scales of justice, put into one side the absolute needs 0 0f the to shoot him. The officer having charge of his execution pro­ m en who are in want to-day, and put into the other the promises of the men ceeded to read to the old man his death warrant; it was pre­ who are in omce, or all parties, so that the scales balance, and we will be faced by bis numerous titles; he had a title for every battle; he content. had followed Napoleon Bonaparte from the burning sands of Sa­ I also append to my speech the following extract from an open hara to the snows of Russia, from Egypt to Moscow; the old man letter from Gen. Weissert, commander in chief of the Grand as he stood there, his gray locks streaming in the wind, begged Army of the Republic, which is self-explanatory: the officer to dispense with the reading of his titles, and, taking PROVIDENCE. R. I., February 11, 18.'13. Hon._..JOSEPH H. o·NEIL, House of Representatives, Washington, IJ. c.: the position of a soldier, he said, "Call me Michel Ney, only; * "" * For your proposed amendments generally as publishedihave no call me Michel N ey, a soldier of France." f~v9r. They are all ca~cul.ated to restrict benefits heretofore accorded sur­ Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the aspersions that have been VIVIng veterans or therrWidows. Y9ur l>estriction to less than $500 income per year is particularly ob­ cast upon Union soldiers on this floor by the gentleman from noxwus, because it requires public acknowledgment of poverty. Health and Missouri, I ask no greater worldly honor for myself nor my loyal~y were all that Lincoln asked of us when you were a babe and we were children than that men write on my gravestone when I am dead, battlmg to preserve a Congress for you to sit in. Your warfare in advance on those who, in the providence of God, may become soldiers' widows is "Here lies a soldier of the Republic, here lies a man who loved utterly repugnant to even average manhood. ' his country, and did what he could to make good the immortal In the ~ody of which you are a member sits many a man who fought us proclamation of Abraham Lincoln that closed with the words, m!'tn fashwn, open and above board, front face. Gonion, his face seamed Wlth the track o~ Union lead; Butler, short one leg; Wheeler, the wild rider 'Upon this act I invoke the considerate judgment of all mankind 'Yho gave us so llttle rest, and that sturdy fighter, Moore of Texas; they were . and the gracious favor of Almighty God.'" [Applause on the line-of-battle soldiers in time of war; but I hazard the prediction none of Republican side]. them c9uld be induced to lead in such a fight as you are making. You cry I append the following letters, omitting only some aspersions out~gamst the sum total of the annual appropriations for pensions and cap~talists and cowards comprise the majority of those who applaud. ' upon my colleague and some compliments to myself: Figure the total ot all pensions from 1865 to 1893 and it is little more that half • RANDOLPH, MASS., February 10,1893. the amount paid in the same time for interest alone to the bondholder. He DEAR Sm AND CoMRADE: I wish to write you a. few lines in defense of bought his bond always below par, at times as low as 38. The men I now soldiers' widows as against the O'Neil amendments to the dependent and have the honor to command, and their deceased comrades, indorsed these disability pension bill or June 'Z'/, 1890. bonds with their heart's blood and by their valor put them on the road to par N ow,I can only speak of my own case and in defense of my wife. I contracted and at a. premium in the financial marts of the world. With tremendous chronic diarrhea while in the service sleeping in the swamps and drinking unanimity they stood for honest money in peace, insisting that Uucle Sam's the filthy water of Louisiana. I have had attacks of diarrhea continuously promise to the bondholder should be redeemed at 100 cents on the dollar since I left the army, have been prostrated weeks at a. time and entirely with all interest. and payable in gold. ' helpless, and I know if I had not had a kind and loving wife to care for me I The next President of the United States goes into omce havin.,. been voted would not be here now to tell the tale. for by h~dreds of thous~nds of veterans. I have no criticism for their course. I was married in the year A. D. 1870. You know what trouble and care she ~he soldier ear~ed the right to vote as he pleases, be it Democratic, Repub­ must have bad all these years with a husband sick with such a d.isease. Can lican, 0r Populist. If some of them, advanced in years, enfeebled by disease anyone think for a moment (even O'NEIL) that she or I have been compen­ see fit to totter to tbe po~ls and vote the Mugwump ticket, that is their right: sated with the 1!6 a month pens.ion thatlhave been drawing. I think not. But I beg you to stop thiS warfare which will drive them to lay aside consid­ Being extremely young when I entered the service, only 15 years and 3 eration or other matters germane to our system of Government and tend to months old, marched in the ranks and carried a gun, you see it was very easy weld them into a nearly solid polit~cal mass: Your present course, persisted to break down my constitution. Being blessed with a strong constitution in, renders that nearly inevitable, m my opmion. (or I would not have been taken) I have been able to stand the strain all of A. G. WEISSERT, these years, although I am a wreck. Commander in Chief, Grand ..tlrmy of the Republic. When I first drew my pension with back pay I was working at bootmaking; I not~ce thought my health would be benefited by outdoor work, so I invested my Mr. Chairman, on each returning .Memorial Day when pension money in a farm, after paying my doctor's bill of $175 and some I go to the cemetery with ~he bo~s the little flags on the graves other bills. But I found out that farm work was too hard for me and I had to of our fallen comrades are mcreasmg, and with them the widows give it up and lose all I had in lt, and to-day I am penniless. and orphans of the dead soldiers. Shall we, as contemplated by I think that my wife ought to be taken care of in her declining years after spending twenty-three years of tbe besli part of her life in taking care of a this bill, deny to the widows and orphans the eight or twelve dol­ soldier that lost his health in the defense of his country. lars a month given them by existing law? No, Mr. Chairman Respectfully, yours, FRANCIS E. STETSON, the Rep.ublica:n members of. this House will resort to every Late of Company D, Fourth .Massachusetts Infant1·y. method .m th~Ir power to resist the passage of this unjust meas­ ure. which vwlates the solemn promises made in the hour of NORTH .AJHNGTON;-MASS., Februa1•y 9,-1893. ~eadly peril, made >yhe~ t~e .life of the na~ion hung trembling HONORED Sm: By the papers I read that a certain Representative from m the balance. This bill, If It can pass this Democrat1c House Massachusetts, the Hon. O'NEIL, has, by persistent agitation, forced upon (doubtful), can not pass the Senate or President HARRISON. the Pension Committee certain amendments to the pension laws. And the Mr. Cleyela_nd will have to convene the Fifty-third Congress to one to which! would draw particular attention is theonerelatingtothepen· sioning of soldiers' widows who manied the soldiers after five years in civil pass thi~ bill. Thank God, the. Republican minority is in­ life. creased m the next House, and I give the Democrats notice now I wish to draw your attention to the fact that more than 30 per cent of the that tbey can not strike down the pension roll under these rules volunteers or 186t. were under 19 years of age when they enlisted, and who, from the necessities of the case, were not able to enter the married lists until in the Fifty-third Congress. [Applause on the Republican side.] they had secured enough to be married on, or had learned a trade or had Mr. MUTCHLER. I now yield twenty minutes to the gentle­ finishc::d their schooling, so rudely broken in upon by that epoch of strife and man from New York [Mr. WARNER]. calannty. I have secured pensions for many men, and I fail to know of one who can Mr. WARNER. Mr. Chairman, after the very full and crush­ be classed as a fraud under the pension laws or in any way amenable to the ing arraignment of our present pension system presented by the pension la:vs of the country. And I do know of many who would be under gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. MUTCHLER], and after the the necessity of calling upon the State or town for military aid if it had not been for the just and beneficent aid received from the Government under the clear argument and stirring appeal made by my colleague from act of June 'Z'/, 1890. Massachusetts [Mr. O'NEIL], which I believe and hope will Many have by this just care of the disabled and previous just acts of the h '3nceforth remain the platform of the Democratic party on this Govern_ment been enabled to procure a small ho~ding of real estate and by the savmg of rent and fuel been able to keep their children at school and to qt:estion of pension legislation, there is but little nead that I keep them trom entering the mannfactories at a tender age, and whereby should trespass long upon the patience of the House. the foundation of a good citizenship has been laid in the public schools for But, sir, upon taking up the newspapars of yesterday morning the rising genera.tion. Therefore, as an old soldier who went into the service when but 16 years of I found there what purported to be a communication from a gen­ age, and who was woundtd twice, and fought from Washington to Rich­ tleman who is now commander in chief of the Grand Army of the mond under McClellan, Hooker, Burnside, Meade, and Grant, and in the R epublic, threatening, if we dare attack this question, then that West against Hood, under George H. Thomas, I must enter my solemn pro­ test against this unjust and ill-advised onslaught upon the old veterans of the old soldiers and veterans, for whom h e pretends to speak the Union armies of 1861 and 1865. w~ll absolutely desert an:.: and all other pol~ tical principles they I am with great respect, your obedient servant, mighthave,and, to usehisown words; "Wield themselvesintoa N. V. HUTCHINSON, Co1·poral, Company K, Seventh .Jfassachusetts Volunteers, 1861-1865, solid mass" in defense of the system of extortion we are now at­ •' and a life-long Democrat." tempting to remedy. Hon. ELIJAH A. MORSE, Washington , D. C. It is because, Mr. Chairman, that I believe he does not repre­ Hear the words of Gov. John A. Andrew to Massachusetts sent, but on the contrary, misrepresents the feeling of the vet­ troops leaving the State for the war: erans of our country, and because, sir, there comes from my own State and my own district, somewhat of refutation and protest vVe stay behind to guard the hearthstones you have left; and whatever ma.y be tl!-e future, we will protect the wives and the chlldrenyou may leave. against the rash threat thus made, that I venture to address the As you w1ll be faithful to the country, so will we be faithful to them. committee for a few moments to-day. ,- 1590 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

