The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-03
MEXICAN PENSION BILL.
A Summary OF the Provisions Of the Measure as
Passed by the Senate.

A Summary OF the Provisions Of the Measure as
Passed by the Senate.
The following is summary of the provisions
of the Mexican pension bill as passed by the
Senate:
Section directs the Secretary of the Interior to
place on the pension roll the of surviving
officers and enlisted of the military and naval
services who actually served Ia days in Mexico.
were on its coasts frontier route to Mexico.
Were actually in battle Of the Mexican war and
were hoDorabiy discharged; and such officers, sol
diers and sailors may have been personally
named in any resolution of Congress for specific
service in that war, and such of their widows
have not remarked; provided such officer enlisted
man or widow be or become 81 years Of age,
subject to disability dependency equivalent to
some cause recognized by the pension laws of the
United States sufficient for the allowance
of pension. No person is entitled to the benefits OF
the bill who does not within this rule of age
disability. who incurred such disability while
voluntarily engaged in the late rebellion.
Sec. fixes the rate at - per month, payable only
of the beneficiary during the continuance OF the
disability. Pensioners already receiving g month
however cut Off and those receiving less than
IS simply get the difference between So and the
amount they have been heretofore receiving.
Sec. throws the burden of proof the person
applying for the pension to show that he is entitled
to it, declares false oaths in such proof TO be per-
jury. and directs the Secretary of the Interior to
stop the pension on discovery of fraud Loss OF
the certificate Of discharge shall not exclude the
applicant from the benefits of the act other record
evidence of enlistment and service and Of honor
able discharge may be deemed sufficient. Land
warrants granted for the war service shall be Irio
facie evidence of service and honorable discharge.
but may be rebutted by evidence that the warrant
was improperly granted.
By sec. the pension laws already In force and
not inconsistent with this act made part of this
| act so far as applicable.
Sec 5 prohibits attorneys and agents from eharg-
ing than 80 for services to the claimant and
forbids collection of the money till the claim is
| allowed.
See repeats section 716 of the Revised Statutes
~ relate, 10 this bill 4 si6
the payment oil pensions TO those who voluntarily
| engaged in rebellion.
Sec. excludes from pension all persons laboring
under the political disabilities imposed by the four
! teeIith amendment
| Sec 8 gives pension to all persons who for three
/ months served on the Union side Of the OF the
( rebellion who has honorable discharge and is
/ or shall become disabled from any not the
result of his own gross careessness, disreputabe
conduct vicious habits, and Is dependent his
aboTf support The amount of t..is pension
is to be proportionate 10 the degree Of disability
and to begin from the date of fling the application.
The highest rate allowed under this section is i
month, which amount mace divi=ibe Tor less de-
grees OF disability. No person can, however, claim
the benefit of this pension who already receives
| pension higher than s2i a month Applicants hay-
ing claims pending, who may hereafter file
claims may elect to prosecute their elains either
/ under this act or the general pension laws.
| Sec. increases the pension OF ali widows or
! minor children of soldiers and sailors who now
receiving IS q month TO SO month, and extends
the increase to all such who may hereafter apply,
who under existing laws, would be entitled to =
| a month
Sec 10 provides that if an invalid pensioner,
whose disability contracted in service and in
the line of duty, has died when he shall here
after die, leaving widow or minor child under 1f
years of age, both, they shalt be entitled in the
/ order of succession named, to original pension
in their right under existing laws without
being required to prove that the death of the huS-
/ band father was due to his military Or naval
service.
/ Sec. IL continues the pensions of minor children
when they become of unsound mind or physically
! helpless.
| See. IL provides that in considering the claims
/ of dependent parents, after proving the fact oil
death and its cause, and that no widow children
are left, it shall only be necessary 70 prove that
! the parent is without other means of comfortable
| support than his or her manual labor, or the
contributions of others not legally bound to sup
| port him or her. and such dependent parents sfal
hereafter be entitled 10 So month instead Of IS.
Sec. Is makes the record of enlistment and mus
terng into service FSriJrd fnce evidence OF sound
ness at the time of enlistment, subject however, tC
rebuttal by competent evidence.
! Sec. IA provides that person shall be entitled
to more than one pension at the same time under
any all laws, unless the act under which tht
double pension is granted shall specially declare