New-York tribune., 1879-01-17
LIBERALITY TO VETERANS.
rIF eENArE PAssTs TIE HOUSE Bill TO GEANI
$4,000, 900 or ARREAEhGES OF PENSIONS.

HE SENATE PASSES THE HOUSE BILL TO GRANT
$2O,OOO 900 or AEREAEAGEs OF TENSIONS.
IBY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBUNEI
WASHINGTON Jan. 16.-Early III the morning
hour today the House measure known as the AT
rearaces Of Pensions bill was brought up IN the
Senate and the discussion upon 1t continued until
final vote WAS reached at 3 o'clock, when the bill
was passed by a vote of fOrty-our III the affrmatlVe
TO four IN the negative. The Senators voting nay
were Nessrs. Davis, of West Virginia Hereford, Me
Crcery and Saulsbury. No Senator yentured to op-
pose the bill in a speech; and the debate upon 1t
was with regard to the amendment of 1t III single
particular TO understand which 1t * necessary 10
quote the present law governing the aTreaIages OF
pensions. 1t IS as follows:
An ucu,ions wnicn have been, or which may here
after be granted, in consequence OF oeath oocuIims
from a cause which originated in the service since me
An day March, 1851 or III consequence "i WOUNDS or
luuIe, received diseases contracted succ lhat clc
shal commence from ie death or rd,chHIge ot tne tr
granted or from the termination OF the night OF the
patty having pTO" tile 10 such pension, pt"Ndcd thc
dcd with tue Commissioner of Pensions within FIVE
years right thereto mas occurred otherwise the
evidence necessary estabi, the same But the lin
itat on heren prescribed shall not apply to claims hy or
IN behalf OF insane persons and children under sixteen
ycdIs.
1t was brought out in debate ana repeatedly as
serted by those in charge of the present b that the
bill would only change the existing law by repeal
Ing the limitation clause, which fixes the
limit of five years from the date of death
OF discharge within which claim for pension must
be filed in order to be available for any arrears Of
pensions Early in the debate the point was made
that solIicrs who had contracted the seeds
Of disease during the war, bat who had not
been IN any way disabled for several years were
not m equity or under the spirit OF onr pension SyS
TEN entitled TO ANY pension for the years during
winch they bad suffered no disability; ana an
amendment was moved by Senator lioar providing
that no pension should bear date prior to the oc-
Currencc of the disability. Upon tins amendment
occurred nearly all the discussion which took place
The fairness aud Dropriety of tie amendment were
admitted on al sides, but II was opposed on two
grounds VIZ: that if the Senate amended the bill II
would compel the sending of the bill back to the
House and Iisking considerable delay if not ITS
ultimate defeat; aud secondly, the provision was
unnecessary, inasmuch as it had bccn the uniform
practice of Commissioners of Pensions 10 interpret
the existing statutes in such way as TO accomplish
the very result aimed AT By the Senator from
Massachusetts. This latter point was made at DIFF
fcrent times by at least four Senator'S although 1t
was urged at great length and most earnestly by
Others that because an Official Of the Government
had the good sense 10 interpret a law passed by
Congress in such a way that no loss should result
from IFS defects omissions it was no reason why
such defects or omissions should be reenacted and
the Interpretation still be left to the wisdom
or interest or whim Of such officials or
their successors. Inquiry at the Pension Office dis
closes the remarkable fact that the Senators who
IpOke 80 positively III this respect were entirely
Ai.iaIen and tha 10 such practice aud no such III