Among my earliest memories were the old war times, and the t{illl be continued, do earnestly request and urge you to bring forward at the earliest possible moment a measure to etiect the following reforms in the war meetings at which, with an enthusiasm and an unanimity existing pension la.ws and the administration thereof: which has rarely been paralleled, we saw the young men of our First. '.l.'hepaymentorpensions only to those who, by wounds or disability, country, without looking for reward, without caring foranyco~­ have been actually disabled in the service of their country, and to the wid· ows and orphan children of such pensioners when in need. sideration except that they were going forward to save their Second. A cutting ott from the pension roll or all men, disabled or otherwise, country, throng into the Union ranks; and I remember the ex­ who are in the receipt or incomes ample for their support and the mainte· tent to which we universally looked upon those men as heroes, nance of their families. Third. A cutting orr from the pension roll of all deserters and soldiers or and looked upon every man who wore the blue-or who touched sailors who proved false to their oaths and were dishonorably discharged the blue-with a feeling that had perhaps more of reverence from the service. than anything which would rank below it. Fourth. The appointment of the necessary medical and other examining boards to revise the pension lists for the purpose of carrying our. these re· A few years afterward, when the war had been happily ended, forms. and when the old soldiers were the honored guests and the Fifth. The absolute discontinuance of ~all further legislation looking to honored feature of every great festival procession, I can remem­ the enlargement of the pension list. · Sixth. A cutting o1'l from the pension roll of au widows who shall appea,r ber how the cheers went ahead and the sobs followed behind upon reasonable evidence to have married veterans with the fraudulent in· the tattered flag-s and the worn uniforms, as the old veterans tent of secllting a pension upon the death of their husbands. marched down at the right of the line. Seventh. The application of [such portion of the saving made by these re· forms as may be necessary to a1Iord them a reasonable competence to the A few years afterward, when the Grand Army organization increase of the pensions granted to deserving and disabled veterans who took the place of these unorganized bodies of veterans, I re­ actually served and were honorably discharged, and of the widows and or· member the respect which was paid them in turn. phans of such veterans. But, sir, there came another time when, a few years later, the Martin T. McMahon, brevet major·general, United States Volun· teers, Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac; Samuel Trues· ranks of that Grand Armv, now swelled by many who had not in dell, brevet lieutenant-colonel, New York Volunteers; Charles earlier years been reputed either for extraordinary patriotism or McK. Levser, formerly colonel commanding Eleventh New extraor'dinarv self-sacrifice or extraordinary use on the field of York Volunteers; C. F. Ulrich,'brevet major, United States Volunteers; D. B. Gilbert, second lieutenant, Twenty-second battle when those ranks, thus filled up, passed throu~h the crowd, NewYorkStateNa.tionalGuard; C. L. Wilson, late lieutenant· me a ti~g less ol enthusiasm than before, and among the bystanders colonel. Volunteers; W. H. Campbell, first sergeant, Twenty· stoodmanyofthose whom we knewweretheforemostin their sac­ fourth New York Volunteer Artillery; J. B. Greenhut, cap­ tain, Eighty-second illinois; Ernest Staples, captain Ninth rifice and their patriotism. And I remember, too, while but a Battery, New York Volunteers; .fohn Tracey, late lieutenant· few years before membership in that organization had been colonel Eighteenth New York Volunteers; William F. Smith, something of which every man entitled to it was proud, yet the late colonel Third Vermont Volunteers, brevet major-gen­ eral, United States Army; Luther S.P3ent, late major Eight­ number beO"an to increase of those whose glorious war record eenth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; Eben F. Barker, was a sufficlent guaranty of their patriotism, but who never lost late captain, Seventy·ftfth United States Colored Troops; occasion to explain that they were no longer.with those. who .at­ Francis J. Giles, late brevet colonel, United States Army ; Samuel G. Adams, late captain, Sixty-sixth NewYork Volun­ tempted to misrepresent the veterans of this country. m usmg teers;W.W.Nevin,latecaptainandassistantadjutant-general. their organization as a means by which, under the gmse of pa­ triotism. to draw appropriations out of the Treasury. Now, sir, as to the signatures to this memorial, there stands Shortly after we saw a Democratic President, the first one we at the head of them the veteran who, when Inauguration Day had elected since the war, sign a veto of the dependent pension comes, will ride at the head-as its grand marshal-of the pro­ bill. We saw that veto not merely universally applauded by cession that shall escort a Democratic President. There follows the Democratic press, but we saw what were then the leading him upon this list the veteran who was picked out by the Grand journals of the Republican opposition, applaud it as a wise and Army of New York City itself to marshal its legions upon the patriotic and courageous act. It was only a few years later, how­ Centennial parade in New York City. There follows in the list ever, when the opposi~ pady came into :power, ;vhe~ we .sa~v the names of those illush'ious upon the field of battle, and by long them redeem their pensiqn pledges by passmg legislatwn simi­ and faithful service who have vindicated their right to speak lar to that which had thus been vetoed, and we saw these same for the Grand Army of the Republic. period.icals cr_ook th~ir kne~s, "that _thrift migh_t follow fawn­ And so, sir, not as in deference to my own judgment-although ing, and praise the Repubhcan President for domg what they it concurs with the request of these veterans; not as a measure .had lauded a Democratic President for leaving undone. of relief to my tax-ridden constituents-although they might But now, sir, when in the face of impending bankruptcy of the well deserve that much consideration; but in the name and on T.t:·easury, demonstrated by the arraignment of _my col~eag11:e behalf of the old vete1·ans of the Grand Army of the city of New from Pennsylvania [Mr. MUTCHLER], an attempt 1smade m this York I protest against their names being used in opposition to House to consider measures of relief, we are met by the threat this measure of Democratic reform. of those who purport to represent the organized veterans of the In the name of those veterans I demand that, as their thinning war that those veterans have no political principles, that they unks are depleted by the lingering consequences of wounds will abandon any party and all parties and fight politically as a received in battle or disabilities incurred in service, they shall solid mass-such are this man's own words-in behalf of the not be filled by those who ask to be maintained by an overgener­ money they expect to §!et out of this Gov~rnmen t. . ous Government as a distribution of unearned charity or are­ Now sir, it did not take the letter which I have received to ward for post bellum patriotism. convin~e me that the old soldiers have been misrepresented by We demand that the whole pensionsystemshallbe,asitought anv such statement in their behalf, but I have felt that it was to be, an honor to the country, and a glory to its beneficiaries, due to others, whose right as well as duty it was to speak upon and that it shall not be developed in to an engine of extortion, dis­ this question, that the old veterans should speak for themselves; gracing alike the demagogue and the claim agents wbo manipu­ and had I not been requested to speak in their behalf, my voice late it, those who call themselves veterans and allow themselves would not have been heard upon this bill. topose as mendicants, or those who call themselves feeemenand But the very day that the press announced that this b~l would submit to be thus practiced upon. be brought up for consideration I received a telegram from lead­ As to the threat involved in the statement of the gentleman ing veterans of New York City, advising me that thay had sent who misrepresents the views of the Grand Army, I believe that me the ad vance guard of communications, which had for some he deserves the thanks of those who are in favor of true pension time been preparing and circulating, and that they wished me reform. to take in their behalf such action as might be necessary to clear The result will be, Mr. Chairman, if he dares attempt to carry theie skirts from any charge that they were willing longer to out his threat, not merely that the attempt to maintain the sys­ participate in the extortion which, in the name of the veter­ tem of extortion will be repudiated by an increased number of ans, was being imposed upon the American peop~e_. A~d I h~ve the voters of this country irrespective of party, but that he will he1·e sir, what is the first of a great host of petitiOns, m which find himself deserted by the great masses of the deserving vet­ the veterans of New York will speak for themselves. I believe erans themselves. this was drawn without communication with my colleague from He will have gathered about him a crew such as has never dis­ Massachusetts [Mr. O'NEIL]. graced the world since Falstaff's patriots were mustered, and It was drawn without any idea that it could be presented to we shall at last see that the Grand Army can distinguish be­ this Congress, and I propose to read it as a proof o~ the extent tween those who were old soldiers to preserve their country and to which the pending amendments represent the feelmg of those those who are newly" soldiering" at the expense of their coun­ who have the best right to be consulted. Here is the represen­ try; and who disavow-if we are to believe the "commander" tation that they make, and the request that they make o_f me. as who assumes to speak for the Grand Army-all political princi­ their representative. They ask me to procure such legiSlatwn ples except a desire to be supported by their native land. at such early day as I may be able to present. it, as shall secure Mr. DOLLIVER. Mr. Chairman, when I listened to my friend the following ends, put down in black and wh1te by them: from New York, in his attack upon the Grand Army of theRe­ Hon. JOHN DE WITT WARNE '"? . public, and when I heard him describe himself as their chosen House of Represen/atives, TVasllinglon, D. C.: SIR: We, the undersigned, ,·eterans of t!le war.of 1861-'65, in vie'Y of the spokesman and representative in this House, I was somewhat alarming financial situation that seems inevitable If the present pens10n sys- puzzled that the veterans of the city of New York had not availed I • 1893. "- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1591 themselves of the services of their comrade, the gentleman's col­ cratic hostility of the city of New York against the old soldiers league [Mt. CUMMINGS], rather than put their case into the hands of the Union Army. [Applause on the Republican side.] of one who in one breath offers himself as their advocate and And when I heard my friend making the q uo.ta tion, I could in the next defames their organization and insults their motives. not for one keep out of my heart the last public utterance of I am not here to defend the Grand Army of the Republic. I that great Pennsylvanian, James G. Blaine, who, in the North say to the gentleman from New York [Mr. WARNER] that as American Review for November, in answering that argument, long as the roll of that organization bears upon it the names of said with beauty as well as truth: the great soldiers of the war of the rebellion-of Grant, of Sher­ It is better a.nd nobler for nations to bind up the wounds of wars that are man, of Sheridan, of John A. Logan, the ideal volunteer soldier past than to make preparation for bloodshed that is yet to come. of the Republic-it need fear no attack on this floor from any I warn the great centers of American wealth that the deser­ man or any pat'ty. I thank the gentleman for what he has said, tion of the scattered ranks of the old Union Army will do more because it enables us the batter to understand that, after twenty to undermine the foundations of social order than all the anar­ years of hesitation, the Democratic party begins to feel a certain chists of the world together. The spectacle of the money power sense of security in its attack upon the pension system of the of the United States reaching forth its bloodless hands to take United States. _ the shelter from the old age of the Union Army will fill millions It is true that the assault now made is covertandindirect, and of hearts with a sense of wrong and injury that will very easily that it disguises, under the pretense of administrative reforms, outgrow the restraints of reason. the chronic animosity of the party against the provisions of law This programme of the great business interests becomes all for the comfort of the old soldiers of the Union Army. This de­ the more odious from my standpoint when it goes into partner­ bate has now gone on for more than two days, and, ii it has served shipwith the surviving prejudices of the Southern States. That no other purpose, it has at least qualified us to judge what the partnership has always been a powerful combination in Ameri­ object of the Democratic party is. It has served even a more can politics. It was powerful in the last generation, when to all useful purpose, for it has enabled the country to perceive with appearance it made very little difference to the city of Bo-3ton, what cheerful duplicity the party is able to put forward an un­ which my friend from Massachusetts [Mr. O'NEIL] so ably rep­ important section of its leadership for the purpose of hiding the resents here to-day, whether it was Anthony Burns or William real design of its authentic party management. [Applause on Lloyd Garrison that the mob was dragging through the streets. the Republican side.] It bas been very powerful in recent years, for if you will re­ Mr. Chairman, I have some means of understanding the posi­ member, in that great oration at the Chicago convention in 1892 tion taken on this floor on Saturday by my friend from Georgia my friend from New York [Mr. COCKRAN], whom I regret I do [Mr. LIVINGSTON]. I think I understand, at least dimly, some­ not now see in his seat, took occasion to point out that it was the thing of the motives that lie behind the cold, unimpassioned cal­ organized business people:of New York, under efficient guidance, culation of pension expenditures exhibited here by the gentle­ who saved the South from the horrors of free citizenship and man fromPennsylvania [Mr. MUTCHLER], who is in charge of this from the peril of legal elections. [Laughter and applause on the bill. I believe that I can at least partly interpret the ideas of Republican side.] my eloquent friend from Massa.chusetts [.Mr. O'NEIL], whose I say that this partnership has been effective and powerful in tribute to the services of the Union Army more than answered all the years of our national history. And I do not disguise from all the rest of the speech which he made ~upon this floor. myself the fact, notwithstanding the cheerful words of my friend But I confess that I have some difficulty in getting at the from Georgia [Mr. LIVINGSTON], that the real headquarters of •meaning and the pur:rose3 of my friend from Missouri [Mr. TARS­ the agitation against the pension system of the United States is NEY], who on Friday so elaborat9ly restated the complaints of in the territory which was occupied by the rebellion, which he, the Democratic party of this country against the pension roll. with a very inexcusable misunderstanding of history, described He was himsell a gallant soldier. He suffered in his own body as" the war batween the States." the hardships and sacrifices of the civil war. It is not the first I hold in my hand the campaign utterance of a grea.t son of time that the Democratic party in this House has found him m:eful Georgia, eminent alike in the administration of the affairs of in giving the· appearance of loyalty and patriotism to the advance this House and in the councils of the Democratic party. When guard of their attack upon the rights of the surviving veterans he hastened from this capital in the last campaign to save the of the Union Army. [Applause on the Republican side.] State of Georgia from the rude grasp of the Farmers' Alliance And while I listened with interest to what my friend had to he found no argument so potent as the words which I now read . say, and observed the skill with which he rearranged the worn from a report of his speech in the New York World. He said: and threadbare hearsays of the Democratic grievance against the pension system of the country, I could not join in the applause The great hope of the Republican party in defeating Cleveland is in the division of the South. I do not believe our people are going to divide. Cleve­ and congratulations of his party associates, because I could not land is the only man who has been in the executive chair since the war who forget that the greatsoldierlyfiguresof the last generation, now has had the courage to veto a general pension bill in the face of the demand gone, mo~t of them, out of the noise of time~ never found occasion to sign it by the Representatives in Congress. But the Reed Congress came on and passed it. Harrison signed it. And what has been the result? It to belittle the services, to disparage the record, or to deride the has cost us ~9.000,000 this year. Do you know that every man, woman. and infirmities of their old comrades. [Applause on the Republican child in Georgia is paying $2.50 a year for pensions? Do you knowlthat there side.] We havehad more than one illustration in the history of are a million pensioners on the rolls, and that they are being increased at the United States of the popular indifference toward the obliga­ the rate of a thousand a. day? tions that grow out of the sacrifices of war. Now, without stopping to call attention to the fact so well em­ The last years of Washington, so the historians relate, were phasized on Friday last by my friend from Massachusetts [Mr. embittered by the public neglect into which the soldiera of the O'NEIL], that the Union Army was worth to the State of Georgia Revolution had fallen, and, had he lived twenty years longer, he all that it has cost and infinitely more, I can not forbear at least would have seen the "era of good feeling" to which my friend a passing comment upon the grim and awkward situation pre­ [Mr. LIVINGSTON] referred on Saturday-the first era of good sented, when we see the leaders of the political thought of the feeling in our politics-opened by the repeal of the pension laws South forming a hollow square about the Treasury of the United designed to take care of the survivors of the Revolution; so that States and repeating the familiar lament, that it cost so many the old veterans of that great war were thereafter admitted to lives, that it burdened so many men with wounds and disease, the public Treasury only through the open doors of the alms­ and covered so many firesides with the pathetic shadows of pov­ house. Their abandonment was the_disgrace of those times, a erty that the life of the Republic might be defended against con­ disgrace that is only partly concealed by the lapse of nearly a spiracy and insurrection. century. Much has been said here about the cost of the pension roll in It came about not because of any party or sectional prejudice, the United Stat2s. The agg-regate of it is great; but let any but because the mercantile greed of the nation was able to take man examine the items of it and he will see that it is meager advantage of the popular inattention and thus reproach the beyond any man's power of description, unless he be some such American name. The same influences are at work to-day. Al­ man as my friend from .Missouri [)1r. TARSNEY], whose bill pro­ ready the capitals of American wealth have arrogantly arrayed posed here the other day gives an average pension rate of $3.65- themselves against the broken and scatterad ranks or the army a rate which in my humble judgment would insult any man who that, in our own recollection, defended the life of the Republic. received it, and disgrace any government thatoffl3red the mock­ The Democratic press of every great American city for two ery of its miserable pittance. years has filled its columns with the current protests against the If a man once lifts his eyes from the aggregate of the pension pension system. And when my friend from Pennsylvania [Mr. appropriations to the items of it he will see that instead of being MUTCHLER] on last Friday undertook to exploit the sum total of a monument of the national extravagance, it is in reality a piti­ pension expenditures, compared with the cost of maintaining ful witness that the sacrifices of the civil war are absolutely be­ the armies of Europe, he was only quoting in substance an edi­ yond the reach of the national resources. torial article that has stood for two years at the head of the The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman fmm Iowa has columns of theNewYork Herald,an advertisementof the Demo- expired. 1592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

Mr. DOLLIVER. I should like to be permitted to proceed for shall be applied. I ask you, gentlemen, how it can possibly be a few minutes longer. administered? Mr. DINGLEY. I take the floor in my own right and yield That the rating of all pensions- six minutes of my time to the gentleman from Iowa. . Pension~ of .soldiers se~ving in the late war, pensions of sol­ Mr. DOLLIVER. Mr. Chairman, we have heard discussed diers servmg m the Mexican war, pensions of soldiers servinD" ~ere the. question as to whether the pension of the Union soldier in the war of 1812, pensions of soldiers serving in the several Ill­ IS a public debt or a gratuity. As my friend from Missouri [Mr. dian wars- T ARNSEY] explained it, it is a gratuity given to the beneficiary for like disabilities shall be uniform. out of public generosity, and not a debt resting on the national duty. Will gen~lemen inform me as to whe~herthisinvolvesarating I wish to say to this House that if the pension of a Union up or a ratmg down? There are soldiers of the Mexican war soldier is not a debt, it is not because it is a charity but because who have disabilities that entitle them, under the Mexican pen­ its obligation is too vast and too sacred to be referr~d to the law sion act, to $8 a month, that being the lowest rate under that act. of .contracts ?r measured by the rules of arithme.tic. It is grati­ And yet for exactly the same disabilities soldiers in the war of fymg to believe that the act of June 27, 1890, IS entrenched in the rebellion, fightin~ on the ,U_nion ~ide, would receive only $2 the sense of justice and gratitude that has always governed the per ~onth .. J?oes this propositiOn ra1se the pension of the Union House of Representatives. If there are frauds in the pension soldier receivmg but $~to $8 per month, or does it reduce the list, let them be purged; if there are defects, let them be cor­ pension of the Mexican soldier now receiving $8 per month to $2 rected; if there are inequalities, let them be redressed. pee month? Will any gentleman please tell me how such a gen­ I hope, sir, that the vote of to·morrow mav be a recorded no­ eral provision of law as this is to be construed? tice to ~ll whom it may concern, that whoever lays the finger of It must be obvious to anyone who will reflect for a moment an unfriendly hand on the pension laws of the United States in­ that such legislation as this is utterly inadmissible. It would vites the storm of a popular r esentment that shall spare neither introduce inextricable confusion instead of uniformitv into the administration of the Pension Office, because soldiers"'who have ~olitic!Llleaders nor political parties. [Applause on the Repub­ hcan side.] received pensions have been pensioned for like disabilities under Mr. DINGLEY. Mr. Chairman, my colleagues on the Com­ different laws with differing rates; and no merely abstract propo­ sition like this, seemingly just though it may be, can be properly ~ittee on Appropriations have already discussed the questions enacted into legislation. mvol ved in the proposed a~e~dments to this bill so thoroughly, that I do not propose at this time to occupy the attention of the If the proposition is, definitely, to raise the pension of every committee longer than may be necessary to direct attention to a Union soldier receiving less than $8 to $8 per month, let that be few of the more impm·tant points. the distinct statement in the proposed legislation. If on the I think, sir, that this committee must have ere this reached other hand the proposition is to reduce the pension of the Mexi­ the conclusion that the attempt to engraft upon an appropria­ can soldier who now receives $8 a month, and has a disability tion bill the most important legislation that has been nroposed which ~ould entitle a Union soldier under existing laws to only during this entire Congress is a serious error. ~ $2 par month, let it ba stated distinctly that that is the object. - Here we find an appropriation bill covering $166,000 000 ar­ Now, Mr. Chairman, I mention this illustration of one provi­ rested for an entire week by the fact that there hav~ been sion in this bill simply for the purpose of showinD' the haste in amendments reported to be proposed at the proper time in the which it has been prepared, necessarily so, because the Commit­ con.side:ation of. the bill, maJ:ing nine important changes in the tee on Appropriations have no jurisdiction of the subject, and legislatiOn of this country with reference to pensions, three of have not been giving it any study; and these amendments are which refer to the administration of the Bureau of Pensions and simply the hastlly prepared propositions of some individual, pre­ nine of them to the general pension laws. sauted to the committee in written form without discussion or Even if this proposed legislation were not subject to special in.vestigatlon,.or examination, and adopted by a bare majo;ity, ?riticism, the attempt to add it to a general appropriation bill, without knowmg what the effect· of them must be. It seems to me, would be subject to criticism; but when it is And I mention this simply to illustrate the mischievousness borne in mind that the legislation has been introducad here or any such legislation on an appropriation bill as this which is without careful consideration by the Committee on Appropria­ proposed. If gentlemen think that the pension system of this tions, when it is borne in mind that it comes here with but a country should be thoroughly remodeled; if they want, as they bare majority of that committee in support of it, not divided on say, to cut down the amount one-half; if they want to do what party lines, and when it is further considered that every one of the gentleman from New York [Mr. WARNERJ a little while ago the legislative propositions which it is sought to add to the bill declared was the scheme of Democratic reform, to take away is under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Invalid Pensions pensions from every soldier unless he was disabled in the serv­ ice and is in need-making the soldier an object of charity-if a?d no~ under the jurisdiction o_f the Committee on Appropria­ tions, It seems to me doubly uilfortunate that this proposition that is your purpose, have the bill thoroughly considered by the should have been presented at this time. proper committee, let the language used be such as to admit of When the proper time shall come for a presentation of the no doubt of the meaning, and then the House and the country question as to whether even under the elastic rules of this House will be prepared to act understandingly. these provisions can properly be received as amendments to the But I must confess, Mr. Chairman, that if these amendments pending appropriation bill, that will be a matter for considera­ should be put into law precisely in the form in which they are tion, and when reached I have scarcely a doubt that nearly every embodied in this bill there is no man on this floor who can tell one of the propositions will go out upon points of order. what will be the possible effect of them. It is evident, Mr. Chairman, that new legislation of so grave Mr. LIVINGSTON. Will the gentleman yield for a question? importance as is proposed, legislation that has not been thor­ Mr. DINGLEY. Certainly. oughly considered even by the Committee on Appropriations, on Mr. LIVINGSTON. Do I understand the gentleman to say which there have been no consultations with the Bureau of Pen­ that these amendments are not explicit and can not be under­ sions, concerning which there has been no attempt to obtain stood as to the effect of them? necessary information for reaching correct conclusions-it must Mr. DINGLEY. What I say is that while these amendments be apparent, I say, that propositions presented in this manner appear in form to be explicit enough, yet they are abstract in must be unwise in their framework as well as ill-considered in form and abstract in declaration, and the practical effect of them the essential features with which they deal. can not ba foretold. I desire particularly to call attention to some of the more im­ Now, will the gentleman, as either he or the gentleman from portant provisions with respect especially to their framework Massachusetts drew these amendments, please tell me what is and the hasty consideration which they must necessarily have the practical effect of this amendment which I have read: received. Attention has already been called by the gentleman That the rating of all pensions- from Minnesota [Mr. HARRIES] and others to the loose language That is, in all the wars, Mexican and otherwise­ employed in the provision with respect to the pensioning of For like disabilities shall be uniform. widows, and to the. necessity that exists, even to carry out what Mr. LIVINGSTON. It means that if a man has lost one eye, probably was the mtent of the committee, to modify it in very and is not disabled in any other way, in whatever war it occurred important directions. Let me call attention to one of the most he shall be rated alike with others in other wars. ' important propositions submitted in this bill as an amendment Mr. DINGLEY. Now, will my friend from Georgia explain to the general appropriation bill: further? The lowest pension for a disability under the Mexican That the rating of all pensions for like disabilities shall be uniform. pension law is $8 a month. A man is disabled as a Mexican sol­ dier and receives for that disability $8 a month, wherea-s if he This ~s ~ abstract proposition, in itself seemingly just and were a Union soldier, for a like dit~ability, he gets now only $2a. inoffensive, mtroduced as an amendment to the general pension month. Now, will you please tell me whether this provision in laws of this country, without any distinct statement as to how it your proposed amendment will increase the pension of that 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1593

