The National tribune., 1884-11-27
WHAT 1T PROVIDES.

Pension bill will give those entitled to bene-
fits under it. We will give brief synopsis
of its provisions, Invested of all legal verbi-
age:
The first seven sections provide that any
man who was duly enlisted in the army
during the Mexican war, who served Ia
days, or was actually engaged in battle (;
was honorably discharged, who is now GO
years old or disabled, shall be entitled to
a pension of IS month. Prorided, that he
did not incur his disability in voluntarily
aiding the Southern Confederacy. The I'M
married widow of such a soldier is entitled
to the same pension. Jefferson Davis is ex-
cluded from the benefits of the act.
Section provides that any man who
served for three months during the war OF
the rebellion, either in the Army or Navy,
was honorably discharged, who is now dis
abled from some cause not due to his own
gross misconduct, and who is dependent
upon his own labor for support, shall, if
totally disabled for manual labor, receive
$24 month, and proportionately smaller
amount where his disability is less than
total. Any disabled soldier may choose
whether he will prosecute his claim under
this law or the general pension law,
and the obnoxious phrase land such cleo
ton shall be final" is omitted.
Section raises the pension of widows or
minor children from So to $12 month.
Section 10 provides that when any pen
sioner shall die his widow and minor chill
dren shall be entitled to an original pension
in their own right, without the necessity of
proving that his death was caused by his
military service.
Section II provides that pensions granted
to widows on account of minor children
shall be continued without limit as to age
whenever it shall appear that such minors
are Of unsound mind or physically helpless.
Section IL greatly improves the conditions
under which pensions are awarded to de-
pendent parents, and raises such pensions
from IS to S12 month.
Section Is makes apply to all pension laws
most righteous reform. 1t provides that
the fact that an applicant for pension was
received into the service of the United States
and regularly mustered must be accepted
as prima. facie evidence of his soundness at
the time, and consequently the burden of
proof that he was not sound must rest upon
those who oppose his pension.
So far as it goes this bill is most benefi-
cent piece Of legislation. Its provisions are
all admirable, and they go a great distance
in the way of ameliorating the hardships
under which soldiers have suffered, and
toward doing them justice.
The granting of pensions to Mexican sol
diers will meet with general commentator.
Those brave men served their country faith
fully, and performed military prodigies,
which called out the admiration of the
world. Their pay and allowances were
slender, while the service rendered gave the
Nation domain equal in extent and re-
sources to the proudest of European Empires.
There are but few of the gallant band still
living, and they certainly deserve SO slender
a stipend as So month.
To give man who served in the army
during the rebellion and is now disabled
from earning his own living $24 a month,
is merely justice, and very scanty justice at
that. If the man is incapacitated from
earning his own support, he is certainly
entitled to support from some source, and if
the United States does not take care of him
his County must. Clearly it is the duty of
the Government to do this, since he broke
himself down in its service. In doing this
it only pays debt which it definitely as
sumed when it solicited him to enter its
service. It promised him then to take care
Of him, if he became injured in its service,
and it should do SO now, and not throw the
obligation off on some one else.
Raising the pension of widows, dependent
relatives, ETC., from So to $12 month is,
with equal clearness, the duty of the Gov
eminent. If it owes those persons any
thing it owes them more than the beggarly
little So month. Something nearer an
adequate support is due those whose means
of support have been taken away by the
cruel hand of war.
The doing away with the limit of age in
cases where the children of a soldier are
incapactated for taking care of themselves
is both Justice and humanity.
To provide that in all pension proceedings
it shall be assumed that the applicant was
sound when he passed the Surgeons exami-
nation at the time of his enlistment, is sim
ply decency. The contrary practice of re-
quiring an applicant to prove his soundness
at the time of enlistment before allowing
him pension was, is, and always has been
an outrage 1t is something that the courts