The National tribune., 1882-06-24

filed it seems that the pensiOn-roll WAS increased
during the last v"or i9,02S names
At the clo' wear the value of the an
nual pension penSiOnor on the roll av-
eragcd SlO1Gl, rliie the aggregate annual
value of all pensions was SIS, ,769 96746.
The annua! payments, however, exceed tins
sum by several million dollars; that is, the
total amount paid during the year, exclusive
OF arrears due in pensions allowed prior to
January p, 1919 the date of the passage OF the
arrears act was Si0,725, 1852, which is ac-
counted for by what is known rs arrears ct
pensions or accrued pension covering hcperiod
since discharge in the case Of soldier, and
since the soldiers death in case of 4 widow.
The amount appropriated the past year TO
meet the payment Of pensions was S5O,3f2.3 .3O6.bS
exclusive of the amounts for a5iarics and
expenses of the pension agents, and the fees Of
examining surgeons.
Down to June 80, 1881, thcrc has been filed
in the .crsion Office since the commencement
of the war in 1861, 7H6,i22 claims, OF which
I number it5Il2 wore allowed, and upon which
has been ps;d the sum Of f"O6,3f5, ,0i4.21
There were on flc in the Pension Burcau on
on The Goth Of Juno last 2i6.323 claims of
which number 1854 were filed during the
previous wear
During the same time ii, ,i55 claims were
allowed and I4.-S6 rejected, making in all
56,3iI claims which were Fctt!cd and ended, so
that thcr. VIZ. m increase of $3.50 during the
. y
on file and un2d iGsted.
/ During the wear special agents sent ont by
( the Commissioner of Pensions, invest gated
about seven hundred cases at an expense of
! 227i512 and which will result in future
/ annual saving to tho Government Of ;o4,6i3,
I ard the net future savings of which VIII
amount to $2i6, ,5S22l As already stated we
/ have up 10 this time, paid more than five nun
/ drcd millions for pensions, and it, in addition
/ to our present roll, we take on the survivors Of
! the Mexican war. and their widows, at the end
/ of seven years Our pension list FOR the next
/ twenty-five years, computed upon that basis,
will amount, in the aggregate, to the sum OF
/ $1,3f7 ,651 ,393.
As | have already shown, by the laws of
! every civilized nation on the globe, and cspe-
( ciallv under our own, every soldier who is
wounded or contracts disease in the military
service of his country is entitled to a pension
propOTtioncd to his disability, and 10 have
/ that pension commence from the date Of the
injury or the soldiers discharge. The chair
man of the Committee on Invalid pensions
fairly expressed that idea the other day in his
/ speech when he said q pension is due the
moment the Government declares by the sol
/ diers discharge that the disability units him
from further service, provided the injury
/ continues and impairS his ability 10 labor.
/ The pension is the sum the Government pays
to make the man each month equal in his
| ability to labor to what he would have been
. had the disability not been incurred. On the
/ very day the injury drives him from the Gov
( eTnmcnt's employ his right to demand pen
sion exists and if il werc possible to perfect
his proofs then his pay would begin ut once
Now, sir, it was for the purpose Of carrying
ont this theory. asCmbodcd and set forth in our
early pension lava, and of doing an act OF plain
ana simple justice TO 4 most worthy and dcscrv-
ing class OF our foilov-citiZcns that the arrears
act, founded in justice and equity, was passed
on the 2jth Of January, 1870, and the supple
. mental act OF March , of the same year. 1t
was for the purpose of removing a bar to the
prosecution of pension claim which l contend
. never should have hccn placed in the soldiers
way. If nc is entitled to pension at all, |
hold that il should he given 10 him whenever
I he furnishes the proof that satisfies the Pen
sion Bureau that he ought to have it, whether
il lie ono year or ten years after he receives
the wound or contracts the disease
This is Just what this much abused and
misrcprcscntcd arrears act docs. Congress could
not have done less and kept faith VIZ
soldiers: it can and should now d
by repeating that classe in the act
limits the time for the filing Of claims
/. 1856 If that clause in the act was {
ont. then every man who could pr
claim TO a pension, at any time, would
il from the time of his discharge or
time he was disabled by wounds or
This would be fair, equitable, and alb
just.
on reference to the earlier pension
find that this theory OF granting ?
to date from the time OF The soldiers
or discharge, was plainly recognized
forth in every act, although coupled
prov ision. in some Of the statutes, that
to carry arrears the application must
on or before a day named in the act.
II has been often said that the arrC
was rushed through Congress without
I-,-.. Itr h-ft ~
greater mistake could possibly be ma,
wears Congress had been flooded with
from all I,Irss of the Coun.ry s2ned by
and civilians, urging and begging for
sage of such law. 1t was thoroughly G.,,,..~.,-.
and considered by the Committee on Invalid
Pensions OF this House. and agreed to By every
member Of the committee both Republican and
Democrat except one, and he only objected to
ii because the committees bill proposed to re-
store men to the pcnSlun-rOH VINO had been
dropped for participation IN the rebellion. 1t
is true that 1t passed under 4 suspension OF the
rules but it certainly is not subject to criticism
on that ground because that is about the only
way we can ever get anything through this
House, - successful have We been III construct
inp our rules 50 ~ to prevent all necessary and
legitimate legislation.
And when the bill went to the Senate 1t was
/ discussed for some time, every Senator had
time 10 examina it. and have no doubt voted
upon II una tEhtalInGiN anu WI LII ltLi fi!oh /
I edge Of all the facts. | voted for tho bill be
cause believed il was right, because beloved
, / 1t was founded in justice, and ! have never
changed my mind, and / am not now 10 be
frightened, or intimidated, or driven into vot
ing for its repeal because it will cost fe~
, millions moro than some of Us supposed WheI
il was passed.
And, sir, even if had been originally op
; posed 10 its passage, ! would not now consent
to its repeal which would result in cutting of
; portion Of the claimants after their more
fortunate comrads have been paid
Sir my advice to the men VINO are croakinE
about this act is to stop this whining and
, growing about the amount of money lb will
cost, and stand up like good citizens, honor the
paper of the Government pay every old soldier
, what is honestly due to him, and receive The
, approval of mankind and of their own con
, sciences.
| The settlement and payment of pension
, claims is a matter of fact and not of sentiment
; Its Importance TO the people of this country
cannot be overeStimatcd. 1t involves the whole
f question Of our revenues, and presents for an
swer the bold inquiry, how shall VIC raise the
} necessary funds to meet this annual charge foI
, the next twenty-five years?
The idea of a depleted cXChequcr and conse
gueut inability TO meet this requlslhon van
t ishcs when we turn to the report Of the Secre
tary of the Treasury and find that the reve
nueS of this Government for the last fiscal yea1
3 amounted to the almost fabulous sum OF 900,
2 7S2, 1921 and that the receipts of the present
, wear will far exceed tho last, while our expend