Union soldier, or reduce the pension of the Mexican soldier? Mr. LIVINGSTON. May I interrupt the gentleman to read Which will it do? The disability is the same in both cases. the whole sentence? You declare that they shall be rated alike for like disabilities. Mr. DINGLEY. Certainly; but the last provision does not Which will it do? have anything to do with the first. Mr. LIVINGSTON. I think the conclusion is a patent one. Mr. LIVINGSTON (reading). ''That the rating of all pensions Mr. DINGLEY. What is the patent conclusion? for like disabilities shall be uniform, and that all pensions here­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. I think anybody can see it. tofore granted or hereafter to be granted in pursuance of the act Mr. DINGLEY. Well, if you can see it, will you explain it so of June 27 , 1890, shall be rated upon the inability of the pensioner that others may see it? · to earn a living by manual labor." Mr. REED. Will he cease to have a monopoly in the patent? So the gentleman must see that this does not refer to the war [Laughter.] with Mexico at all, or to Indian wars. Mr. DINGLEY. If it is a patent conclusion will you please Mr. DINGLEY. But here is a proposition, a distinct propo­ give it to the House? sition, that " the rating of all pensions for like disabilities shall Mr. REED. He is not going to give up his patent. [Laugh­ be uniform,'' without any limitations. That is one proposition. ter.] Then the amendment goes on to lay down another proposition Mr. LIVINGSTON. I would like to suggest, in all kindness relating to the act of UmO. Surely the gentleman will not claim to the gentleman, Mr. Chairman, that the intention of the <:Om­ that the reference to the act of 1890 in the last proposition has mittee was not to discriminate between soldiers; that the ratwgs anythin!5 to do with the first. for disabilities received at any time, in any war, should not con­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. But that language docs not complete the flict. sentence. Mr. REED. Which are vou for-the $2 or $8? Mr. DINGLEY. I know; but it completes the proposition. Mr. DINGLEY. But there must be conflict in the case sug­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. Not at all. The whole sentence is the gested, for the Mexican soldier receives $8 for a disabili~y f pensions under appropriations over which the Committee on Appropriations the act of 1890. have jurisdiction, and nothing more, it wo•.1ld have been passed Mr. DINGLEY. But it is not so limited by the language of here in twenty minutes; but instead of that, this attempt-to en­ the amendment. graft upon this bill the most important legislation that has been ·-

1594 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14, suggested here for years, has delayed the appropriations neces­ amendments to this bill to revise the Mexican pension act; it is sary for the carrying on of the Government for nearly a week, all confined to the Union soldiers. · and, if persisted in, will delay the business of the House indefi­ Mr. BLAND. But my question is this: Do you not thinkitis nitely. I certainly hope that when the next House shall enter about time we should revise our pension legislation? upon the preparation of rules for the conduct of its business it Mr DINGLEY. My own judgment is that such legislation is will not embrace in its rules any rule permitting the eng rafting all right for both Mexican and Union soldiers. As to whether upon appropriation bills of important legislation in relation to there have not been placed on the pension rolls some persons subjects of which other committees of the House have sole juris­ who ought not to have been put there under the law, that is an­ diction. other question; and I am quite sure that if there is any one im­ Now, Mr. Chairman, I did not intend when I rose to enter into properly on the pension rolls, no one would welcome the exclu­ this discussion at any length, because my colleagues on the com­ sion of such a name from those rolls more quickly than I would. mittee on this side have covered the points thoroughly and I Mr. BLAND. In case of a~eficiency under our present reve­ am in entire harmony with what they have said. But I want to nue system would the gentleman favor an income tax to meet call attention especially to the criticisms which have been made some of these expenditures? on the act of 1890. Mr. DINGLEY. Oh, I will meet all those questions when they Up to a certain period the pension laws of this country granted aris9. At present the internal-revenue tax is paying pension pensions solely for disabilities incurred in the service. How did expenditures, and is likely to continue to do so. it happen that that principle was changed? It was changed be­ Mr. BLAND. I think they are right here now. cause experience had shown that thousands of soldiers, who Mr. DINGLEY. I think I would not vote in such a situation served continuously, and who are unable to show theexacttime to put an appropriation of $16,000,000 for rivers and harbors into and place of origin of disability, as a matter of fact came out of a bill when it would carry up the expenditure for this purpose the war with health impaired or the seed of disease implanted in next year to $33,000,000. their systems. Mr. BLAND. Then the gentleman would take all the money Gentlemen during the progress of this debate have talked as that has been voted for rivers and harbors and put it into pen­ though in 1890 a new principle, never before heard of in the his­ sions? tory of the legislation of this country, was adopted, under which Mr. DINGLEY. Well, I will meet all those questions when there have been, as alleged, unparalleled frauds. But the leg­ they arise. islation granting pensions to soldiers who had served the Repub­ I have alluded to this matter for the purpose of calling atten­ lic for disabilities not shown to have been incurred in the serv­ tion to the obvious suggestion that the principle embodied in ice did not originate in 1890; neither did it originate when the the pension act of 1890, seems to trouble these gentlemen only Mexican pension act was passed in 1887. But the Mexican pen­ so far as the Union soldiers are concerned; and there is no propo­ sion actof 188'7, passed at the second session of the Forty-ninth sition to modify it so far as the soldiers of the Mexican war at'e Congress, an act for which I notice some of the gentlemen who concerned. are making the most persistent assaults on the principle of the U one is wrong the other is wrong; and the Mexican-pension pension act of ] 890 voted, embodied the same principle. L<3t me act is more sweeping than the act of 1890. By the legislation of read from the Mexican pension act of January 29, 1887. this session, carrying the rate up to $12 in certain cases, you ' Every such soldier- have swept the whole field as to the maximum and raised the That is, who served in the Mexican war only sixty days. Ninety minimum higher than was provided by the act of 1890. days' service is required of the Union soldier under the act of Mr. LIVINGSTON. Will the gentleman permit me to make 18!:)0; but under the Mexican pension act the service required is this suggestion as to a declaration he made a short time ago, only sixty days. that there were no parties on the pension roll except those who Every such soldier or widow who is or may become subject to any disabil­ were entitled to a pension, and that there were few fraudulent ity or depandency- cases-- And this was intended to cover disabilities that originated Mr. DINGLEY. Will the gentleman restate that. I did not subsequent to the war- catch his statement. Equivalent to some cause prescribed or recognized by the pension laws as Mr. LIVINGSTON. I understood the gentleman to say that a sutllcient reason !or the allowance or a pension, shall be placed on the pen­ the great bulk of the pensioners on the rolls ought to be there sion list at $8 per month. under the law? The pension thus'granted was, as!havesaid, irrespective of the Mr. DINGLEY. That is my judgment. fact that the disability may have been incurred after the service; Mr. LIVINGSTON. And that the law is right? in fact, all who had incurred disability in the service had pre­ Mr. DINGLEY. I believe the principle on which our pension viously been pensioned. This was in tended to cover soldiers of laws are based is right. the Mexicar war of the same class as the Union soldiers that are Mr. LIVINGSTON. Then does the gentleman think it right covered by the act of 1890. that we should pay a pension to a foreigner who came to this Yet this act, which received, so far as, ! have examined the country, received the bounty or the substitute money which was record, the vote of every gentleman then here who now opposes paid for military service, who took his pay, draws his pension, the act of 1890, gave pensions at the rate of $8 a month for dis­ and went back to Europe; is no longer a resident of this country, abilities not incurred in the service, even though the disability but is a citizen and subject to military duty in a foreign govern­ was such that under the act of 1890 no Union soldier can receive ment, to fight, if necessary, against our flag? a dollar unless his disability is equivalent to a rate of $6 a month. Mr. DINGLEY. As to that particular proposition my col­ Now, I am surprised that after gentlemen so enthusiastically league on the committee, Mr. GROUT, has fully expressed my supported the Mexican pension act which established the prin­ views. Of course as to any incidental suggestions that may be ciple of pensioning soldiers for disability not incurred in service, made, intended to carry out the principle embodied in our pen­ should indulge in such invectives against the application of the sion laws, I shall be pleased to consider them. same principle to Union soldiers. Mr. LIVINGSTON. But this is not an incidental m~,tter. Mr. PICKLER. In the case of the Indian wars a service of Mr. DINGLEY. I am speaking of the general principle that onl:v thirty days was required. · underlies the whole system. I am ready to hear suggestions as :1fr. DINGLEY. I am speaking now of soldiers of the Mex­ to any or all changes of the character the gentleman suggests. ican war. I say I am surprised that gentlemen who supported Mr. TUCKER. What we want is your opinion. propositions pensioning the Mexican soldiers for disabilities in­ Mr. DINGLEY. My belief is that the general principle enun­ curred subsequently to their service, now declare themselves ciated in the Mexican pension act of 188'7, and the general prin­ opposed to similar legislation on behalf of the Union soldier, al­ ciple embodied in the act of 1890, which provides for pensioning though the term of service is increased to ninety days for the soldiers who are disabled for manual labor in such a degree as latter, instead of sixty days. I am surprised tha~ such gentle­ to impair their ability to earn their own support, is a proper men should now rise up and characterize the act of 1890, as the principle and is right. gentleman from New York has done to-day, as wicked, extrava­ Mr. MUTCHLER. In that connection does the gentleman gant, extortionate legislation. from Maine make any distinction between the soldiers, the Mr. BLAND. Will the gentleman allow me a question? youngest of whom to-day are perhaps fully 65 years old and many Mr. DINGLEY. Yes, sir. . of them 80 years old and only seventy-five of them living, and Mr. BLAND. Assuming that we made a mistake in the pas­ soldiers who are at the same time in what you may say is the sage of the Mexican pension act, and probably in other pension full prime of life? legislation, by which our appropriations will run up to $175,000,- Mr. DINGLEY. But the gentleman from Pennsylvania must 000 or $200,000,000 a year, does not the gentleman think there is be aware of the fact that the provision of the Mexican pension something in that fact which would justify a revision of all these act to which I have referred applies only to soldiers under the pension laws? age of 62. All over 62 years by the te1·ms of the act are placed Mr. DINGLEY. But there is no proposition in the proposed on the roll--

• I - I ,I . -· 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. ,1595

Mr. MUTCHLER. But does the gentleman make no distinc- has fixed ratesior other disabilities outside of those as to which tion between these two classes? · Congress.has determined the rate by legislation it has fixed them Mr. DINGLEY. I think the Union soldier of 60 years is as on their judgment as to the relation of those disabilities to the much entitled to credit a.nd to his pension as the Mexican soldier• disabilities fixed by Congress. Therefore it is true, in the last of that age. resort, that Congress has fixed the rate so far as pensions go for Mr. MUTCHLER. I have not asked that. What I asked was all disabilities, either directly or indirectly, and the Pension whether the Union soldier of forty years, in full health and in Office in administering the act of 1890 has simply taken those the prime of his llie, you may say, is as much entitled to a pension established rates in determining the degree of disability und~ as th ese old veterans of the Mexican war? the act of 1890. Mr. PICKLER. There are no such Union soldiers, 40 years Mr. MUTCHLER. Let me say to the gentleman right there of age. now, I have shown in the remarks I made the other day that Mr. DINGLEY. The g entleman is well aware that there are there are three separate and distinct rates for the same dis­ no ex-soldiers of the Union Army under 40 years of age. ability. Now, all that the amendment is calculated to remedy in Mr. MUTCHLER. Well, say 45 or 50 years of age'? that respect is that one thing. It provides that the rating shall Mr. DINGLEY. It is rare to find them so young as 45, and be the same in all cases under the act of June 27-- the most of them have reached the age of 60. Besides, it is the Mr. DINGLEY. That is, the intention is to confine your dec­ \ disability which gives t he pension, and it makes no difference laration as to equality of rating to pensions under the second what the age is, so far as that is concerned. section of the act of 18l}0. Mr. MUTCHLER. Would the gentleman have been willing Mr. MUTCHLER. I have shown t-hat for precisely the same to postpone the provision of law granting pensions to them until disability, one pensioner gets $6 and the other $12, for instance, they bad reached the age of the Mexican soldiers? for the loss of the sight of an eye. Now, $12 is the highest pos­ Mr. DINGLEY. I should have been willing in 1890 to have sible rate that can be given under that act. accepted precisely the conditions of the Mexican act as then l\Ir. DINGLEY. I understand what the gentleman has said. applied, if it were possible to apply them, to the Union soldiers. Mr. MUTCHLER. It is presumed to be given for total disa­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. Before the gentleman proceeds-­ bility; and yet it is given for the loss of the sight of an eye, be­ lli. DINGLEY. I t_hink I can not yield any longer. cause they rat~ a p ensioner under the old law. Mr. LIVINGSTON. You shall have ample time to cover in­ Mr. DINGLEY. I will not stop to uiscuss these questions as to terruptions. I want the gentleman to discuss the act of 1890 be­ whether or no there has been a difference of rating by different fore he leaves that point, and in connection with which I want officers under the P ension BuTeau or not, because that is entirely to ask this question. That act makes no distinction between a a matter of administration. It is not necessarily a matter of leg­ soldier who enlisted for three months, to guard a bridge, or a islation. veteran who carried a musket for four long years-- Mr. MUTCHLER. And that is precisely what the provision Mr. DINGLEY. But the Mexican p ension act makes no dis­ in this bill intends to remedy. tinction between a soldier who served sixty days and never saw Mr. DINGLEY. But you must admit that it goes a good deal Mexico, and one who was there all the time. further than that. Mr. LIVINGSTON. Can you defend the act of 1890 on that Mr. MUTCHLER. lam speakingof the amendmentto which ground? the gentleman is speaking now. Mr. DINGLEY. On the same ground that I defend the Mex­ Mr. DINGLEY. Now, Mr. Chairman, my time has so far ican pension act. In other words, all pension legislation pen­ gone that I must not delay longer on those points which have sions soldiers by providing a minimum service; and having done been discussed so thoroughly by my colleagues upon the -com­ so, it can not undertake to say that soldiers who served beyond mittee; but I want simply to say that there has been a great that time shall receive so much and others who served longer deal said during this discussion, and a great many severe charges a larger sum. It never was done in any pension legislation, and made against the pension legislation of this country. It has not was not embodied in the Mexican pension legislation. simply been called extravagance, but it has been called extor­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. Then I understand you to say that two tion and fraud, and the changes have been rung upon it as though wrongs make one right? it was some of the most wicked legislation which was ever put Mr. DINGLEY. Oh, I say nothing of the kind. upon the statute books of this country. Mr. GROUT. And the gentleman's argument leads to no con­ \Vhy, my friend from Pennsylvania [Mr. MUTCHLER], in his clusion of the kind. - excellent speech at the opening of this discussion, called atten­ Mr. DINGLEY. I say that must necessarily be the form in tion to the fact that our pension expenditures since 1860 have which all pension legislation is couched. It has been so in all been enormously greater than all the pension expenditures from pension legislation, from 18()0 to the present time. the foundation of this Government to that date. And yet, when Mr. BINGHAM. Thatis the basis of it. we are considering pension expenditures before the war, it must ; Mr. DINGLEY. It simply carries out the general method of be borne in mind that there were given to the soldiers of the pensions. Revolution, to the soldiers of the war of 1812, and to the soldiers Now, Mr. Chairman, another word before I pass from it, with of the Mexican war public lands whose value has not been in­ respect to the act of 1890. As I understand from what has cluded in the summary. My friend has gh-en the amount of been said-and I think that is substantially correct-in adjudi­ pension expenditures prior to the _year 1860. cating pensions under the act of 1890, the degree of disability But gentlemen must bear in mind that the war of the rebel­ from manual labor is determined by the Pension Office by the lion called into the field an army, even on the Union side alone, particular disability which the soldier has, and is rated on pre­ such as had not taken the field in modern times, if it ever did in cisely the same basis as similar disabilities received in service . ancient times. Just for a moment think of the magnitude of Now, this is a method of determining what the extent of the that war and the extent of the forces concerned in it. \Vhy, in disability is. Whether that method can be improved upon or the Mexican war the whole number of soldiers who served, as not I will leave to whoever may :fill the position of Commissioner stated in the hi-story of the War Department, was only 47,000, of Pensions under the next Administration. and only 22,000 of those were volunteers. The number of sol­ If he shall think that any other method can be adopted for ihe diers in all wars up to 1860, in which this country has engaged, purpose of determining the extent of the disability, that will was a mere bagatelle as compared with those in this war in the secure better results, it is entirely within his province, with the Union Army. There were over 2,500,000 enlistments during the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, under the act of 1890 progress of that war. as it stands, to make a ruling as to the evidence which shall de­ In six months after that war began, there were 500,000 men in termine the degree of disability. Now, I can understand very the Union Army in the field. A year later there were 900,000 well why the Pension Office should reach the conclusion that men in the field, and even when the war closed there wera upon the best measure of disability under the act of 1890 js that which the rolls of the Union Army the names of 1,044,000 soldiers. Congress itself has established for similar disabilities coming Why, gentlemen, in modern times no such army as that has been within the $6 and $12 rate, where the disability had been in­ put in the :field by any nation. curred in service, because that was the legislative declaration. Why, the great ba.ttle of Waterloo, in 1815, which decided the For example, the legislative declaration has been that the loss fate of Europe .and changed its map, and which is referred to to­ of an eye is equivalent to a. twelve-dollar rate. day a-s one of the pivotal battles of the world, had only 144,000 Mr. MUTCHLER. I beg the gentleman's pardon. There is men engaged in it on both sides: and yet during the four years no such legislative declaration, I think. of our civil war, 290,000 men, twice as many as were engaged on Mr. DINGLEY. I think the gentleman is correct about that. both sides in the battle of Waterloo, were killed in battle, or

I think that is the result elf a ruling of the Pension Office1 based died from wounds, or died in hospital, or in Confederate prisons. on other disabilities rated by Congress. The army of the patriot dead alon ~ numbers twice all the sol­ :M:r. LIVINGSTON. That is the fact. diers that were engaged on both sides in the great pivotal bat­ Mr. DINGLEY. But I understand that when the Department tle of modern times. 1596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

