The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-10
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
EBOr Additional Local Items see F5n Pa7a.

The EXTRA BOUNTY BTLL-WHoM 1T
AFFECTs.-There seems to be q general mIsun-
derstandng IN regard to the Bounty bill passed
by Congress the last day OF the session. which
grants one hundred dollars extra bounty to the
three-year soldiers and fifty dollars to the two.
year men. The evil effects of the anticipated
windtall have already begun to be visible among
those OF the working classes who expect to re.
ceive the money under, the law; and numerous
cases have come under our notice in which
STEADY and INDUSTRIOUS hands have either so
deported themselves as to endanger their places
or to have threwn up their situations in antIc.
patton. To them we will say a word, after
explaining the bill. The first part to be noticed
is that the nifty dollar section has nothing to do
with the soldiers of this State. 1t was intro
duced for the beneftof the two yearr regiments
of New York and Indiana. Pennsylvania sent
no two-year regiments cut. Men from our State
who have served two years in a three-year
regiment do not come under this section, and
they take nothing under the act unless dis
CHARGED for 1COu79dS.
Soldiers who had enlisted for three years, and
have been discharged for disability before their
term OF service had expired do not fall under
the provisions OF the law. IL is probable that
they VIII be attended to next session, but under
the present BOUNTY bill they are not entitled to
any pay. This seems to us like injustice. 1t is
certainly only talr that men who have expressed
desire to serve three years, and who have only
been Prevented by their health failing them,
While striving to do their duty, should be treated
the same as THOUGH they had served out their
enlisted time. 1t was because of no fault of
theirs that nature was not sufficiently strong,
The spirit indeed was willing, though the flesh
was weak.
Again, veteran volunteers do not come under
the law. They have already received more than
the one hundred dollars, and this extra bounty
is expressly granted only to such as have not
received heretofore that sun. As the law at
present stands the only persons clearly entitled
are the soldiers of 1861, 1862, or 1863 who have
served out three years, or have been discharged
fnr.r de-. Or fhn xuif nrnh 1rnn
parents of those soldiers who have died or been
killed in service, or have died of wounds
received or disease contracted IN the service,
always providing that the claimant has not
already received more than one hundred dollars
Government bounty. We have few words of
advice to add. 1t will require months before
those who are entitled under the act Will be ena-
bled to receive their due. commission has
been appointed by the War Office to pro-
pose plan by which it can be carried into
effect. 1t will require weeks to perfect plan.
An appropriation must then be made, and
finally, after all prCiminaries arranoed, it is
probable that the discharges will have to be
presented in order, and thus it may be year
before it will be really paid into the recipients
hands, minus fees to brokers and agents, price
of stamps, transmission throueh mails, and the
hundred other ct ceteras which will cause the
sum to grow beautifully less. Meanwhile, lei
all continue in their regular routine. as though
nothing had been allotted them. The little sum
should be LAID aside, when it is received, in an
ticipation of any untoward emergency. Let II
not be spent in rioting and above all, do not
assign it to agents, receiving in return frac
tton In cash fer what will surely come if yoT
have but patience TO wait.