Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-22
Inconsistency fthe Present Pension Law.

There are many inconsistencies and In
congruities in the Pension Laws, as they
now stand, really meriting the attention
of Congress, and which, in the interests of
substantial Justice require a speedy
remedy. Among them is the limitation
imposed by the first proviso of Section 10,
of the -tct of March 81. 1873, which we
illustrate as follows
Two comrades. living in the same town,
enlisted together in the army. and were
wounded OF contracted disease in the line
of their duty. for which they We're discharg-
ed. One makes immediate application,
and receives his pension from the date of
his discharge. The other being public
spirited, hopeful and ambitious, unwilling
to add to the burdens of taxation, and inn
bucd with the same spirit of patriotism
which induced him to enter the army,
determines to support himself by his own
endcavorS. in which he succeeds for a
time. \ reverse in business, ora calamity
sweeps his all away. and he finds himself
totally destitute and broken in health,
owing To his original disability. He is,
therefore, compelled to apply for Il pension
and. after the delay incident to the Difficult
ty of obtaining evidence necessary to the
completion of bis claim. he is at last plac-
ed upon the Pension Roll But the limita-
ton Of five years having expired previous
to his application. his pension commences
not from the date Of his discharge. but
from the date of filing the last evidence
necessary To establish his claim.
Take also the cases of two soldiers who
contract disease in the line of their duty,
in each case terminating fatally. Both en-
deavor to recover their health amid the
scenes Of peaceful life. but owing to the
/ difference of temperament one, being less
/ hopeful than the other. applies for 4 pen
1 sion. and dies before the completion of hi,
claim The other. unwilling to concedt
the hope ofrccoverv. and indi>posed to be
come Il recipient OF the nations bounty
/ fingers on t,ntil death relieves him of hi,
suiltring>. Both leave widows, who ap
! ply simultaneously for pensions, which
after the usual and unavoidable delays in
cident thereto. are allowed.
/ But in the case of the widow of the sol
di,r.Who died lir~t.the pension commence,
+ in 1861, the date of her husbands discharg,
I because his application for pension wa.
originally made in 1865. or within fly,
wears from the date of discharge. TIL,
pension of the widow of the soldier VIII,
died last commences in 1872, the dute O.
her husIauFs d.afh. making diferenc,
I of eight wears. and of about one thouSant
dollars in the amount received. both being
made widows under the same circumstan
ces. and equally entitled to pension. The
limitation of five years thus operates un-
justly and umelually. and to the prejudice
of the one entitled, perhaps. to the greater
consideration.
Thesr cases are not hypothetical or i'm
aginary. They actually exist in every
neighborhood and section of the country
and those who suffer from this iniustic,
and inequality. originating. no doubt, from
Il want OF proper understanding on thu
part Of Congress heretofore, have every
right to demand the proper relief,
We trust Congress will, when this matte
is brought to lis attention at the present ses
sion, give serious consideration to the fact
presented. \ reasonable extension Of til,
limitation of the proviso of Section -, o
the Act of March ;}d. 1873, Will in a grea
measure remedy the evil to which w
have decentralization Rec0id.