Now, are we to compare such a great conflict as this, which brave men only did their duty," we have ~een told in this debate. called forth so many men, with these conflicts in which compara­ Yes, but it was a patriot's'duty-a duty no more incumbent on tively small armies were engaged, or compare the pensions that .those who enlisted than on those who did not enlist-and ought may be paid in such con:flicts as those with this? toawakenpatrioticgratitude. More than that, the nation which Why, Mr. Chairman, it must be borne in mind that in this has been saved by such devotion deserves to live no longer if it greatcon:flict, which called into the field over 2,500,000 men, the fails-not as an a-ct of charity, but as an act of grateful recogni­ struggle going on for four long, weary, and bloodyyearE, the S9.C­ tion, aye, as an act of justice-to make good, so far as pensions rificemade bythesoldiersengagedinitcannotbe compared with can do this, the impairment of limb, health, or vigor, which hM the sacrifice made in other wars, nor the pension list which they been the direct or indirect result of service for the nation. And may cause. the measure of such pensions is very different in a nation like ours, Mt·. Chairman, the pensions that will ba paid in the next fiscal which relies on its citizens to volunteer in the hour of need, from year on account of the Mexican war will amount to about $3,000,- what it is in the case of a nation which maintains a large regular 000-over $2,000,000 the last fiscal year, without the additions army for its defense. already made in the legislation of this session for pensions of In the latter case arms is a pro~ession or business which con­ Mexican soldiers-and there are about 15,000 living-and will stantly withdraws a hall a million men from productive pursuits be about $200 for each living soldier. and makes them a perpetual charge on the nation. In the former Mr. TUCKER. Will thegentlemantell ushowmuch the Mex­ case there is no considerable withdrawal of citizens from produc­ ican veterans have cost up to this time for pensions? tive pursuits except when war comes,and then reliance is placed on Mr. DINGLEY. I prefer not to ba interrupted. the patriotism of each citizen to leave the plow, the anvil, the shop, Mr. MUTCHLER. Will the gentleman allow me to correct and the mill and hasten to the defense·of the nation, for be knows some of his figures? that he can do this with justic3 to those dependent upon him, in Mr. DINGLEY. I will yield for a correction. view of the fact that a volunteer eyatem of defense and a system Mr: MUTCHLER. The gentleman has stated that there were of pensions are ins3parable. And experience has shown that in 47,000 men engaged in the war with Mexico. There were 73,000, the long run such a system is not only more economical but also and in all the three wars there were 878,000. Now, surely that more efficient than the maintenance of a large regular army is not'' a mere bagatelle," as the gentleman says, as compared which is a constant drain on the productive power of a nation as with the Union soldiers. well as its treasury. Mr. DINGLEY. The gentleman has included, I presume, the [Here the hammer fell.] men called out for a few days as coast guards. Mr. 0 NEIL of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I ask unani­ Mr. ~IDTCHLER. There were 878,000 soldiers in these three mous consent that the gentleman from Maine [Mr. DINGLEY] be wars. allowed whatever time he desires to conclude his remarks. Mr. DINGLEY. Including a large number of militia who were Mr. DINGLEY. I thank the gentleman, but I willnotoccupy mustered in for fourteen days during the war of 1812. the time, because, although there are one or two additional Mr. MUTCHLER. I am giving the gentleman the total num­ points upon which I desire to touch, I know that other gentle­ ber of men enlisted in the three wars, and I desire to say further men wish to occupy the :floor. to the gentleman that notwithstanding that- Mr. BUTLER. Mr. Chairman, I had not intended to speak Mr. DINGLEY. Now, Mr. Chairman, I can not yield to fur­ upon this question until I heard the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. ther interruption, DOLLIVERJ a few moments ago, but his speech made me think Mr. MUTCHLER. Oneminute. We haveonlypa.id $97,000,- that a few historical remarks might possibly be in order at this 000 to all of these people. time. Mr. DINGLEY. Butthegentlemanhasnotincluded the pub­ The gentleman from Iowa is, of course, young. The older lic lands that the soldier3 of those wars were granted. The $97,- members of his party he.ce have talked upon these questions in 000,000 was nothing compared with the value of the public lands a business way, leaving out the element of sectionalism, leaving granted to them. out that which used to be in order in this House, but which, I Mr. MUTCHLER. And the amount already paid for pen­ am glad to say, has disappeared during the pastfew years. The sions to Union soldiers of the war of the rebellion is fifteen gentleman from Iowa had been recently studying something of times larger than the amount of all the p3nsions paid prior t~ the early hist.ory of his party, and came to the conclusion that that. it was better to throw himseU ink> harmony with it at that time Mr. DINGLEY. I was about saying, for the purpose of com­ than to stand in harmony with the position of good common parison, that the pension expenditures for surviving Mexican sense that its older members hold now when they deal with these soldiers next year will be larger proportionately than for the questions, as purely business questions, to be discussed on that surviving Union soldiers. basis, without any of the feeling of sectionalism that was for­ Mr. MUTCHLER. That twice a'3 much alrea-dy has been paid merly invoked on every possible occasion. The gentleman said for those pensions as those to all the soldiers of the three wars. that the headquarters of this fight against the pension system is Mr. DINGLEY. I have said that the expenditures of the next in the territory which was recently occupied by the civil war. fiscal year to the Mexican soldiers is estimated at $3,000,000. Although that idea is couched in eloquent phrase and perhaps There are about 15,000 survivors of the Mexican war, and that is not quite so objectionable as when presented in stronger terms, is $200 for each surviving Mexican soldier. in substance it is simply an assertion that this fight is a sectional Mr. LIVINGSTON. And 6,000 widows. one. It is an assertion in harmony with the history of his party. Mr. DINGLEY. How many survivors are there of the Union I remember when Wendell Phillips said: soldiers? It is estimated that on the 30th day of June next thel·e There is merit in the Republican party. It is the first sectional party will be 1,200,000 Union soldiers still surviving. At that date ever organized in this country. It calls itself national, but it is not national; there will be about 788,000 of them on the pension rolls. it is sectional. The Republican party is the party of the North nledged Now, the pension expenditures for the last fiscalyearwas$136,- against the South. - 000,000; for the present fiscal year, $161,000,000,-or thereabouts. Now, Mr. Chairman, I know that the statement of one man For the next fiscal year, supposing that it should rea-ch even does not make the record or the history of a party, but when $170,000,000, will gentlemen please notice that the expenditure that party, in convention assembled, adopts the statement as its that we shall make next year for the benefit of the survivors of own, then it becomes the assertion of party principles and de­ the Mexican war, amounting to $3,000,000, would, at the same clares the true status of the paety. In the Republican conven­ , ratio. give an expenditure of over $200,000,000 on account of the tion in Chicago in 1860-I quote from the New York Tribune of soldiers of the war for the Union. It is because of the magnitude May 18, 1860, which contains a report of the convention-! read of the late war and the immense number of soldiers concerned in that ''Judge Jessup arose in his place and moved to amend the it that this pension list runs up, and not because each soldier re­ resolutions offered, by striking out the word' national' in the ceives any more than may be given to soldiers of other wars. name, 'The National Republican Party.'" He moved to strike Of the million men who were mustered out at the close of the that out because it was not the proper name of the party, and war, and the million more who were mustered out at the close the motion was adopted, and from that time until now that of their term of service during the war, or who were discharged party's own record in its own convention declares it not to be a because of wounds or disabilities contracted in service, it is not national party; thus, by its own official action, adopting the too much to say that three-fourths were to some degree broken the status of sectionalism. It could not be otherwise, consider­ in health, or their vitality so much impaired as to put them at ing the elements of which the party was composed. What of disa-dvantage with those who had not been subjected to the fear­ its membership? What were the creeds and declarations of ful strains of army life. They were nearly all men of small means those who assumed high positions in its ranks? What of the dependant on their ability to perform manual labor. records made by those who became its chief counselors? Was the nation under any obligations to the men who had There was John P. Hale, who in the Senate of the United made such sacrifices to preserve it? States on the 23d day of March, 18:18, presented a batch of eight Is there anyone who denies that it was and still is? "These petitions at once, demanding the dissolution of the Union. On

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1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1597

July 12 of the same year he said: "All the terrors of dissolution war for the necessary materials for carrying on that war were of the Union I can look steadfastly in the face." Later, when he sacred; and I thi.nk, in common with the people, that the debt was reminded that such efforts would bring on a contest, he said: which we owe to the soldiers of the war is equally sacred; and "Good! good! sir; I hope it will come, and if it comes to blood, as we are pledged upon the record to pay the debts contracted let it come, and it can not come too soon." Also, in 1850, along to support the war, we should stand pledged upon the record to with two other Senators who afterwards became leading lights pay the debt which we owe th03e who took part in that war. in the Republican party, William H. Seward and Salmon P. I look upon these amendments, Mr. Chairman, as being radi­ Chase, he insisted on, and voted to receive, refer; and consider cally wrong. They are not drawn in the interest of the soldier. a petition demanding of Congress the immediate dissolution of The first proposition is to transfer the Pension Bureau to the the Union; and yet all these men wera freely accepted into full War Department and make it a part of that department. The fellowship in the Republican party and became the oracles of its principal officer in the Pension Bureau has always been, and sectionalism. This same Wendell Phillips, of whom I have al­ ought always to be, a judicial officer. This is a judicial office. ready spoken, said on another occasion: He is called upon to weigh and det3rmine the evidence produced I labored nineteen years to take fifteen States out of this Union, and if I in each particular case. He must have aknowledgeof the law have spent any years to the satisfaction of my Puritan conscience it has been and he must b3 trained in the rules of evidence. There is no those nineteen years. reason why these pensions should be adjudicated by any officer He was a good Republican; so good that when he came to the in the War Department. Senate of the United States as a civilian, the then Vice-President The fact that the soldiers were under th3 War Department of the United States and President of the Senate, Mr. Hannibal does not necessarily vest that Department with the adjudication Hamlin of Maine, stepped down from his seat as presiding officer of their claims. The Court of Claims passes upon claims pre­ of the Senate and welcomed Mr. Phillips to the floor of that sented against the Government. There would be just as much Chamber, a .courtesy that is rarely granted to any civilian. reason in asking that all claims against the Government should Then there was William Lloyd Garrison, who said: first be adjudicated by the War Department as there is for ask­ The Republican part.y is molding public sentiment in the right direction, ing that claims for pansion should be adjudicated by the War !or the specific work the abolitionists are striving to accomplish, viz, the dissolution of the Union and the abolition of slavery throughout the land. Department. It is true that the War Department acts in conjunction with He, too, became a chief corner stone in the Republican party. the Pension Bureau in the adjudication of a pension, but only so Later he said: far as to transmit to the Pension- Bureau the facts which the The Union is a lie. The American Union is an imposture, and a covenant with death and a league with hell. I am for its overthrow. Up with the fiag records of the War Department disclose. The War Department of the disunion that we may have a free and glorious Union of our own. acts in no judicial capacity whatever; it passes upon no facts; it Such were the sentiments of William Lloyd Garrh;on, and he simply reports to the Pension Bureau the date of the enlistment, too was accepted into full fellowship in the Republican party, the record which the archives of the War Department contain and became one of its most noted apostles. with reference to the soldier whn applies for a pension. The There, too, was JohnS. Pike, afterwards minister to the Neth­ Pension Commis3ioner should be amanlearned in the law, capa. erlands under a Republican administration, but at that time a ble through education and experience to adjudicate and pass writer for the New York Tribune, who said: upon the law and the evidence. There is no reason in the world I have no doubt that the free and slave States ought to separate. The why these adjudications should be passed over to the War De­ Union is not worth supporting in connection with the South. partment. Again, Parson Brownlow in his political debate in Philadel­ If they are to go to any other Department it would be much phia. with Parson Pryne said: more in keeping with the duties that pertain to them to trans­ A dissolution of the Union is what a large portion of the Northern aboli­ fer the pensions to the Department of Justice, where the claims tionists are aiming at. could be pas3ed upon by those who by study and experience are And everyone of these men were taken into full fellowship with capable to pass upon them. the Republican party, Parson Brownlow being their principal The second amendment proposes to abolish the local boards. border spokesman and accredited leader. There are now 1,253 of these boards, each of which has three I might go on for hours demonstrating by the cold logic of his­ members. This makes a total, tOgether with soocial examiners, torical truth the fact that sectionalism has ever been the chief of 4,200. Under this amendment these local boards would be re­ characteristicof that party, known to the world as the g. o. n., duced to one member each; and 120 examiners would pass from which being interpreted means" gone out of power." But my board to board to sit with the local member in the examination time is limited to ten minutes, and I must close. of soldie1·s. Now, a glance at the geographical condition of the The organ of that party in 1854-in the very earliest years of country will disclose how utterly futile such an arrangement would its establishment-gave utterance by that famous poem of na­ be. It is true that the medical examiner in the Pension Dapart­ tional insult, ment has recommended this measure; but so far as I a.m able to Tear down the flaunting lie, learn the amendment is not backed by any other recommen­ Halt mast the starry flag: dation. It would be impossible for a traveling examiner to pass Insult no sunny sky from city to city and from town to town, to sit in conjunction with With hate's polluted rag. the local examiner. It is the only party that ever existed in America that could in The objection to this amendment is that it is inconvenient; that manner declare its sectionalism, declare its hatred of any that it will not meet the wants of the soldiers in the examina. one element of any one section of this country. tiona for pensions. There is no reason why such a change should I deny the declaration made to-day that the fight for the puri­ be made. It is not to be presumed that any greater degree of fication of the pensi<>n lists and remedying of evils in our pen­ talent or ability will ba secured at $1,500 a year than is now sion laws is a sectional fight. It is a business fightbetweenmen possessed by the local examiner. On these boards we have the and men. What my vote shall be the records will show. I will very best talent which the medical profession can afford. Speak· say, however, that I shall not vote for a single one of these ing of these boards in general, and especially as thev exist amendments. I do not believe they are right. But in thus vot­ throughout the Northern States, there is scarcely a ma'n upon ing I shall not feel that there is any sectionalism in this ques­ them who would accept an appointment at $1,500 a year and tion; but I shall so vote because of the business principles which, abandon his practice. it seems to me, ought to be considered in this matter. . So you see instead of getting ability and getting better med­ I have spoken thus simply because there has been just one ICal experience we get worse, and we bring an additional incon­ member in this whole House who, in discussing this question, venience to the soldiers. could not refrain from injecting sectionalism into it. The older Mr. MORSE. They can not be examined so promptly. members do not talk in that way. They have learned that this Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. They would not have the oppor­ nation is now a Union as strong, as binding upon the member­ tunity of being examined as easily or promptly as befora. ship as any union ever has been or ever will be. We all recog­ The next proposition, Mr. Chairman, contained in these amend­ nize a united people-no North, no South, no East, no West, but ments is that pensions should be given only to those who have a one people under one flag; and all fighting for the betterment less income than $600 a year. This in effect reduces the pension of this country in every way possible. to a mere matter of charitty. A man who has an income of over I resent the charge that there is any sectionalism in this fight, $600, no matter what his disability may be, is excluded from the and I appeal to members to rise above the narrowness that seeks pension rolls simply because he is in receipt of such an income. merely for party advantage, in&tead of the grander a.dvantao-e Now, a pension has always been understood to be a considera­ that will always flow from well considered legislation for the tion for a disability-disability incurred in the service or under general welfare of the people in all their interests, financial, so­ the act of 1890 for actual disability, and is not a mere gratuity cial, and moral. [Applause on the Democratic side.] given because of the poverty of the pensioner. In other words, Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. Mr. Chairman, I have always it makes ·poverty a prerequisite regardless of the disability of thought that t.he debts which this country contracted during the the soldier. 'I ·. I I •

