The National tribune., 1883-02-01
THE FORTY DOLLAR BILL.
An Adverse Majority Report and Three Minority
RcnortS-Iheir Signifcancn.

gressional proceedings, four reports were sub
mittcd to the Senate, on Friday last, from the
Committee on Pensions in regard to House bill
No. 1lIO, popularity known as the forty-dollar
bill. The text of the bill is as follows:
That from and after the passage of this act all
persons on the pension roll and all persons here
after granted pension, who while in the military
naval service of the United States, and in the
line of duty shall have lost one arm, one hand,
leg or one foot, or shall have suffered disability
equal thereto, shall be entitled to pension OF $40
per month.
The Senate Committee on Pensions is COM
posed of IIessrs Mitchell, Pa.,) chairman, Patt
Conn, Blair N. H., Van Wyck (Neb.), and
Chilcott lC0l.), Republicans, and Messrs. Bar
row (Ga.), Slater (Or.), Jackson (Icnn.), and
Camden (W. Va, Democrats.
The Democratic members united in an adj
verse report, which, owing to the diversity of
opinion among the Republican members, be-
came the majority report and was presented as
such to the Senate.
Two Republican members, Messrs. Van Wyck
iNcb.) and Mitchell pa united in a report
tavoring the passage of the bill, and it was pre-
scented to the Senate rs one OF the minority re-
ports. IN this report they say:
We must not forget the tmo when we pledged
all there was Of value grateful rcmcmbranccs for
those who iclI and providen care thelr families,
and to those who should survive, public employ
mcnt without grUdging, and money from the Treas
urY without stint.
At q time when the surplus funds in our Treasury
are considered invitation 20 reckless and eXrav
agant expenditures it certainly becomes the duty
OF Congress 10 pay 70 the uttermost contract made
III the hour 81 danger ana ratified III the blood ana
wounds of thousands Of our soldiers.
Bat the promise to public position and employ
ment has not been faithfully kept. Yet we have it
III power to fulfill the other portion Of the con-
tract by rendering, IN the payment of money,
partial compensation for the losses sustained.
The justice of this measure does not depend upon
the money required or the number of soldiers on
the pension roll.
The remaining Republican member of the
c0mmittce-IIr. Platt, Of Connecticut sub
mitted still another minority report in the
shape OF 4 bill Is. 1920 embOdying his own
personal views. The text is as follows:
BE it enacted By the Senate and House Of Represent
CtirCS Of the United States Of america u. Congress
Sembted That from and after the passage OF this act
all persons on the pension roll, and all persons
hereafter granted pension, who, while iii the mill
itary naval service of the United States and in
the line OF duty. shall have lost hand or Il foot
shall be entitled to pension of twentyfour dollars
per month; all persons who in like manner shall
have suffered auputation at or above the elbow
knee at the rate of thirty dollars per month; and
ali VINO shall IN IKE manner have suffered ampu-
tation at the hipioint at the shoulder joint,
who shall have lost hand and one foot, shall
be totally disabled in hand and foot,
snail be otherwise disabled to be ncapacitatcd
for the performance Of any manual labor, but not
much rs to require the regular personal aid and
attendance of another person, mt the rate of forty
dollars per month; and all persons who in like
manner shall have contracted disability equal or
equivalent to any of the foregoing specified dis
abtlcS, shall be entitled to receive pension per
month of the amount hereby granted to such dis
ability; and in case of amputation below Joint,
but with such effect as to produce disability equal
To that produced by amputatl0n mt or above the
Joint, pension shall be paid for the disability act
ualy resulting from such amputation; and all per-
who III like manner shall have lost the sight of
one eye shall receive pension at the rate of twelve
dollars per month; and in cases in which the injury
TO the eye manifesty affects injurousy the sight
of the othcrey Ill which the other eye shall have
been partially disabled in the service and line of
duty : aforesaid, he shall be entitled to equt-
able increase in his pension, not to exceed, when
the loss of sight * less than total blindness, the
whole amount, forty dollars per month; and all
those who while in the military or naval service of
the United States, in the line of duty by injury
cGivcd disease contracted shall have totally lost
the hearing of both ears shall be entitled to receive
pension of thirty dollars per month; and for any
loss of hearing less than total Deafness they shall
receive an equitable portion thereof
SEC That instead OF the rate Of eighteen dollars
per month provided III section four thousand six
hundred and ninety-nine OF the Revised Statutes,
the rate OF twenty -four dollars Per month may be
divided for any degree disability
established for which neither the preceding section
nor section four thousand six hundred and ninety
five of the Revised statutes make provision Pro-
rided That nothing Ill this act shall be construed to
reduce any pension now authorized by law; nor
shall any pensioner be entitled to increase under
this section until examination shall show an
increase in his actual disability.
