The National tribune., 1886-06-03
SENATE BILL NO. 1885.

SENATE BILL NO. 1885.
Though we published Senate Bill No 1886
last week the matter is Of such extreme i'm
portance that we reproduce it below:
BILL for the relief OF soldiers Of the late war,
honorably discharged after three months service,
who are disabled and dependent upon their own
labor for support, and Of dependent parents OF
soldiers who died in the service or from disabili-
ties contracted therein.
BE Il enacted &C., That every person specified In
the several classes enumerated in section 1898 Off
Revised Statutes Of the United States, and the /
amendments thereto, who served In the military or
naval service as mentioned in said section for the
period OF three months during the war OF The re-
bellion. and has honorable discharge thereirom,
and who or shall become disabled from any cause
not The result Of his fault, and shall also be
dependent upon his own exertions for support, or
upon the contributions Of Others not legally bound
thereto shall, upon making due proof Of the facts
under such regulations may be prescribed by the
proper authority. be placed upon the list Of PEN |
soners Of the United States and be entitled 10 re-
ceive pension during the continuance Of such dis
ability and dependence al a rate proportonate TO
the degree Of such disability; and such pension
shall commence nj the date OF filing application
therefor. The highest rate Of pension granted un-
der this section which shall be for total incapacty
TO perform any manual labor, shall be S24 per
month, which is hereby made Invisible upon that
basis for any less degree OF disability; Provided,
That no person entitled 10 or receiving an invalid
pension under existing laws, such as may be
hereafter enacted granting pensions for disabilities
contracted IN the military naval service OF the
United States and in line Of duty greater than that
provided for herein, shall receive the benefits Of
this act; but any applicant for such invalid pension
having application therefor pending, or who
shall hereafter file his application for such pension,
may, by declaration over hts own signature. at
any time elect TO prosecute his said claim under
this act under the general laws and his pension,
when allowed, II prosecuted under this act. shall
commence from the date Of such election. Pro-
Vided further, That no pension paid under any law
shall hereafter be rated at less than 81 per month.
Sec. 2. That in considering the claims Of depend
ent parents, the fact and cause OF death and the
fact that The soldier leh widow minor children
| having been shown as required by law, II shall he
necessary only 20 show by competent and sufficient
evidence that such dependent parent Is without
other present means OF comfortable support than
his or her own manual labor or The contributions
OF Others not legally bound for his or her support;
and such Ne may be found 10 be entitled 10 IS
month under existing laws as modified by this sec
ton shall receive in lieu thereof Sl2 month from
and after the approval Of this act.
Sec 3. That in all applications under the general
pension laws, including this act, where IL appears
by record evidence that the applicant was regu-
larly enlisted and mustered into the service, that
fact shall be conclusive evidence of soundness at
the time Of his enlistment, except ia case OF
fraud.
Sec. L. That no person shall be entitled 10 more
than pension at the same time under any or all
laws Of the United States, whether such pension
shall have been already obtained shall be here
after obtained unless the act under which such pen
sion lie claimed shall specially SO declare
Now here is platform that we can all
stand on. Here is measure that viii do,
in the simplest and most direct manner, what
everybody says ought TO be done. There
can be no better plan for doing this than the
bill suggests 1T embodies principles that
we have all been struggling for years TO have
engrafted into The country's laws. Its main
idea has been continually urged by the Ma
tiOnal Tension Committee of the GAR and
by the Order generally.
The only objection that any one can urge
against ii is that it does not 20 far enough
T that il does not embrace many things that
some would have il include.
This is no real objection. We must take
Legislation of this kind piecemeal. as we al.
ways have done We must accept what we
can get nosO, and look to the future to expand
{ il TO all we want. The passage of this bill
viii not hinder future legislation a particle
but rather facilitate il.
The thing Of all others 10 do now is tc
rally every man and every influence that
J we can command 10 the support of this
: measure. The pressing needs Of our broken
down comrades all over the land cry aloud
: for us 10 do this. Every destitute veteran
l every wife or child who lacks bread or cloth
: ing is an appeal to as to put forth every
= effort TO secure its passage.
II is now before the House Of Representa-
: tives and It's fate win be determined there
The work Immediately before us is TO induc
the Representatives TO pass it. This is some
g thing in which every comrade can help-i
Z which it is every comrades duty to help
q The Commander-in-C Chief has outlined Tn
: work for Posts and Departments; he has In
a dictated their duty in the way Of presentin
4 petitions.
Comrades should not stop with this bu
every man Of them should write 10 his Con
gresham urging him 10 speak aud vote 1
Dr. favor Of this bill There should be stron
= letters written 10 the local papers in fave
rs Of the bin, resolutions should be passed i
= - onyentions-wheneyer they occur-suJ
porting ii. In this way it viii be made al
parent TO Congress that the soldiers and III
people favor the bin, and its success viii 4
n assured.
1n