1598 UONGRESSION.AL RECORD-HOUSE. I - ]fEBRUARY 14,

If you put it in that shape, you humiliate every man who wore posts. They gather about the camp fire every night of the week the blue, and put pensions wholly .and solely upon the footing and their attention is upon the proceedings of this House, .and of charitable contributions. The soldier does not like to be their criticisms are upon the proceedings of this HOuse. compelled to stoop to this. He believes that his disability in­ The bitterness of f,he war has passed, and all that the soldier curred in the war or in the service shall entitle him to a pen­ asks to-day, and all that his widow asks, is justice and nothing sion, and that it should be given to him regardless of the fact more. To strike down these pensions because it will cost the as to whether he has an income of $600 a year, or $6,000 a year. Government less if they are stricken down, it seems to me in this You belittle the pension; you takeawayits dignity, and humili­ day and in a new generation, after twenty-eight years have ate the man who receives it. passed since the close of the war, is presenting a spectacle that I admit it will lessen the amount of money that is to be paid 1s humiliating and that does not come up to the dignity and out for pensions to the soldiers; but at the same time you hu­ grandeur of the statesman or the lawmaker. No matter what it miliate the soldier and take away the dignity a pension should costs, we can not afford in the light of e~onomyto scan this pen­ convey. Instead of being an honorable badge you make it an sion list and criticise it because it is too lar ge. humiliation. In my judgment it is not large enough. Every man who was Mr. MORSE. By making him a mendicant. a soldier and who is disabled ought to receive a pension, and al­ :rtir. WILLIAM A. STONE. Now, in reference to the fur­ though there may be cases where pensions have been obtained ther amendment that no widow should receive a pension unless unlawfully, I want to call the attention of the House to the fact married to the soldier within five years from the close of the that the courts are constantly bringing these men to justice. war, I want to call your attention to this, that while the average Every year, every month, and every week men are prosecuted age may be 26 years or 27 years or 28 years in the latter years for obtaining frauduJent pensions, and they are convicted, and of the war, our armies were full of young men. everything is being done that can be done to strike from the "There were many men in the service of the Union Army at the rolls men that ara unworthy of pensions or who have obtained close of the war who were not over 19 years of a~e. They had them through fraud. leit their schools and their various occupations in which they Thi.s constant talk of economy and cutting down the pension were engaged and went into the service, and after the war they list I say comes with poor grace at this time. There was no such had to go back to their schools again. There was not sufficient talk during the war. The soldiers were not told to avoid bul­ opportunity for them to get an education because a large part of lets and disease because the Army was so large that the Govern­ their time was spent in the Army. ment never could pension them. On the contrary, they were This provisio)l then makes a discrimination against the boys told tha. t if they protected the country then the country would pro­ of the war. Many of them did not marry until more than five tect them now in their old age. Let the country do it, cost what years after the close of the war, and it is a hardship, because I it will. It is an easy matter to impose more tax on the luxuries learn through the Pension Office that there are about 160,000 of life whenever the reven~e is insufficient, and this country in­ widows and minors who are drawing pensions and of this num­ stead of a pension roll of $166,000,000 could maintain one of twice ber some seventy or seventy-five thousa.nd widows would fall that size and the country would never feel the burden. under this amendment and their pensions cease. Mr. GROUT. Mr. Chairman, 1 yield twenty minutes to the The difficulty is that you have been paying these women their gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. BELTZHOOVER]. pensions, and they have become dependent upon them, and now Mr. BELTZHOOVER. Mr. Speaker, lam opposed to all the to strike them down, simply because they were not married amendments proposed to the pending bill and now under discus­ within five years after the elose of the war, is not only an un­ sion, and particularly to that one which is designed to transfer reawnable proposition but an extreme hardship and an unfair the Pension Bureau to the War Department. I have not been and cruel sug~estion. There is no earthly reason why a young specially authorized by any organization of those specially in­ lad who went into the Army and served his country faithfully­ terested to express and emphasize this opposition, but in what young in years who discharged his duty faithfully and has a good I shall say I believe I will represent an overwhelming prepon­ military record-! say there is no reason why a young man, 18 or derance of the pensioners of this country. 19 years of age at the close of the war, if he happens to have These amendments are fundamental and radical in their char­ married more than five years after its close, should not draw a acter, and if adopted will revolutionize the great establishment pension. So that the amendment does not and will not commend at which they are aimed, and cripple and paralyze the vast trust itself to the fair judgment of the country. It will be repudi­ which it is intended to administer. This kind oflegislation has ated because it is unjust. no right as a rider on an appropriation bill; but being there and Why, Mr. Chairman, you talk of a pension roll of $160,000,000 being vicious, it challenges the most emphatic and exhaustive a year. Do you stop to consider the immense number of men in discussion of all its features, and the attempt to restrict debate this war, both of the North and of the South? There was, I is a confession of weakness on the part of its friends. suppose, when the armies were largest nearly 2,000,000 of men, - The history of the origin and organization of the Pension out of a population of 31,000,000; and if you estimate one man Bureau shows that it ought not to be attached to the War Depart­ to every five a voter you have about 6,000,000 of voters. Two­ ment, and thus put under military supervision. thirds of these we will suppose were capable of bearing arms, or The act of March 2, 1833, which was the earliest legislation on 4,000,000 of men. the subject, provides that- The fact is that for the last two years of the war about half of · A Commissioner o! Pensions shall be appointed by the President and Sen­ the total fighting population of this country was in the armies, ate. * * * He shall execu te, under the direction oft~ Secretary of War, such duties in relation to the various pension laws as may be prescribed by either of the North or the South. There were some four thou­ the President of the United States. sand. engagements or encounters fought during these four years at a cost to the country of nearly or about $8,000,000,000, and Under this 1.aw and its various renewals, some of which in­ while this is a gigantic sum, we must not forget that this was a cluded the Secretary of the Navy, enacted on appropriation bills gigantic war. and otherwise from time to time, the Bureau was continued I say, pay these pensions. If the revenues of the country do under the War and Navy Departments down to 1849. The act of not justify their payment raise more revenue. Tax whisky, or March 3,1849, under which the Department of the Interior was tea, or coffee, or rice, or anything, but do not take from the established, provided in section 1 that- soldier and the soldier's widow the pensions which are justly their From and .after the passage of this act there shall be created a new Execu­ tive Department of the Government of the United States, to be called the due. Department of the Interior. Talk about t-aking this Pension Department out of politics! If these amendments prevail, you will put into the politics of the Section 6 of the same act provides that- The Secretary o! the Interior shall exercise the supervisory and appellate country, with a. determination which has never yet character­ powers now exercised by the Secretaries of the War and Navy Departments ized them, every one of the 1,200,000 survivors of that war. in relation to all the acts of the Commissioner of Pensions. While you may take the Pension Department out of politics, you The Revised Statutes, which consolidate and codify all the pro­ can not take the soldiers out of politics, but you will imbue them visions of the law on the subject under the act of March 2, 1877, with different and more earnest political activity than they have provide, in section 470: ever yet experienced. That there shall be in the Department of the Interior a Commissioner or Mr. MORSE. You will not take the sons of veterans out of Pensions, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice politics, either. and consent of the Senate, etc. Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. Mr. Chairman, I have nothing to Section 471 continues: say in defense of theGra.ndArmy of the Republic. Thatorgani­ The Commissioner of Pensions shall perform, under the direction of the zation needs no defense; I am a member of it and I am proud of Secretary of the Interior, such duties in the execution of the various pen::ion it. Many of thosewhohavecriticised itwould givemuchifthey and bounty laws, as may be prescribed by the President. were only eligible to join it. It is true there are about four hun­ This great Bureau was therefore originally placed under the dred thousand members of that organization, and they represent -direction of the Secretaries of War and the Navy from necessity, the soldiers of the war. Some eight thousand or ten thousa.nC. because there was no other place to put it. But when the act

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1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1599

was introduced uito the Thirtieth Congress in 1849, to establish men for the positions of Commissioner of Pensions and his as­ a great civil department of the Government, or a home depart­ sistants. men t as the measure was first designated, while there were serious The act of June 2i, 1890, which has provoked and received the and bitter disputes as to the other provisions of this bill there most consideration in this debate was devised and designed to be was entire unanimity as to the placing the Pension Bureau un­ the great crowning act of all the muniticent pension legislation · der the control of the new department. The question was de­ of this nation. The people of the Republic without regard to bated and decided by Webster, and Benton, and Calhoun, and party or section exhausted the resources of their imagination as Douglas, and numerous other distinguished statesmen whose well as of their most limitless bounty in expressing their grati­ names illustrate the early days of the Republic. tude and thanks to Grant and Sherman and Sheridan and the T his Bureau thus placed there by the considerate judgment of other distinguished leaders of the Union armies. In the same such men has remained undisturbed and unchallenged for almost spirit, and with a liberality unequaled in the history of the world, half a century. The deliberate action of twenty-two Congresses the act of 1890 was p·assed to reward the millions of private soldiers has acquiesced in the propriety and justice of the assignment, who fought the battles of the war. The act provides that rank and all through the legislation enacted by this long line of states­ in the service shall not be considered in applications under it. men on the subject of pensions up to this time no one has even It was the soldiers act, for ail soldiers' and their dependents questioned the matter. equally and alike. It provides pensions: Why should there be a change now? Why, after almost First. For all dependent :varents of soldiers of the war of the fifty years of experience; after the Bureau has grown to be the rebellion. largest and most costly in the Government; after we have ex­ Second. For all soldiers who served ninety days and were hon­ pended millions in securing the plant and surrounding it with orably discharged, and who may be at any time suffering from the restraints and safeguards which render it as effective and mental or physical disability of a permanent character not economical as human ingenuity and practice can make it, shall caused by their own vicious habits which incapacitates them it be torn up by the roots and transplanted to strange and hostile from the performance of manual labor in such a degree as to soil? render them unable to earn theie support. It must not be forgotton that the Bureau has almost reached Third. For all dependent widows and minor children of such its maximum of work and expenditure. The very best estimates soldiers. justify the belief that the pension roll, which now reaches one mil­ What is the matter with this law? Who objects to it? What lion of pensioners, will not, in all human probability, be increased provisions in it are wrong? Not a solitary disputant in all this beyond one-fifth more, or, in other words, will never exceed one debate has dared to ask for its repeal. Not one of all the fiery million two hundred thousand persons. The annual expendi­ harangues against it suggest an amendment which would not :... ture, which now reaches about $170,000,000, we have every rea­ mar its symmetry and make it unequal and unjust. It is a broad, son to believe will not increase beyond one-tenth of the present generous, and absolutely unprecedented declaration of the grati­ sum, or reach at its highest beyond$187 ,000,000. Having there­ tude of the nation anyond all peradventure of doubt continue to fight evade such a construction. It is therefore the solemn duty of them in the future? this Democratic House, with its enormous majority, to stand Is not the suggestion of such a supervision an invidious and squarely by its explicit pledges to the soldiers of the nation. cowardly reflection on the intelligence and fidelity and coura~e If in the administration of this vast Bureau, employing more and patriotism of the distinguished volunteer soldiers of theRe­ clerical force and expending almost as much money as all the public? The attempt to thus discredit the brave men who con­ other Departments of the Governments combined, it is clear that quered the rebellion invites the statement of what is well known irregularities and frauds and injustice have occurred, it is the to every member of this House and the country that the regular duty of shtesmen to try to correct and reform such abuses. The Army itself as much as any portion of this Government needs foe­ fault is not with the law, but with its enforcement and execution. form and rehabilitation a.nd revision, and bills are now pending Let us therefore in our action on the subject see that the work before this Congress for that purpose. · of the Pension Office shall be done industriously, impartially1 The granting of pensions to old, disabled soldiers and their wid­ and honestly. This is the demand of our platform, and should ows and children and dependent parents is not an act of war but one be the rule of our conduct in legislating on the subject. Let us of the benignest of all the glorious benefactions of peace. There not under the guise of reform strike insidiously at the.founda­ are none of the attributes of war in the operation and therefore tions of the system, and thereby paralyze and ultimately destroy there should be none of its harsh and arbitrary methods. There it, for there is no mistaking the tendency of the proposed amend­ I is not a feature in all the legislation on the subject which does ment. not prove that it is a great civil public trust. The Pension Com­ There are no soldiers on the roll to-day except perhaps a few missioner is a trustee for the old soldiers and their dependents, who may have been placed there by gross fraud, which we all who under the law are entitled to the liberal annuities provided by join in wishing to punish and correct who did not wear the blue the Government. The millions of dollars appropriated annually and did not or were not liable to go to the front when rebellion should be administered as a vast trust fund exactly as all other pub­ threatened to destroy the Government and trail our flag in the lic and private trusts are managed. The President of the United dust. The vast preponderance of these were among the mighty States is constituted under all the statutes as a chancellor with army that stood like a wall of fire around the rocky hills of Get­ unlimited supervision over the Commissioner of Pensions in the tysburg and hurled back the rebel host that menaced the capi­ execution of this trust. The law declares in its own words that tal of the nation and all the great cities of the North. These ''the Commissioner of Pensions shall perform such duties in the old pensioners stood at Chickamauga and Vicksburg and on the execution of the pension laws as may be prescribed by the Pres­ hundreds of historic battlefields of the war and helped to plant ident." the Stars and Stripes in final triumph at Appomattox. Instead therefore of placing this grand and sacred trust under Does it seem strange and incredible that twenty-eight years officers of the regular Army it would be much more in harmony after the conflict so many of these old heroes can swear that they with the interests of the more than a million of cestius que trust are unable to make a living for themselves and their families by to follow the experience and practice of all civilized lands in manual labor? Why, all of them are over 50 and a very large the control of the Bureau. If there is to be any designation by majority are from 55 to 65 years of age. With the fatigues and the law of the persons to be appointed to manage this fund it exposure of the camp and field and the usual wear and exhaus­ would be infinitely better to affix only such limitations as will tion incident to all the operations of warf perhaps the frauds are secure the best lawyers and the most courageous and honest infinitely less than those who denounce them believe.. But 1600 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

wherever there are frauds, whenever money is being drained Why, sir~ the administration of that Bureau is entirely for­ from the Treasury which is unnecessary for the support of some eign to the training of the military man. It is an office which veteran or his old father and mother or his wife and children, not only requires great practical experience in civil administra­ let it be relentlessly stopped. tion, but a trained and accurate knowledge of the construction There must, I presume, be millions for the promotion of the of laws. I ask these gentlemen, what has been our experience myriads of mighty selfish enterprises of the nation-for the Ni­ under military officers in the administration of the laws for the caragua Canal, for rivers and harbors, for the Chicago Exposi­ payment of back pay and bounty and matters of that kind? Has tion, for the splendid new Navy,for Mr. McGarrahan, et id omne it been afortunate one? Is there notfrom one end of the country genus. That a few thousand old soldiers under a too liberal con­ to the other complaint, and well-grounded complaint, th'at there struction of the law should be drawing from the national Treas­ in unnecessary delay there? ury fifteen or twenty millions of dollars a year which would oth- · Perhaps some gentlemen who are opposed to the pension sys­ erwise go to meet such essential and meritorious purposes as these tem in its entirety would regard that state of things, as applied and help to maintain a few impecunious contractors and needy to that system, as fortunate, promising, as it would, to make the claim agents who have no other visible means of support justly application outlast the lives of the applicants, and so to result deserves the maledictions of the great patriotic pension re­ in ultimate saving to the Treasury. No doubt that would be a formers. mean saving; but I have no hesitancy in saying that the confid· I sincerely hope, Mr. ChaiJ·man, that when you come to dis­ ing to a mere military officer of a bureau of this character is un· pose of the points of order which have been raised against these democratic, unrepublican, un-American, and dangerous under all amendments, you will rule them out; but if you are constrained the circumstances. under the rules to submit them to a vote oi the House, I pro­ But, sir, this bill proceeds, and the argument here in its favor foundly trust they will be defeated by such a decisive and over­ has proceeded, upon an entirely mistaken idea of the meaning whelming vote as will indicate the wisdom of our fathers in of the law of 1890. placing the Pension Office where it now is, and thereby protect Mr. LIVINGSTON. Will the gentleman please explain how the thousands who are dependent on the bounty of the Govern­ he makes the Pension Bureau a civil institution? ment under the law. Mr. CHIPMAN. Well, that question is so entirely remote Mr. GROUT. I yield fifteen minutes to the gentleman from from this stage of my argument and answers itself so completely Michigan [Mr. CHIPMAN]. that I do not think I will waste any ~ime upon it. [Laughter.] M:r-. CHIPMAN. Mr. Chairman, I regard the measure before I like the gentleman from Georgia very much, but I hardly think the House as a most unfortunate one; unfortunate in the source that question is worth answering. But, as I was saying when from which it emanates and unfortunate in the provisions which the gentleman interrupted me, the argument here for these it contains. While I have very great respect for the gentle­ amendments has proceeded largely upon the mistaken idea that men who have brought this measure before us, and while I m the law of 1890 requires that the soldier, in order to receive a no sense will undertake to impugn their motives, yet it is un­ pension under it, shall be totally unable to make a living. fortunate that the committee which par excellence claims to be a The law contains no such provision. It requires that he shall committee of economy should have introduced a measure with be disabled from making a support, an entire support. It does regard to the details of the payment of pensions. not mean that he shall be able to get a shelter and no clothing, This is a subject, Mr. Chairman, which the great mass of the or clothing and no food. The only question under it is whether people of this country do not propose to view in an economical his power of self-support is impaired in any degree by his disa­ aspect. If they propose to do that, there is a very short and bilities. If it is, he is entitled to an allowance, var.ving accord­ ·. very direct method of disposing of the whole question by repeal­ ing to the extent of the impairment, from $6 to $1.2 per month. ing the entire body of pension laws. The committee, too, are Undoubtedly the support means a total support-an absolute unfortunate in this measure in that, so far at least, they have not support. The law does not make mince meat of the matter by justified its presence in the House even on the ground of econ­ providing that a little support will be enough, but it must be a omy. support in the full meaning and affluence of the word; a sup­ I have heard no argument, I have read no statement in con­ port which will enable a man to get enough to eat, drink, and to nection with this bill which rendera it at all certain that there wear. That is the meaning of the word support in the law. will be any saving to the public Treasury under its provisions if And for that reason the law prescribes that amount of pension it is enacted into law; and, coming as it does from the Commit­ shall vary from $6 to $12 a month, which it would not do if the tee on Appropriations, a committee not specially charged with intention of those who enacted it was that each man should be the subject, it devolves upon them, in order to give the measure subjected to the same test, to wit, utter inability to make a sup­ any foothold at all here, to show, not merely to guess, but to port, so that everyone receiving the benefits of the law would show beyond a peradventure of doubt, that it is a measure of re­ be entitled to the same pension, even if of unequal ability of trenchment. self-support. Our pension system, Mr. Chairman, is an inheritance from the If the law had said $6 a month for everyone or $12 a month war. If we had had no war we would have had no pension sys­ for everyone, then theground whichisassumedheremighthave tem. But I regret exceedingly that a disposition is shown by some plausibility. But there is this range between $6 a month some gentlemen on both sides of the question to revive memories and $12 a month-between a minimum sum and a maximum sum which ought to be silei~.ced forever in this country. They have and inside of ~hat the degree of disability, as a matter of fact, is tried to make the old ghosts walk again. I deprecate that. I ascertained; and the amount of pension is to be based upon that would like to see those spirits laid forever. · degree as ascertained. But, sir, the pension system is not the only unfortunate inher­ Now, Mr. Chairman, when we passed the pension law of 1890 itance we received from the war. We inherited all· the govern­ we declared here, and we went home to ou1· people and told them, mental demoralization, all the latitude of construction, all the that it was not a pauper law; that the amount of property which extravagance of expenditure which war begets, and we inher­ a man possessed had nothing to do with the amount of the pen­ ited also a complaisance to the military power which ought not sion which he should receive; that the millionaire and the poor­ to exist in a free government or be tolerated by a free people. est man in the country, H they happened to s~rve in the Army, And yet, sir, here in this very bill, while we are told on the one were on the same basis; that Jay Gould himself, if he had been hand that a great evil exists, on the other the most terrible evil a soldier, was just as eligible to a pension as the poorest man which can befall a free people is proposed as the remedy. who served in the ranks, and the poorest man just as eligible as One would think, after hearing the speech of the gentleman the richest. from Pennsylvania [Mr. MuTCHLER] the other day, that if cer­ You know, sir, and every man who remembers the passage of that tain evils existed under our pension administration he would law knows, that the effort was made to designate ita" mendicant direct his legislatjon specifically to those evils and in that way law," a "pauper law." Everyone of us who went home and took endeavor to check them. But, sir, the remedy, and almost the the stump and met our p3ople appealed to the law itself to show entire remedy, relied upon here is to put" the man on horse­ that no such distinction was made, that the self respect of the back" in charge of this pension business, which is so eminently soldier could be maintained, that high and low, rich and poor, .. and so essentially an affair of civil government. all men whose health was so impaired that they could not When, I will ask the fathers of this measure-when in the his­ make a full living or could not earn a support, were placed upon tory of the world has it become apparent that the man on horse­ the same basis. This bill negates all this. It assails the'plain back, the soldier, possesses more of civic virtue than the civil­ and wise intent of the law of 1890. ian? What page of history demonstrates that the military man By the terms of it, if a man has an income of $600 a year it is is free from ambition, that he is above corrupting influences? proposed not only to prevent his getting a pension in the future What guaranty have you, when you put this essentially civil but to cut off the pension he may now be receiving. Why? Al­ matter under the military-what guaranty have you that there ready hundreds of thousands have received pansions without re­ will be any more purity or any more wisdom in the administra­ gard to any such discrimination. Why should we now take away tion of the Pension Bureau than there _is to-day? the pension which has been honestly earned by these men and 1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1601