SIC J. That no applicant for pension whose claim
shall be granted hereafter shall receive arrears or
any allowance of pension for the time prior to the
passage Oh TINS act greater than ne would he emit
tied TO receive by virtue of existing laws; but from
and after the passage of this act his pension shall
be computed III accordance Herewith, Ii his dis
ability be such rs is included in its provisions.
Two other Republican manifestations
Blairand Chilcott-while not iavoring the origi- |
nal list were of the opinion that some measure
providing for an increase of pensions ought to
be adopted, and they accordingly submitted |
another minority report, accompanied by the |
draft of Il bill Is. 2i20) embodying their views !
The text of the bill is as follows
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Represent
GtircS 0f the United States Of 4mericG IN Congress as
sebtcd That from and after the passage of this act
all persons on the pensonroll and all persons here
after granted pension, who while in the military
or naval service OF the United states ana in the line
of duty shall have lost one hand foot, or |
been totally or permanently disabled in the same, |
or otherwise so disabled as to render their inca
paClty TO perform manual labor equivalent to the |
loss OF hand or foot. shall receive pension of
twcnty-lour dollars per month; that all persons /
now OF the pcnsiUn-rol and all persons hereafter !
granted a pension, who IN ike manner shall have
lost either an arm ut above the elbow, q leg at
or above the knee, shall have been Otherwise so
Disabled rs to be lncHp1citated for performing any
labor, but not much to require rcgu- /
lar personal aid and attendance, shall receive Il |
pension of thirty dollars Der month: Provided That
nothing contained in this act shall be construed to |
repeal section iG99 of the Revised Statutes of the |
nicd states, or tn change the rate of eighteen |
dollars per month therein mentioned to be pro-
divided for any degree of disability
for which section 1893 makes provis-
ion.
The Senate ordered the four reports to be
printed together, and directed the two indie
pendent bills to be placed on the calendar.
The origin of this difference Of opinion among
the Republican members of the committee is
doubtless to be ascribed to the inequality Of the
benefits proposed by the $40 bill, which, rs il
passed the House OF Representatives, provided,
in substance, that the rate Of pension now paid
lOr the loss Of Il hand or foot, other disability
equivalent thereto, to wit, SiS per month, be
increased to $40 per month; that the rate paid
for the loss Of an arm at or above the elbow, or
4 leg at or above the knee to wit $2i per
month, be in like manner increased to $40 per
month; also that the rate paid to those other
wise so disabled as to be incapactated for per
forming any manual labor, but not so much as
to require personal aid and attendance, to wit
SIT per month, be increased to $40; and like
wise, those now receiving $50 per month by
reason OF loss OF one hand and one foot, or any
equivalent thereto, be similarly in
creased to $40. The proposed bill would place
1 soldier who had lost one hand one foot in
the Same grade OF pension rs one who had lost
BOTH increasing one class $22 per month, or
more than double the amount they are now
while others more disabled would
lraw bnt 81 per month additional The same
inequality would exist in other grades 1t was
his feature apparently which rendered the bill
Objectionable i'll the opinion of all except two
Republican members of the committee.
An Echo OF the Old Rebel FELL:
From the Southern CruSaderl
Politicians, eager for the votes Of the dear