The National tribune., 1882-08-12
THE LOSS OF AN ARM.
The House Promptly Passes Bill for the Relic
of Certain Yeterans.

The House Promptly Passes Bill for the Relief
! of Certain Veterans.
Before its adjournment the House passed a
| bill providing for an increase to $3.50 per
month of the pension paid to men who lost an
arm at the shoulder joint. The debate in the
| House on the measure was as follows:
Mr.. CURTIN. l am instructed by the Select
! Committee on the Payment of Pensions. Bounty
and Back Pay to call up for present considera-
ton the bill (H. Z. No. 2713) to extend the
provisions of the act of Congress entitled can
| act for the relief of certain pensioners" ap-
proved March 3, 1879, to certain other pension
| erS.
The bill was read as follows:
Be ii enacted, &c, That the provisions of the act
entitled An act for the relief of certain pensioners
approved March 3 1879, be- and the same are here
| by, extended to all pensioners now on the pension
roll or who may hereafter be placed thereon, for
amputation OF either arm at the shouder-iont
Mr.. CURTIN. The reasons for the passage of
this bill are perfectly Obvious The law now
provides pension of $3.50 per month for a
man who has lost n leg at the hip Joint This
! bill proposes to extend that bounty to those
who have lost an arm at the shOulder-iont
! do not believe that there are twenty men living
/ in the United States who have suffered in that
way; know of but one now in PENNSYLVANIA
/ That was remarkable surgical operation some
| times res0rted to during the war; and those
who suffered it rarely lived. The loss of an
| arm at the shoulder.ont is certainly a greater
! disability than the loss of leg at the hip-ont
4. Mr.. ROBINSON of Massachusetts,. [ have not
before me the law which this bill proposes to
amend | will ask the gentleman if it carries
/ any arrears?
! Mr.. CURTIN. None at ALL
| Mr.. TOWNsHEND, of Illinois / hope there
will be no objection to this bill. 1t is of SINH
lar nature to one introduced by myself, and |
think il is very meritorious. | know of but
one case in my own district and, as has already
been said by the gentleman from Pennsylva-
mia, believe it will affect but few persons.
! Mr.. MCMILLIN. Let the report be read.
/ Mr.. BROWNE. If | understand this bill cor
rectly, it simply makes the pension of those
who have suffered an amputatiOn at the shOul
der.joint equal to the pension given to those
who have suffered an amputatiOn at the hip
Joint, $3.50 per month.
Mr.. CURTIN That is all, and there are but
about twenty persons living who would receive
any benefit under this bill.
Mr.. MCMILLIN. Either the gentleman from
Pennsylvania Mr.. CURTINl is incorrect, or
soldier who suffered this disability is incorrect,
for the soldier stated to me the number at a
larger figure than the gentleman from Penn
sylvania has given. ] have no dOnbt but that
we can find the exact facts by calling upon the
Commissioner of Pensions. l ask that the re-
port be read.
The report was read, as follows:
This committee, to whom was referred House bill
No 27l3, have, after duly considering the same,
come TO the conclusion that it ought to pass.
The act of March 3, 1879, gave to all pensioners
then on the pension rolls, Yho should hereafter
be placed thereon, for amputaton OF either leg at
the hip Joint, pension of $50 per month.
This bill seeks to extend the provisions of that
act to all pensioners who are now the pension
rolls or may hereafter be placed thereon, for am
nt hos Ghnfl fnItlt
The committee of opinion that, taking every
thing into account, the man who has lost arm is
equally as helpless rs one Who has lost leg, and
they theIefo favor the change of the law asked
for in this bill.
There being no objection, the bill was before
the House for consideration.
Mr.. MCMILLIN. | desire to ask the gentle
man from Pennsylvania if the bill is retroac-
tive in its effect?
Mr.. CURTIN. 1t is not
Mr. McMILLIN. And carries no arrears?
Mr.. CURTIN. 1t does not, and the original
law does not.
Mr.. ROBINSON, of Massachusetts,. Does the
gentleman know whether there are other sec
tions of the original act which relate to this
class of pensions than the one referred to in
the bill now before the House?
Mr.. CURTIN. The section referred to in the
bill is the only one referred to by it.
Mr.. MCNIILLIN. | move to amend the bill so
that it shall take effect only after its passage.
Mr.. CURTIN. do not object to that though
there is no necessity for it.
Mr.. MCMILLIN. 1t ought to be so guarded
as to carry with it no arrears.
Mr.. CURTIN. 1t does not; but am satisfied
to put that in if it will crafty the gentleman.
Mr.. MCMILLIN. ! move to amend the bill
by adding to it:
Procided That no arrears shall be allowed under
this act.
The amendment was agreed to.
The bill as amended was then ordered to be
engrossed for third reading; and it was ac-
cordingly read the third time, and passed.
1t did not, however, reach the Senate before
its adjournment, and consequently goes to
the next session, when we shall urge its passage,
together with other measures of relief for the
soldier.