honestly granted to them? With what justice can we do this? now? They have good, plain, substantial food in these homes; Do you imagine it is in human power to take this backward step? they [do not have a tablecloth on the table, but it is a plain, What becomes of the plighted faith of the Government? And clean board table, and they sit on benches. They do not use above all, who is there here who has a proper heart in his bosom, silver there either. There are plain knives and forks. There who is ready to put upon the statue book of this country a revo­ are many things they do not have that we think necessary; but, cation of the people's promise to their veterans; an affirmation as I said, they get good, plain food. That much at least. These by this Congress that a pension givon by the Government of the people are of the world no longer. They are fenced in, so to United States to an old soldier is not a recognition of his service speak. The great world has gone on and left them a long way but is simply alms to his poverty? behind in the race. The world-this country that they fought [Here the hammer fell. I for and preserved a nation has grown rich and prosperous while Mr. GROUT. I yield sixteen minutes to the gentleman from they are poor, destitute, homeless. The soldier who has a home, California [Mr. BOWERS]. family, or friends able to care for him is not in a national home. Mr. BOWERS. Mr. Chairman, it is my purpose to confine Are they to be left friendless, too? myself generally to a single section of this bill and not go over But, sir, I can not help thinking of the time when these rem­ many provisions of the bill which have been debated so much nants, these parts of men were able-bodied, firm, strong men. better than I could hope to do by older members. I shall con­ When they bade good-bye to wives and children and started for fine my remarks principally to the following paragraph, begin­ the front; when the boy said good-bye to his father and mother, ning, on line 4, page 3, of the original bill: buckled on his knapsack, took his musket, and went to the front That from and after the passage of this act the Board of Managers of the to protect the flag of his country! Oh! but we were proud of National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers shall deduct the excess them then. Oh. how proud we were of them in those days! We above $5 monthly of the pensions of all inmates of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and cover .the same into the Treasury. did not think of them then as'' remnants," as'' parts of men "only. We spoke of them and looked upon them as human beings, as a Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that this section as it stands in part of our very selves. the bill is a reproach to the intelligence of the American people, Do you not know it? Hav-;j you forgotten it? How safe we a reproach to their sense of justice, and a libel upon the quality thought our cities were; how safe our homes were behind the of their gratitude. I have been investigating this matter and living breastwork these made with their bodies? But times making some ca,lculations as to the probable results. I first ap­ have changed. The time of retrenchment and reform is unon plied to the Pension Office, and here is what I have received us. For, lo, these many years we have heard the '' hewgag" from the Commissioner of Pensions: sounding throughout the land, foretelling the coming of the On the 31st day of December last the average annual value of the pension of each pensioner on the rolls was $133.98, and of each inmate of the several great reform, and now the great national theater is opened, the military homes $97.06. curtain rises, and the first a~t in the new drama is to be inaugu­ By the report of the national homes for 1891 (I could not get rated. The curtain rises; what a scene is brought before us! the report for 1892 as it is not yet printed) I find that in the seven We see the interior of a soldiers' home, the men on benches and homes there were reported 21,631 inmates, of which number 10~- hobbling about the stage, one-armed, one-legged old veterans, 553 were pensioners-just about one-half the number of the in­ partly wrecks, the remnants of the men of other days. From mates. Now, it will be seen that if all over $5 a month of the the wings come on the'' stars" of this great reform play, followed "Pensions paid to these inmates is to be confiscated, the average by a retinue of "supes;" and as you look you can see their being $8.09, there is left an average of $3.09 to be filched from fingers working and twitching, and as the first act of this great each (one of these wrecks every month in the interest of "re­ drama is consummated you see these itching fingers come into trenchment and reform." Deducting 20 per cent for absentees contact with these wrecks and cleaning them out at $3.09 each (and the report shows about that percentage) we have 8,440 in­ for retrenchment and reform, and the curtain falls amid the ap­ mates of these homes who receive, as I have said, an average of plause on the first act of the new drama of retrenchment and $8.09 per month "Pension. You will therefore confiscate a total reform. [Laughter and applause on the floor and in the gal­ of $26,079 from among these 8,440 wrecks and remnants, the poor leries.] relics of the war. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California will sus­ Let us consider for a moment how much we are going to do pend. The Chair must warn the occupants of the galleries that with the money we thus obtain, Mr. Chairman. Why, sir, in any repetition of disorder in the galleries will cause the Chair one month we will get enough money, or enough can be filched to direct the Doorkeeper to have them cleared. from these wrecks and remnants, to pay the salaries of the five Mr. BOWERS. I hope the. galleries will not stop me, my inspectors to be provided for in another of these appropriation time is limited. [Laughter.] bills which is to follow this one, some $12,500, and their travel­ The CHAIRMAN. The Chair will sae that the galleries do ing expenses of $7,000, and go far towards paying the salaries of not stop the gentleman. five other junketers. We will get enough, Mr. Chairman, in Mr. BOWERS. I tell you, gentlemen, that when the people one month from one of thesa old cripples to pay for a night's demanded retrenchment and reform of you they did not askyou lodging for one of these junketers in a Pullman palace car, that to begin in the soldiers' homes Ul)On these old cripples and take you provide for them in another appropriation bill. And we that$3.09 amonth away from them, andyououghtto be ashamed will have then the amount, the munificent sum of 9 cents left to do it. over to be applied to the payment of the public debt. [Laugh­ Mr. LIVINGSTON. Neither does the bill propose to do it. ter]. Mr. BOWERS. The section I read l)roposesto take all above Why, Mr. Chairman, in fifteen minutes' time I could not begin $5 from every inmate in the soldiers' homes and cover it into to tell you how many things we could do with all of that money the Treasury. that we get from these poor fellows. We have here a report of Mr. LIVINGSTON. And give it to the soldiers' wives and June 30, 1891, showing the number of soldiers in these various children. homes drawing a pension above $16 a month. Let us see how Mr. BOWERS. It covers into the Treasury all above $5. many there are and what they are getting a pension for. There Mr. LIVINGSTON. Will the gentleman allow me-- are ~17 in all the national 'homes in the whole of the United Mr. BOWERS. Now do not take my time, or I will ask for States. Let me describe one or two of them. Let us see what more and get it. I tell you the section as it stands is a reproach kind of people they are. Here is their description: No. 1, lost a to every true American citizen. right arm; No. 2, lost a left leg; No. 3, lost his right leg. I believe and I think I know that there are persons upon the Another one his left leg; another one his eyes gone; another one pension roll who ought not to be there, and I believe in a fair his right leg, and so on and all through the list. and just revision and investigation of the pension rolls; but I do These are the l)eople we are going to take $3.09 a month from. not believe in posting up the names of the pensioners of the Why, it seems to me, sir, that it required a very large head, in­ United States in public to be looked on as the roll of national deed several very large heads put together, to conceive such are­ paupers. I do not believe either that the pension rolls ought to form as this, such a'' starter" as this is in the line and direction be open to the mousing of every skunk and blackmailer in the of reform. Five dollars a montb. is to be left them. That is United States to annoy these men or the families of the men who $1.16 a week. Why, we go down here and spend that for one stood for you, and made it possible for you and me to stand here luncheon in the basement here-a whole week's spending money in the Congress of the United Stat9s and speak to-day for or of one of these wrecks. They could not get very many cigars against them. that some of us think necessary, at three for half. Of course I do not care, Mr. Chairman, how long a soldier served,whether many of these men are only parts of men. Other parts of them a day or a year, if he stood in the fire and smoke of battle, and I ,.- were left upon the battle field, and of course I assume that they think it would be a shame and a disgrace to the United States do not need as much money, in the minds of the gentlemen who of America if they ever suffered any man that did that to want framed this proposition, as an ordinary man. for the common necessaries of life, or if they allowed his wife or There are only "Parts of· men that are left there, and of course his children to want for them, it would be a shame to you. I do they do not want all the luxq.ries we have. What do they get not believe that any bitterness lies between the men who faced XXIV-101

., 1.602 CONGRESSIONAL ~ECORD-· HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14, each other in the fire and smoke of battle. I believe that the Mr. GROUT. Well, the time is quite limited, but I will yield soldier's rights would be safe w han left to the decision and arbi tra.­ the gentleman five minutes more. ment of all the soldiers. They, I am confi~ent, would not begin Mr. OTIS. Now1 Mr. Chairman, I want to say that these are a great reform by committing petty larceny upon crippled sol­ questions of vital Importance to us in the far West. We feel diers. upon this subject very deeply. The gentleman from Pennsyl­ The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired. vania himself [Mr. BINGHAM] told us to-day that the interest Mr. BOWERS. I ask three minutes more time. money paid on the bonds of the United States from 1865 to 1893 Mr. GROUT. I can not possibly yield any more as I have not was nearly double the amount that has been paid to the soldiers time enough left. as pension money, and I submit that that bond business has been Mr. ATKINSON. I ask unanimous consent that the time of a source of injury and damage to the entire country and that we the gentleman be extended. ought to do away with that interest-paying debt. Mr. GROUT. Not to be taken out of our six hours? We ought to do away with this matter of issuing more bonds. Mr. ATKINSON. Not to be taken out of anybody's time. We ought to frown down any more Pacific railway steals, or The CHAIRMAN. The HoU£e has limited debate, and the any Nicaragua Canal steals that will involve the issuance of Chair can not put that motion to the committee. b onds. I wish to say to my Republican friends that I come from Mr. ATKINSON. Do I understand the Chair to say that it is a State which was the first to shed blood in the great struggle not competent for the Committee of the Whole to extend the for their services in which these soldiers are now being pen­ time of the gentleman from California [Mr. BOWERS] by unani­ sioned; I comefromaState where old JohnBrown had his home; mous consent? I coma from a State whichfurnished more soldiers to the Union The CHAIRMAN. The House has limited the time for de­ Army in proportion to its population than any other State in the bate upon this pending bill by an order made before the House Union; I come from a State that has been in years gone by em­ went into Committee of the Whole to-day. phatically Republican; I come from a. State that has knocked Mr. GROU'r. If it should be brought within the time lim­ down and knocked out a majority of 82,000; I come from a State ited, would it not be in order? that during the last year elected a Confederate soldier as one of Mr. LIVINGSTON. Only six hours were allowed on that its Representatives in Congress. side. Mr. PICKLER rose. Mr. GROUT. The truth is,Mr.Chairman,I findmyselfshort Mr. OTIS. I can not stop now. I come from a State that re­ of time to accommodate those who want to speak. I would be cently elected a Democratic Senator. I come from a State that very glad to do so if I could. to-day has a dual Legislature-a Legislature in which there is on The CHAIRMAN. To whom does the gentleman from Ver­ one side of the hall of the house of representatives a body rep­ mont [Mr. GROUT] yield? resenting the people and fighting in their interest against cor­ Mr. GROUT. I yield ten minutes to the gentleman from South porations and against the moneyed institutions and money power Dakota [MJ.·. PICKLER]. of this country; and on the other side a body representing the corporations and the moneyed interests. (Mr. PICKLER .addressed the committee. See Appendix.] If my Republican friends expect to hold the people to their Mr. GROUT. I yield five minutes to the gentleman from Kan­ party, they must understand that that party must be something sas (Mr. OTIS]. more than the advocate of corporations and the money-loaning Mr. OTIS. Mr. Chairman! I do not propose to say anything class of this nation. And I say to our Democratic friends, if you upon this question from a humanitarian or patriotic standpoint; expect to wiii the West to stand by you you had batter not cut but, coming from a State that has within its borders as many down the pension appropriations, but you had better see that soldiers, if not more Union soldiers, than any other State in this your incoming Administration does not enter upon the issuingof Union, in proportion to its population, I feel that it is my duty any more national bonds or run the country any deeper into debt. to enter a protest against this proceeding of the Committee on Already the papers intimate that the gentleman who is to be Appropriations in reference to the pension laws. your Secretary of the Treasury after the 4th of March is in con­ I do not regard the extensive appropriations for pensions that sultation with the present Secretary of the Treasury in refer­ we have to make here annually as altogether an unmitigated ence to this very matter. I say to you, gentlemen, that there evil, .as some men seem to think they are, and I wish to call a tten­ are other matters of more importance than simply cutting down tion in the few minutes accorded me to one feature in this mat­ the pension roll or lifting up the pension roll. The common ter of pension appropriations; I mean the great advantage the people of the country are demanding relief from what you have pension system affords to the entire population of this country loaded upon them. They are demanding relief from the unjust as a means of putting money into circulation among the people taxation that has been piled upon them. They are demanding a.t large. relief from the exorbitant transportation rates that have been Mr. LIVINGSTON. That is not the case down South. crowded upon them. They are demanding that there shall be Mr. OTIS. Well, you are unfortunate there in that respect. more monGy put into circulation. Mr. LIVINGSTON. Then, do not say the "population of the Mr. Chairman, I have here a resolution of the Legislature of entire country." Kansas in reference to this subject of pensions. I had intended Mr. OTIS. Well, there are some Union soldiers in the South. to have it read, but I have not the time. I ask that it be printed Mr. LIVINGSTON. Very few. in the RECORD as a part of my remarks. Mr. OTIS. I will say, Mr. Chairman, that in my own State The CHAffiMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired. this feature of the pension system ha.s more influence with the Mr. PICKLER. I will ask the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. people than any other. I would like to see an intelligent com­ OTIS] why his party did not put a proposition in theh• platform putation or estimate of the advantages that accrue from the favoring pensions to the soldiers. millions of money appropriated for pensions that go out all over Mr. OTIS. We have done so. this country, helping to pay the small debts of the common peo­ Mr. PICKLER. You have not. ple. I would like, I say, to see a just estimate of that money Mr. OTIS. I was myself elected on a proposition in favor of and of the beneficial effects it produces, tracing it from the time pensions, and I introduced a service-pension bill in the last ses­ it leaves the Treasury in the form of pension money until it sion of this Congress. comes back again through processes of taxation. I tell you, sir, Mr. PICKLER. But there was no such proposition in your that these pension appropriations are the most advantageous national platform. appropriations that are marl.e in this country as a means of put­ The CHAIRMAN. If there be no objection the request of the tmg money into the hands of the common people without sub­ gentleman from Kansas [Mr. OTIS], to have printed in connection jecting them to the exorbitant interest charges of the national with his remarks a resolution of the Legislature of his State, will banks or the methods of putting money in circulation. be granted. And, Mr. Chairman, I am astonished that my Republican There was no objection. friends upon my right and my: Democratic friends upon my left The resolution is as follows: are undertaking to make polltical capital here out of this pen­ .Resolved by the senate of the State of Kansa8, the house oj representatives sion matter. I want to say to them frankly that the soldiers of concurring therein, That every honorably-discharged soldier or Bailor of the this eountry will not be hail as much elated at my Democratic late war should be granted a monthly service pension equal to one-fifth of a month's pay, and an additional one-tenth of a month's pay for each five friends cutting down the pension roll or at my Republican friends month's service, or major fraction thereof, performed in defense of ol:l' flag enlarging the pensio!l appropriations, as thay will be if we stop and institutions between April15, 1861, and July 15, 1865 . the issuance of any more bonds irom the Treasury of the United .Resolved, That the funds for paying these and the present disability pen­ sions, and tor paying all other accounts of the ex-soldier against the Gov­ States and the payment of interest upon those infernal things. ernment, a.nd for paying the interest on the war debt, should be raised by a [I.a.ughter.] graduated tax on the large estates of the country, as provided in House bill [Here the hammer fell.] No. 6595, which was drawn by one of our citizens and introduced in the na­ tional House of Representatives by Mr. CLOVER (by request) February Z'/, Mr. OTIS. I wish the gentleman from Vermont would give 1892, a.nd referred to the Committee on the Revision of the Laws, a.nd ordered me five minutes more. to be printed. ·.

