New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-31
A SOUTHERN PENSION RAID.
SCHEMES TO DISBURSE PUBLIC MONEYS.
BILLS IN THE HOUSE TO PENSION Ex-coNFEDEKAIE
SOLDIERS.


WASHINGTON. Dec. 3O-The Solid South having
obtained virtual control of the committee organza-
ton of the House. its Representatives. are casting
about for plans SO to distribute the surplus revenue
that the Southern States can get even. WIN
Southern lnen at the head of the Committees Oh
Education, Rivers and Harbors and PENSIONS INC
prospects of success seem at least falr' ~ 'no
latter committee is assigned the duty OF wlpns ou'
the legal distinction which now exists peC"ooi
pension claimants who were loyal to the Union ana
those who were dsloyal, and which prevents tne
payment of pensions to the latter. The cominlt'eo
is also expected to report favorably at an carry
day. bill to pension all survivors of the war WIN
Mexico and the Florida Creek and Black Hawk
Indian wars, who served fourteen days or more, anu
the surviving widows of the soldiers of those wars,
and to restore to the pension rolls all living PEN
soners of the war OF 1912 whose names were
stricken therefrom because they took up arms
against the Government.
PURPoRT OF MR.. HEwITT's BILLS.
Half dozen bills on the subjects have already
been offered, FIVE of them by Southern men. One is
by Mr.. Hewitt, of Alabama, who is chairman OF
the Pensions Committee. 1t gives SO month to all
surviving oficeos and enlisted men, including
militia and volunteers, of the military and naval
service who served sixty days in the Mexican war
OF thirty days in the Creek, Florida or Black Hawk
war. The same amount is 10 be given to the
widows of soldiers of those wars who have not re-
married. But If a who served in the Mexican
war was afterward a soldier in the Union army
and in receipt of pension on that account he cam
not enjoy the benefits of the proposed act.
Service In the Rebel army, however does not par
his claim. The bill repeats section 4716 OF the
Revised Statutes which forbids the payment OF
I pensions to persons who were disloya bnt 1t con-
tans provision which excludes from its dement's
all persons who are under the disabilities imposed
by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
| This is, of course. designed TO cut OIL Jefferson
Davis. and it will affect nobody else
SOME OTHER PENSION BILLS.
Another bill, by Mr.. Reagan of Texas, contains
identical provisions, except the ono last mentioned
1t was hardly to be expected that the exPostmaSer
General of the Southern Confederacy would be
willing TO exclude his fallen chief from the benefits
| of the proposed measure. The bill offered by MI
| Dibble of South Carolina, does not fix any limit
as to the time of service and applies only to soldiers
| of the Mexican war and docs not exclude Jefferson
| Davis The one introduced by Mr. Throckmorton'
of Texas requires 60 days fscryice in the Mexican
! Florida or Black Hawk war, and excludes persons
under political disabilities. The bill offered ny
| Mr. Lamb of Indiana requires fourteen days SER
vice and applies 10 the Mexican war. II also pro-
vides for the restoration to the rolls of all pension
|
| therefrom on account of dsloyalty, but excludes
from its benefits persons under political disabilities
| In 1870 Democratic Pension Committee in the
House loaded down bill for the benefit of disabled
veterans of the Union army with provisions like
these contained in the bills described, and stub
bOrnly refused to allow the propositions 10 be sepa-
rated 1t required two-thirds vote to flank tho
! Committee Afterward the Mexican pension bill
was attached by a Democratic Senate as - rider W
to a bill appropriatnS money TO pay Union pen
! sioners but timely motion TO reconsider. made by
| Senator Window, was carried by majority OF one
vote and after a bitter and exciting de-
bate the rider" was finally defeated
ESTIMATES or THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE.
Several estimates have been made Of tho amount
| which would be drawn from the Treasury if these
bills were to become laws. One Of these puts the
amSvh. required on account of the Mexican war
| alon0 Mt S41OOO,OO0 This estimate, however
came from the same authority which figured the
probable demands of the Arrearages of Pensions
| act at $S0C00,000, or less than one
fourth of the amount which will actually be
required even should the privileges Of that act not
| he extended az now proposed When the act to
pension all survivors of the Of 1912 was passed
! In 1871 an estimate that 10000 persons would
share its benefits was considered wlld; thirteen
wears have passed and $4,000 names are on the
pension rolls under that act although
seventy years have passed since the end
| of the OF 1917. Inc DIS now pro-
posed would add at least 10000 pensioners
10 the rolls and cost the Treasury more than 500,
600 600 in the end, according to careful estimates
! by Representative Browne and Others, who have in
| vestigated the subject.
| BENEFITS OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
| good deal has been said about the Imperial
! domain" added to the United States by the blood
and valor Of the heroes Of the Mexican war.
By the treaty of Guadaupe-Hidalgo the
United States acquired about 33i,0O000O
acres of land, subject to numerous
| and extensive grants to individuals amounting in
all TO more than 10000 900 acres. For this CessOn
| the United States paid Mexico $l5000,000 Sub
| seuuently about 65.000,000 acres were bought
| from Texas at q total cost Of $l6,000,000. But
this Is not all Land warrants applicable TO public
| lands of the United States in any part OF the
| country were given to everybody who served four
teen DAYS or was In single battle during the Mcxi
| can war. In case Of death the warrant
was given to the widow children Of the soldier.
| In this way SOL 1913 lands warrants
distributed. They covered total area Of 81 OPS
400 acres-1, 00000 of acres more i'll area than all
| of New-England plus New-Jersey, Delaware and
! Maryland, an area greater than New-IOrk and
| Pennsylvania combined.
1t does not appear that the Mexican veterans
have been altogether neglected by an migrate
| full country, as the matter now stands, but
il is probable that Chairman Hewitts bill or
one substantially like it Will be forced through the
HOuse this session.