1893 . CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1603

.Resolvld, Tha.t a. copy of these resolutions, properly signed, be sent to the An act (H. R. 9220) granting a pension to Mrs. Caroline Hardee President of the Senate, the Speaker of the E.ouse, and to each membel." ot Dyall, widow of James R. Dyall, veteran of the Florida war, the Kansas delegation in Congress. 1836; Mr. GROUT. Mr. Chairman, I hope now that if gentlemen on An act (H. R. 7036) granting a pension to Lillie Ries, late a the other side have anything to offer in connection with this de- nurse at Jefferson Barracks; baMte... t.hMeyU;~t~~- I move that the committee rise. An act (H. R. 7238) granting a pension to Amanda Atherton; • An act (H. R. 5649) for the relief of Lieut. F. W. Davis, and The motion was agreed to. granting him an honorable discharge; The committee accordingly rose; and the Speaker having re- An act (H. R. 2592) for the relief of Andrew B. Knapp; sumed the chair, Mr. WILSON of West Virginia reported that An act (H. R. 6797} to authorize the construction of a bridge the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union had had across the Cahaba River, in Bibb County,Ala., by the Montgom­ under consideration the bill (H. R.10345) making appropriations ery, Tuscaloosa and Memphis Railway; for the payment of invalid and other pensions of the _United On February 13, 1893: States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, and for other pur- An act (H. R. 8268) to extend the provisions of section 8 of the poses, and had come to no resolution thereon. act entitled "An act to repeal timber-culture laws, and for other MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE. purposes," approved March 3, 1891, concerning prosecutiuns for A message from the Senate, by Mr. McCooK, its Secretary, cutting timber on public hinds to Wyoming, New Mexico, and announced that the Senate had passed, with an amendment, the Arizona; bill (H. R. 9730) to amend the charter of the Brightwood Rail- An 2.et (H. R. 975S) to amend the charter of the Eckihgton and way Company of the District of Columbia; in which the concur- Soldiers' Home Railwav of the District of Columbia; renee of the House was requested. An act (H. R. 9176) relating to navigation of vessels, bills of It also announced that the Senate had passed~ without amend· lading, and to certain oblig-ations, duties, and right3 in connec- ment, bills of the following titles: tion with the carriage of property; A bill (H. R.10304) to incorporate the American University; On February 14, 1893: and An act (H. R. 4758) for the relief of Charles E. Heuston; A bill (H. R. 10039) to narrow California avenue within Bellair An act (H. R. 8727) for the relief of S. J. Brooks; Heights, District of Columbia. An act (H. R. 4215) to correct the military record of Capt. It also announced that the Senate had passed the bill (S. 3711) William C. Knowlton; granting the right of way throug-h the Arlington reservation An act {H. R. 4375) for the relief of Charles S. Blood; and for railroad purposes; in which the concurrence of the House j An act (H. R. 4437} for the removal of the charge of desertion was requested. . against William H. Holloway. It also announced that the Senate had passed the followrng res- ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED. olution; in which the concurrence of the House was requested: . . Resolved lnJ the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That there Mr. OHLIGER, from the_ Committee on Enrolled Billst ;e- be printed ss.ooo additional copies in cloth binding of the eighth annual report ported that they had exammed and found truly enrolled bills of the Commissioner of Labor relating to industrial education in the United and joint resolution of the followino- titles; when the Speaker States and Europe, 16,000 copies for the use of the members of the House signed the same· o of Representatives, 8,000 copies for the use of the members of the Senate, . · . . 11,000 copies for distribution by the Department of Labor. A bp.l (S. 1683) for the rehef of Mrs_. Fan;}Ie N. Belger; It also announced that the Senate had agreed to the amend- ~bill (S. 294?) to amend ap. act ent~tl~d An act .to ~ncorpo- ments of the House of Representatives to the bills of the follow- ra.e t}le Masomc Mutual Relief AssoCiatiOn of the District of Co- ing titles: lum~ta," appro_ved March 3, 1869; . " A bill (S. 1683} for the relief of Mrs. Fannie N. Belger; and Jo~nt resolutwn (S. R. 139) to amend ~n act entitled An ~t A bill (S. 2946) to amend an act entitled "An act to incorpo- ~akmg ~at1_1rday ahalf-h?hday for banking and trust compames rate the Masonic Mutual Relief Association of the District of m the DlStrwt of Columbia/' approved Decembel' 22, 1892; and Columbia," approved March 3, 1869. A bill (S. 3836) ~o ~uthori~e the Union Railroad Compar:-y to MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. construct and mamtam a bridge across the Monongahela River. A message, in writing, from the President of the United States, BRIDGE ACROSS ARKANSAS RIVER. was communicated to the House by Mr. PRUDEN, one of his sec- Mr. WISE, by unanimous consent, reported back with amend- retaries, who also announced that the President had approved ments from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce and signed bills of the following titles: the bill (H. R. 10095) authorizing the construction of a bridge On February 8, 1893~ across the Arkansas River connecting Little Rock and Argenta; An act (H. R. 730) for the relief of James Finley; which was referred to the House Calendar, and, with the accom- An act (H. R. 9[)31) to make Rockport, Tex., a subport of en- panying report, ordered to be printed. try. • ELECTION OF UNITED STATES SENATORS BY THE PEOPLE. On February 9, 1893: 1\fr. BRYAN. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the An act (H. R. 6798) to authorize the construction of a bridge RECORD a memorial of about one hundred words in favor of the across the Warrior River by the Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and election of United States Senators by a direct vote of the people. Memphis Railway Company; It is a memorial from the house of representatives of the State An act (H. R. !1930) for the construction and maintenance of a of Nebraska. bridge across the St. Lawrence River; There being no objection, leave to print was granted. An act (H. R. 10010) to establish a court of appeals for the Dis- The memorial is as follows: trict of Columbia, and for other purposes; An act (H. R. 6649) to extend the provisions of an act to pro­ A memorial. To the hono1·able members of the Senate ana House of vide for the muster and pay of certain officers and enlisted men Representatives of the United states of .America: of the volunteer forces; \Vhereas the election of United States Senator seriously interfel."es with An act (H. R. 6345} granting an honorable discharge to Freder­ the progress of legislation and haS a. tendency to antagonize its membei'S ick E. Kolter; by dividing them on party lines; and Whereas a. large majority ofthe people demand it: Therefore, An act (H. R. 8106) for the correction of the army record of Your memora.list, the house of representatives of the State of Nebraska; David R. Wallace, deceased; respectfully petition your honorable body to submit an amendment to the An act (H. R. 7662) granting a pension to Marion Kerr Char- Constitution of the United States providing for the election of United States Senators by a. direct vote or the people. man; This is to certify that the above memorial was unanimously passed by the An act (H.R.1318) granting a pension to Martha A. Harris; house on January 13, 1893. An act (H. R. 2400) granting a pension to Willis Luttrell; ERIC JOHNSON, Chief Clerk. An act (H. R. 2407) granting a pension to Samuel Luttrell; EMPLOYES OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. An act (H. R. 6507) ·granting a pension to Sarah A. Hagan; An act (H. R. 4047) granting a pension to Ellen Hewett; Mr. RICHARDSON, by unanimous consent, reported from the An act (H. R. 7257} granting a pension to Alonzo D. Barber; Committee on Printing a joint resolution (H. Res. 209) to appro­ An act (H. R. 7234) granting a pension to Mary Millard; priate $3,680.40 for employes of the Government Printing Office An act (H. R. 6508) granting a pension to Joseph Fostier; employed on the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD; which was read a first and second time, referred the Committee of the Whole An act (H. R. 7226) granting a pension to Julia P. Wright; to An act (H. R. 89'2.5) to increase the pension of Harvey Lyon; on the state of the Union, and, with the accompanying report, or­ An act (H. R. 5705) to increase the pension of Amelia Graham; dered to be printed. An act (H. R. 6272) to pension Susan S. Murphy; MILITARY POST AT PIERRE, S. DAK. An act (H. R. 8275) granting a pension to Abraham B. Sim­ Mr. PICKLER. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in mons, of Capt. Thomas Tripp's company in Col. Brisbane's reg­ the RECORD a memorial of the Legislature of South Dakota. iment, South Ca1·olina Volunteers, in the Florida Indian war; The SPEAKER. On what subject? ,•

1604- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

Mr. PICKLER. In relerence to the establishment of a. mili· department of public communication, and for other purposes­ tary post at Pierre, S. Dak. ' to the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. A MEMBER. How long is it? Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10507) to establish an executive Mr. RICHARDSON. I did not object just now to the request department of public education, and for other purposes-to the of the gentleman from Nebra,ska [Mr. BRYAN], but I do not Committee on the Revision of the Laws. think we ought to load the RECORD down with memorials of this Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10508) to establish an executive kind. department of public insurance, and for other purposes-to the Mr. PICKLER. I merely made the request to emphasize the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. position of the gentleman from Tennessee. The other morn­ Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10509) to establish an executive ing he objected to the printing of this short memorial of mine. department of public periodicals, and for other purposes-to the Now he admits another. I do not care particularly about the Committee on the Revision"nf the Laws. matter. Also (by request), a bill (H.R.10510) to estabiish an executive Me. RICHARDSON. I did "admit" the other; and I am department of public printing, and for other purposes-to the willing the fact should go on record-- Committee on the Revision of the Laws. Mr. PICKLER. Why, then, do you object to this one? Also (by request), a. bill (H. R.10511) to establish an executive Mr. RICHARDSON. Be ~ ause I did wrong in the other case. department of public documents, and for other purposes-to the

LEAVE OF ABSENC..~. Committee on the Revision of the Laws. Also (by request), a bill tH. R. 10512) to establish an executive Mr. CURTIS, by unanimous consent, obtained leave of absence department of public buildings, and for other purposes-to the !or one week, on account of important business. Committee on the Revision of the Laws. And then, on motion of Mr. MUTCHLER (at 4 o'clock and 50 Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10513) to establish an&xecutive minutes p. m.}, the House adjourned. department of public roads, and for other purposes-to the Com­ mittee on the Revision of the Laws. REPORTS OF COM H'l'TEES. Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10514) to establish an execu­ tive department of public farms, and for other purposes-to the Under clause 2 of Rule XIII, private bills and resolutions were Committee on the Revision of the Laws. severally reported from committees, delivered to the Clerk, and Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10515) to establish an execu­ referred to the Committee of the Whole House, as follows: tive department of public fisheries, and for other purposes-to By Mr. HULL from the Committee on Military Affairs: The bill the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. (H. R. 1184) for the relief of J. D. Golden. (Report No. 2497 .) Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10516) to establish an execu­ By Mr. CROSBY, from the same committee: The bill (H. R.6275) tive department of public forest, and for other purposes-to the to authorize the Secretary of War to remove the charge of deser­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. tion as to Jasper L. Dodge, late of Company F, First Uhode Is­ Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10517) to establish an execu­ land Volunteers. (Report No. 2498.) tive department of public fluids, and for other purposes-to the By Mr. LOUD, from the Committee on Claims: The bill (S. 707) Committee on the Revision of the Laws. for the relief of George H. Plant, of the District of Columbia. (Re­ Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10518) to establish an executive port No. 2499.) department of public forces, and for other purposes-to the By Mr. CROSBY, from the Committee on Military Affairs: Committee on the Revision of the Laws. The bill (H. R.10254) granting an honorable discharge to Dudley Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10519) to establish an executive Doherty, late private Company D, Sixteenth Regiment Massa­ department of public mines, and for other purposes-to the chusetts Volunteers. (Report No. 2500.) Committee on the Revision of the Laws. By Mr. SMITH of Illinois, from theCommitte.eonClaims: The Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10520) to establish an executive bill(S. 262) for the relief of Jabez Burchard. (Report No. 2501.) department of public manufactures, and for other purpo=es­ / By Mr. WILSON of Missouri, from the Committee on Pen­ to the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. sions: The bill (H.R. 9858) for the relief of John McMahan for Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10521) to establish an executive serviees in the Mexican war as a volunteer from Ohio in that department of public products, and for other purposes-to the war. (Report No. 2502.) Committee on the Revision of the Laws. Also (by request). a bill (H. R. 10522) to establish an executive BILLS, MEMORIALS, AND RESOLUTIONS. department of pubhc works, and for other purposes-to the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. Under clause 3 of Rule XXII, bills, resolutions, and memorials Also (by re.quest), a bill (H. R.10523) to establish an executive of the following titles were introduced and severally referred as department of public methods, and for other purposes-to the follows: Committee on the Revision of the Laws. By Mr. OATES: A bill (H. R.10!96) to define the criminal Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10524) to establish an executive jurisdiction of the United States commissioners in the Indian department of public statistics, and for other purposes-to the Territory, and for other purposes-to the Committee on the Ju· Committee on the Revision of the Laws. diciary. Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10525) to establish an executive By Mr. HEMPHILL: A bill (H. R. 10497) to confirm title to department of public surveying, and for other purposes-to the lots 13 and 14, in square 959, in Washington, D. C.-to the Com­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. mittee on the District of Columbia. Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10526} to establish an executiYe By Mr. MILLER (by request): A bill (H. R.10498) to establish department of public measures, and for other purposes-to the a new system of taxation, and for other purposes-to the Com­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. mittee on Ways and Means. Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10527 ) to establish an executive Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10499) to regulate wages and department of public inventions, and for other purposes-to the limit the periods of service by the employes of this Republic, Committee on the Revision of the Laws. and for other purposes-to the Committee on Labor. Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10528) to establish an executive Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10500} to regulate marriage department of public science, and for other purposes-to the and divorce in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. to the Committee on the District of Columbia. Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 105~ 9) to establish an executive Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10501) to define the general department of public faira, and for other purposes-to the Com­ duties of the Secretaries of the several Executive Departments mittee on the Revision of the Laws. of this Republic, and for other purposes-to the Committee on Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10530) to establish an executive Appropriations. department of public libraries, and for other purposes-to the Also (by. request), a bill (H. R. 10502) to define the special du­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. ties of t.he Secretary of the Treasury, and for other purposes­ Also (bv request), a bill (H. R. 10531) to establish an executive to the Committe on Appropriations. department of public lectures, and for other purposes-to the Also (by request), a bill (H. R.l0503) to establish an executive Committee on the Revision of the Laws. department of public -labor, and for other purposes-to the Com­ Al.so (by request), a bill (H·. R.10532) to establish an executive mittee on the Revision of the Laws. department of public amusements, and for other purposes-to Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10504) to establish an executive the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. department of publip land, and for other purposes-to the Com­ Also (by request), a. bill (H. R. 10533) to establish an executive mittee on the Revision of the Laws. department of public comfort, and for other purposes-to the Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10505) to establishan·executive Committee on the Revision of the Laws. department of public trans12ortation, and for other purposes-to Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10534) to establish an executive the Committee on the ReVlsionof the Laws. department of public health, and for other purposes-to the Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10506) to establish an executive Committee on the Revision of the Laws. ·'· 1893. CONGRESSiONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1605

Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10535) to establish an executive By Mr. BINGHAM: Petition of citizens of Philadelphia, Pa., department of public hotels, and for other purposes-to the asking for the appointment of a commission to investigate evils Committee on the Revision of the Laws. of immigration-to the Select Committee on Immigration and Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10536) to establish an executive Naturalization. department of public baths, and for other purposes-to the By Mr. BURROWS: Petition of Albert Barker and 21,156 Committee on the Revision of the·Laws. other adult citizens of the State of Michigan, against religious Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10537) to establish an executive legislation and in favor of the repeal of the act of Congress to department of public laundries, and for other purposes-to the close the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on Committee on the Revision of the Laws. the Columbian Exposition. Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10538) to establish an executive By Mr. BYNUM: Two petitions, one of the Turnverein Joliet, department of public records, and for other purposes-to the of Joliet, TIL, and the other of Bakers' Union, No. 18, of Indi­ Committee on the Revision of the Laws. anapolis, Ind., both for opening the World's Fair on Sunday­ Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10539} to establish an executive to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. department of public elections, and for other l)Urposes-to the Also, remonstrance of Hoosier Lodge, No. 2o, Brotherhood of Committee on the Revision of the Laws. Railroad Trainmen, of Indianapolis, against closing the World's Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10540) to provide for the as­ Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ sembling- of Congress on the 4th day of March instead of the first position. Monday in December-to the Select Committee on Election of Also, petition of 88 citizens of Indianapolis, Ind., who desire President and Vice-President and Representatives in Congress. the World's Columbian Exposition opened on Sunday-to the Also (by request), a bill (H. R. 10541) to establish civil and Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. criminal code commissioners, and for other purposes-to the Com­ Also, petition of 150 workingmen and citizens of Elwood, Mad­ mittee on the Judiciary. ison County, Ind., in favor of opening the World's Fair on Sun­ Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10542) to provide for the elec­ day-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. tion of D3leO"ates to the House and Senate of the United States, Also, general petition of 51 citizens who desire the World's and for oth e~· purposes-to the Committee on the District of Co­ Columbian Exposition opened on Sunday-to the Select Com­ lumbia. mittee on the Columbian Exposition. Also (by request), a bill (H. R.10543) to provide for the con­ Also, general petition of citizens of Indiana who desire the struction of certain public improvements in the District of Co­ World's ColumbiaL Exposition open on Sunday-to the Select lumbia, and for other purposes-to the Committee on the Dis­ Committee on the Columbian Exposition. trict of Columbia. By Mr. CUTTING: Joint resolution passed by the Legislature By Mr. TAYLOR of Illinois: A bill (H.R.10544) to authorize of the State of California, relative to the construction of a deep­ the construction of a bridge across the Calumet River-to the water harbor at San Pedro, Cal.-to the Committee on Rivers Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. and Harbors. By Mr. MILLER: A joint resolution (H. Res. 208) proposing _'\.lso, resolutions a.dopt3d by the board of supervisors of San an amendment to the Constitution-to the Committee on the Francisco. Cal., advocating the annexation of the Hawaiian Is­ Judiciary. lands to the United States-to the Committee on Foreign Af­ By Mr. BRETZ: A resolution for the printing of the annual . fairs. report of. the Commissioner of Education for the year 1890-'91- By Mr. DALZELL: Petition of sundry citizens of the Twenty­ to the Committee on Printing. second Congressional district of Pennsylvania, in favor of a By Mr. COMPTON: A resolution relating to outstanding commission to examine into and repor~ the evils of immigra­ sewer certificates of indebtedness by the board of audit of the tion-to the Select Committee on Immigration and Naturaliza­ District of Columbia-to the Committee on the District of Co­ tion. lumbia. Also, petition of Capital Council of United American Mechan­ By Mr. KRIBBS: Resolution authorizing the Clerk of the ics in favor of legislation restricting immigration-to the Select House of Representatives to supply the Public Printer with the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. copy of the digested summary and alphabetical list of private By Mr. DIXON: Petition of 434 citizens of Butte, Mont., ask­ claims presented during the Forty-seventh and Fifty-first Con­ ing for restriction of immigration-to the Select Committee on gresses-to the Committee on Printing. Immigration and Naturalization. By Mr. McLAURIN: A resolution to print eulogies on Eli By Mr. DURBOROW: Petition of H. P. Moore and 84 other Thomas Stackhouse of South Carolina-to the Committee on members of the Turn and Gesang Verein of McKeesport, Pa., · - I Printing. asking that the World's Fair be kept open on Sunday-to the By Mr. TOWNSEND: Resolution of General Ass3mbly of the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. State of Colorado in favor of the annexation of the Hawaiian Is­ Also, petition of Adolph Scherz and 22 other members of the lands-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Helvetia. Grutli Verein, of St. Paul. Minn., for the opening of the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Co­ lumbian Expo::;ition. PRIVATE BILLS, ETC. Also, petition of William Bothe and 69 other members of the Under clause 1 of Rule XXII, private bills of the following titles StBubenville (Ohio) Turnverein, for opening the World's Fa.iron were presented and referred as indicated below: Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. By Mr. CATE: A bill (H. R. 10545) for the relief of Joseph T. Also, petition of W. J. Carroll and 53 others, of Chicago, TIL, Jenkins-to the Committee on War Claims. to open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee By Mr. LODGE: A bill (H. R. 10546} to increase the pension on the Columbian Exposition. of Kate B. Warren-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Also, petition of Chs. Rau and 56 others, of Chicago, Ill., to By Mr. MEREDITH: A bill (H. R. 10547) granting a pension open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the SAlect Committee on to Nancy A. Valentine-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. the Columbian Exposition. By Mr. PAGE: A bill (H. R.10548) to correct the naval record of Also, petition of JQhn, A. Levy and 56 others, of Chicago, to and grant an honorable discharge to Thomas H. Holden, of Paw­ open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on tucket, R. I.-to the Committee on Naval Affairs. the Columbian Exposition. By Mr. STONE of Kentucky: A bill (H.R.10549) for the relief Also, petition of 36 citizens of Baltimore, to open the World's of JohnMcCourt-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ Also, a bill (H. R.10550) for the relief of Joel A. King-to the position. Committee on War Claims. Also, petition of 26 citizens of Wisconsin, to open the World's Fair on Sundav-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex- position. ~ PETITIONS, ETC. Also, petition of 32 citizens of New Jersey, to open the World's Under clause 1 of Rule XXII, the following petitions and pa­ Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ pers were laid on the Clerk's desk and referred as follows: position. By Mr. ATKINSON: Petition of 1,000 citizens of the Eig-ht­ Also, petition of 39 citizens of St. Louis, Mo., to open the eenth Congressional district of Pennsylvania, praying for a World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Co­ restriction of immigration-to the Select Committee on Immi­ lumbian Exposition. gration and Naturalization. Also, petition of 52 citizens of Rhode Island, to open the By Mr. BABBITT: Resolution of the Farmers' Alliance of World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Co­ Wisconsin, in favor of the passage of the antioption bill-to the lumbian Exposition. Committee on Agriculture. Also, petition of 52 citizens of Litchfield: to open the World's Also, :petition of Rock County Pomona. Grange, to prevent Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian dealing m futures-to theCommitteeon Agriculture. Exposition.

~.

~------~------~------~----~~: 1606 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 14,

Also, petition of 10 citizens of New York, to open the World's Also, petition of Raimund Engelman and 49 other citizens of Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex- the Central Turn and Gesangverein, Braddock, Pa., for the open­ position. · ing of the Worl,d's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee Also, petition of 157 citizens of New York, to open the World's on the Columbian Exposition. Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ Also, petition of Theo. Grass and 47 citizens of the Atlantic position. City Turnverein, Atlantic City, N.J., for the opening of the Also, petition of 55 citizens of :Missouri, to open the World's World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ Fai.ron Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ bian Exposition. position. Also,·petition of Charles J. Trakel and 28 other citizens of the Also, petition of 55 citizens of Chicago, to open the World's Germania Singing Society of Waukesha, Wis., for opening the Fair on Sunday-to the Seleet Committee on the Columbian Ex­ World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ position. bian Exposition. Also, petition of 95 citizens of New York, to open the World's Also, petition of M. Fitzsimons and 41 other members of Peru Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ (Ill. ) Turnverein: for opening the World'sFair on Sunday-to the position. Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of lOcitizens of Colorado, to open the World's Also, petition of John Faust and 56 other members of the Pat­ Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ erson (N.J.) Turnverein,for opening the World's Fair on :Sun­ position. day-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of 44 citizens of Nebraska, to open the World's Also, patition of C. S. Evans and 72 other citizens of Summer­ Fair on Sundav-totheSelect Committee on the Columbian Ex- field, Kans., for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to theSe­ position. ~ . lect Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of 55 citizens of Pennsylvania, to open the Also, petition of H. A. Killen and 13 other members of the T. Wo::-ld's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Co­ 0. F., Chicago, Ill., for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to lumbian Exoosition. the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of 36 citizens of Dakota, to open the World's Fair Also, petition of CharlesWarmer and 10-!othermembersofthe on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposi­ Gruetli Swiss Society of Danver, Colo., for opening the World's tion. Fair on Sunday-to the S 3lect Committee on the Columbian Also, petition of 20 citizens of Oakland, to open the World's Exposition. Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ Also, petition of Christ Schumacher and 45 other members of position. the Gruetli Society, for opening the World's Fair on Sunday­ Also, petition of 25 citizens of Columbus, Ohio, to open the to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. World's Fair on Sunday-to t.he Select Committee on the Co­ Also, petition of August Busheusen and many others, of Ash ton, lumbian Exposition. Nebr., for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Also, lengthy petition from the industrial citizens of McCon­ Committee on the Columbian Exposition. nellsville, Pa., praying that Congress rescind the proviso which would keep the World's Fair closed to the laboring classes on Also, petition of 100 citizens of Helena, Mont., for opening the World's Fair on Sunda~-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. bian Exposition. Also, similar petition from Hillsdale, Mich., for same purpose oi Sunday opening of the World's Fair-to the Select Committee Also, petition of Martin Muckermann and 69 others, of Pitts­ on the Columbian Exposition. burg, Pa., for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Se­ Also, petition of 20 citizens of Butte City, Mont., to open the lect Committee on the Columbian Exposition. World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ Also, petition of J.P. Christian and 43 others, oi Fort Smith, bian Exposition. Ark .. for Sunday opening of the World's Fail'-to the Select Also, petition of a large number of citizens of Ishpeming, Mich., Committee on the Columbian Exposition. representing themselves as of the industrial citizens of the coun­ Also, petition of Otto H. Zoen and 43 others, of New York City try, praying that the World's Fair be not closed on Sunday-to and other American towns, for opening the World's Fair on the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of labor assemblies, trades unions, and other Also,petitionof96citizens of Chicago, for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian labor~ organized and unorganized, of the cities.of Springfield, Mo.; Holyoke, Mass.; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Hanrubal, 1\;fo.; The Exposition. Dalles, Oregon; Denver, Colo.; Los Angeles, Cal.; Marion, Ind.; Also, uetition of the Sud Quincy Lodge, No. 553, D. 0. H., of St. Joseph, Mo.; Brainerd, Minn.; Colum.bus, Ohio; Zanesville, Quincy,-Ill., for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Ohio; Muncie, Ind.; Rock Island and Moline, Ill.; Little Rock, Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Ark.; Taunton, Mass.; Wilmington, Del.; Bluffton, Decatur, and Also, petition of John Goel and 43 others, of Duquoin, Ill., for Fort Wayne, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; La Porte, Ind.; Lincoln and opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Omaha, Nebr.; Des Moines~ Iowa; Memphi~, Tenn.; ~lympia, Wash.; Ellis, Kans.; Omaha, Nebr.; Kent, Ohw; Palestme, Tex.; Also, petition of A. Newman and 18 others, of Chicago and Denison, Tex.; SanAntonioand Taylor, Tex.; Akron,Pa.; Mead­ other cities, for opening the World's Fair on Sunday-to theSe­ ville, Pa.; West Covington and Ludlow, Ky .-to the Select Com­ lect Committee on the Columbian Exposition. mittee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition ofJ. Power and 20 others, of Quincy, TIL, to open Also, voluminous petition from Great Falls, Mont., represent­ the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the ino- the industrial classes of that city, praying for Sunday open­ Columbian Exposition. ing of the World's Fair in the interest of the educating and bet­ Also, petition of A. Clelark and 40 others, of South Dakota, terment of the working people-to the Select Committee on the to open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee Columbian Exposition. on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of several hundred industrial citizens of St. Paul, Also, petition of Schweizer Thalia Verein, of Chicago, Ill., t::> Minn., to open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Com­ open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on mittee on the Columbian Exposition. . the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of tbe industrial citizens of Duluth, Minn., to Also, petition of N. Halden and 20 others, of White, S. Oak., open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on to open the Worlds Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition from citizens of Michigan Cit.v, Ind., belonging Also, petition of Swiss Lodge of Rochester, N.Y., to open the to the industrial classes, to open the World's Fair on Sunday­ World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. bian Exposition. Also, petition of several hundred citizens of San Antonio, Tex., Also, petition of Pitt Gilda, of Chicago, Ill., to open the belono-ing to trades unions and labor organizations of that city, World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Co­ prayiiig for the Sunday opening of the World's Fair in the in­ lumbian Exposition. terest of the laboring man-to the Select Committee on the Co­ Also, petition of Grollo Lodge, of St. Louis, Mo., to open the lumbian Exposition. World's Fair on Sunday-tothe Select Committee on theColum · Also, lengthy petition from Rutland, Vt., for same-to the bian Exposition. - Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of Heights of Cleveland, Ohio, to open the Also, voluminous petition, representing thousands of citizens World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ of Chicago, belonging to the "greatindustrialpopulation of this bian Exposition. nation," respectfully petitioning Congress to repeal sue~ act as Also, petition of Buffalo Lodge, of Buffalo, N.Y., to open the wiH. close the World's Fair on Sunday, "believing that the in­ World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Colum­ 'terest of the great masses will be.subserved by Sunday open­ bian Exposition. ing"-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of Bremerwordeverein, of San Francisco, Cal., ·.

1893. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 1607

to open the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on gress known as the Sherman bill-to the Committee on Banking the Columbian Exposition. and Currency. Also, petition o.f Grand Rapids, Mich., to open the World's By Mr. CHARLES W. STONE: Petition of 124 citizens of Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Ex­ Mango, Warren, and McKean Counties, Pa., in favor of legisla­ ...- position. tion to suspend foreign immigration for one year and for a com­ Also, petition of Cambridge Lodge, of East Cambridge, Mass., mission of immigration-to the Select Committee on Immigra­ to open the World's Fairon Sunday-to theSelectCommittee on tion and Naturalization. the Columbian Expo3ition. By Mr. STONE of Kentucky: Papers to accompany the bill Also, petition of Hartford, Hartford County, Conn., to open ior the relief of John McCourt-to the Committee on Military the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Affairs. Columbian Exposition. Also, petition of Henry C. Warren, to accompany House bill By Mr. HARTER: Resolution of the board of health of Lor­ 10-194-, for relief-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. ain, Ohio, urging the suspension of immigration-to the Select By Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE: Petition of citizens of Living­ Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. ston County, to accompany House bill10493, asking Congress to By Mr. HATCH: Two resolutions, one of the Ohio State pass a special act pensioning James W. Tharp-to the Commit­ Grange, and the other of the National Farmers' Congress, both tee on Invalid Pensions. - indorsing the antioption bill-to the Committee on Agriculture. By Mr. TOWNSEND: Petition of Charles J. 03ker and 4,500 By Mr. HAYES of Iowa: Petition of William Miller, M.D., other adult prominent citizens of the State of Colorado, against and 2-1,765 other adult citizens of Davenport, and other citizens religious legislation, and in favor of the repeal of the act of Con­ of the State of Iowa, against religious legislation, and in favor gress to close the World's Fair on Sunday-to the Select Com­ of the repeal of the act of Congress to close the World's Fair on mittee on the Columbian Exposition. Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. By Mr. WEADOCK: Petition in the matter of the application By Mr. HILBORN: Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of for pension, claim No. 401,805, of Delila Premo, as widow of John San Francisco, Cal., in favor of the annexation of the Hawaiian Premo, late of Company B, Third Vermont Volunteer Infantry­ Islands to the United States-to the Committee on Foreign Af­ to the Committee on Inv~lid Pensions. fairs. Also, joint resolution of California urging the construction by the United States Government of a deep-water hat'bor at San Pedro, on the coast of Los Angeles County, Cal.-to the SENATE. Committee on Rivers and Harbors. By Mr. HITr: Petition of 27 farmers and laborers of Stephen­ WEDNESDAY, Feb,rua1·y 15, 1893. son County, Ill., relative to a combination between the mills, The Senate met at 12 o'clock m. railroads, and elevators for the purpose of depressing the price Prayer by the.Chaplain, Rev-. J. G. BUTLER, D. D. of wheat, and praying for a Congressional investigation-to the The Journal of yesterday's proceedings was read and approved. Committee on Agriculture. Also, memorial and resolution of the Illinois Society of Engi­ EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS. neers, favoriug adequate appropriation for testing the strength The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communica­ of material of a.ll American woods-to the Committee on Agri­ tion from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a proposed culture. amendment to the g-eneral deficiency appropriation bill provid­ By Mr. HOPKINS of Pennsylvania: Petition of 46 citizens of ing for the payment of C. S. Waite and James Manning for serv­ Potter County, Pa., Roulette, Coudersport, and Pensdale, ices rendered by them as engineer and fireman, respectively, in against immigration-to the Select Committee on Immigration the public building at Lincoln, Nebr.; which, with the accom­ and Naturalization. panying paper, was referred to the Committee on Appropria­ By Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio: Memorial of the International tions, and ordered to be printed. Association of Machinists, Cleveland Lodge, No.233, petitioning He also laid before the Senate a communication from the Sec­ Concrress to prohibit the importation of machinery used in the retary of the Treasw'y, transmitting a letter from the Commis­ man~acture of sugar at a lower rate of duty than other machin­ sioner of Labor submitting an additional estimate of appropria­ ery-to the Committee on Ways and Means. tion for miscellaneous expenses, Department of Labor, for the By Mr. KEM: Resolutions passed by Methodist Episcopal fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, $20,000; which, with the accom­ Church of Sidney, Nebr., respecting Sabbath closing of the panying papers, was referred to the Committee on Appropria­ World's Fair, antilotterylaw, Hatch-Washburnantioptionbill, tions, and ordered to be printed. excluding liquor selling from the World's Fair, restricting im­ He also laid before the Senate a communication from the mio-ration, and prohibiting the unity of church and state-to the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting in response to a resolu­ Select Committee on the Columbian Exposition. tion of the 11th instant, a report of the Fourth Auditor rela­ Also, petition of the State Grange of Nebraska, signed by 56 tive to naval officars' claims for sea pay in accordance with the citizens, asking for the passage of a law forever prohibiting alien decision of the Supreme Court in the case of the United States ownership of land-to the Committee on the Judiciary. vs. Strong; which, with the accompanying papers, wa':l referred By Mr. KYLE: Petition of Hon. G. D. Slands and other citi­ to the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to ba printed. zens, of Tate County, Miss., against opening the World's Fair He also laid before the Senate a communication from the Sec­ on Sunday-to the Select Committee on the Columbi~ Exposi­ retary of the Treasury, transmitting an estimate of appropriation tion. of $594:.50 to pay the expenses of a special messenger sent to ob­ By Mr. McRAE: Resolutions of the Chamber of Commerce of tain the electoral vote of the State of Montana, submitted by the Fort Smith, Ark., indorsing Senate bill2594, introduced by Mr. Secretary of State; which, with the accompanying papers, was BERRY-to the Committee on Indian Affairs. referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be By Mr. O'NEILL of Pennsylvania: Petition of citizens of the printed. Second Congressional district of Pennsylvania, favoring the pass­ He also laid before the Senate a communication from the Sec­ age of an act restricting immigration for one year, excepting retary of the Treasury, transmitting an additional estimate of that of visitors to the World's Fair. and :favoring a commission appropriation for salaries, office of 'Surveyor-general of Montana to investigate the evils of immigration of certain classe&-to the for the fiscal year 1894, $4:,000, submitted by the Secretary ofthe Select Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. Interior; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred tO By Mr. PEARSON: Two petitions of the Order of United the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed. American Mechanics of Ohio, one of Council No. 67, located at Steel, and the other of Council No. 48, located at Bddgeport, both PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. in favor of restricting immigration-to the Select Committee on Mr. HOAR presented petitions of sundry citizens of Hin,llham Immigration and Naturalization. and Cohasset, in the State of Massachusetts, praying for there­ By Mr. RANDALL: Petition of W. D. Wilkinson and 318 cit­ peal of the so-called Sherman silver law; which were ordered izens of Dighton, Mass., praying for proposal of a constitutional to lie on the table. amendment prohibiting the manufacture, importation, exporta­ Mr. HILL presented a petition of Gen. DavidS. Stanley Gar­ tion, transportation, and sale of all alcoholic liquors as a bever­ rison, No. 36, Regular Army and Navy Union, ofBu:ffaJo, N.Y.,

ao-e-to0 the Select Committee on the Alcoholic Liquor Traffic. praying for the passage of legislation to further amend the law By Mr. RUSSELL: Petition of Hope Council, No. 78, United retiring enlisted men of the Army and Marine Corps of the American Mechanics, of Moosup, Conn., in favor of restricting United States after thirty years' honorable service, so as t.o in­ immigration-to the Select Committee on Immigration and Nat­ clude the enlisted men of the Navy; which was referred to the uralization. Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. STEPHENSON: Petition of the business men and He also presented petitions of State Council, Order United citizens of Marquette, Mich., for the repeal of the act of Con- American Mechanics, of New York, and of the Advance LaboL'

·.