The National tribune., 1886-05-27
FOR THE SOLDIERS.
The General Relief Bill Passed by
ihe Senate.

lion oil The Diil -. 1850 lof Tue iSliei VI Sol-
diers of the late war honOrably discharged
after six months service. who are disabled and
dependent up0n their own labor for support,
aud of dependent parents OF soldiers who died
in the service or from disabilities contracted
therein
Mr.. Van wyclz ,Neb.) offered an amendment
providing that no soldier, under this act should
receive less than S. per month. Mr. Blair N.
h moved 10 amend that by striking out %
and insertng 50.
Mr. Van Wvck advocated his proposition TO
make s. The lowest rate OF pension under the
bill. lie said:
The amendment was presented with a view OF
meeting te state Of facts illustrated by the Senator
from Illinois hlr. Loganl. Tor long Time VIC
heve necessarily IN the number of eases coming
before the Pension Committee and for action ln
both bodies. discovered that what seemed 10 be
great injUstice was done 10 soldiers seeking pen
sions from the mode. system, or manner OF weigh.
ing disability. a certain maximum Is allowed ana
then the nenEon is nIted down in proportion 10
the disability glae result wns as heretofore stated,
that q pension may be ~ per month; and SO iar has
this matter of weighing disability been carried IN
the Pension Office. moi only now but under pre-
vious administrations Of that Office, that really
they have Fixed IL in fractions of dollar and some
pensions granted not only fOT 81 but for y and
q eeriain number OF oents. ] tiink some s. 66.
Al ali events IL would seem improper 10 go into
such fractions and therefore ID was that early In
flIc session introduced bill providing that ali
persons fllen the peDsion-rOn receiving less
$ per month. When SAN Tins bin presented here
with tllc provision cOntHlns ns 10 the amount OF
t&e pensions. different from what suppose the
committee iniended-nnd think may say now
that the rate of pension In fixed differently from
what n minority az tie members oi the Pension
Committee -tspposedl felt iiiRi an irjusiice would
he done Il tltr basis of computation WAS 10 be the
sntne heretofore la these think tle per
sons seeking pensions under this and previous Laws
would DE- better protected by being removed as far
az pOssiblefron Rdiudicaii0n by the Pension Office
6nd therefore ] have felt that fixed. definite sum
named IN tl8e law would be a greater projection to
the people seeking pensions. 80 u was thai oe-
sired that fhcre should be no pension for less Than
s. month. How high it viii be proper 10 gradu-
ace them is another matter for the consideration o'
the senate q course bnt the very dileuliy under
measuring Of pensions In TINS way
The point Ii 10 protect the soldier and give 10
m aceqraans 70 INC DcI n ~, sc,s ~ enr-s = s.'
and aficF have presented TO him tins pitlance IN
his old age in his dccreiudc, in his inability 10
keen linn from the pooiliouse iiis ailments pre-.
venting his la0riug is he 10 be turned on rom The
Deparsinent with miserable allowance OF 81 or ).
or 3 65 month. az has frequently been oones
desire that flse soldier shall be protected and pro
tecled ie extent of saying that Ia event shal
Inns pension be less than IS per month.
Mr.. Plumb lKan-) opposed Mr.. Van Wyck''
proposition. ON the ground that there was an
inequality IN fixing the same rate 20 be paid fol
various degrees Of disability.
Mr.. Logan lIll.) offered the following as
substitute for the amendment Of Mr.. NaE
Wyck:
Frouidsd. hosuersr, That all pensions hereiofor'
eranled uader any previous ac 20 any soldier. shall
where icss iisau - Is OF has been allowed. be IN
creased 10 $ per month and io lesH amount sinai
be hereafler allowed 90 any pensioBcr being sol
aicr unocr tbis OF any previous act
Mr.. Plumb, opposing this, said:
Why should n person who Is disabled one-quRrte
get Rs much ono who is disabled totalyf WIZ
lnmu
one who b. disabled toiailyT Az once the lngidi
ons distinction will be apparent, and n VIII DE th
source ~ great deal OF feeling. and very proPe
feeling lBecause of the iniustice; and many mar
will come here and say. Whereas have shows
thaa disatied toiaily eei only Ssa month. &c
thc man who h disabled one-qlIartcr gels mucl
az do If Il IL fair tllni he shall have 8 a month
which will not be dispuied, then give me IN pro
portion as SOB give him." And unless some scai'
oi that kna y hdopted NJ applied 70 the actual os
aBity ssiown By the unedioal examination. NJ
might well take tite whole pension ilsi from he
ginning 10 end and say we viii capitalize IL q
eight, ten. twelve. fifteen, or twenty doliar
month we see IT.
MIR. L0gan:
The Senator Il certainly mistaken. The amend
mcni 1viirh offered does Boi Hfeoi the grading IA
the sligiiieas degree prepared u especially ~
ward s Boi affected nj ALL Tlis only provides shA
rO IBefssiou ifil be sTaned Cor less than thai
Il does Bsl Hfieel the grading from that up.
AZ said tie other dAy, IllIysicinn who can dc
termie fisr disability 70 give one man s. an'
another - s. physician of extraordinary caIsacii
aIld ciE'ab.iiy iIl fis profession. 40 MOI Oeiiey'
Ia a. aud neycF have beiievcc Ia IL. and do no
expect be- made 10 believe iu II. do moi beiseF
aHiE who aris pension Of " because hc ~
ceives no utoFc would he dissatisfied with tI
nciElboE WHO rctH ~ ~ lIe should be increased q
SH. A sio lf0i tIink me wOaid lDe dissatisfied Wit
tliAt Inan Gciling 81 because he did mot Eet Ru.
more hifnsrM u dors mos seem 10 me that ti1a
woHid Dc very charitable geneToEE Llle part
men suffering from the satne chanActer oi dlsA
blify.
DO not isslieve Ia one dollar pension: do nc
believe 1n two-aOiiar DensiOn. or three. or
four. q I've. a - z-doiiar peD1lOn- believe
eiglit-doliar pension. Thai is 70 say. do Ds
believe la giving less tlan that for n man IL ca
Titled 10 pension at all a n because 1e ~ disable
and becanse be b. nOt capable Of making livei
hood "a sefst such a orc as lac would be able {
IniliEc ii De had Tho disability Therefore. b'
lirEa in giving bins ai least e9t year. do moi ci
NbAt sia disability An. AZ under tine lnw he IN enl
tled 40 l'rnsion at AL.
HOS. i1i AR 20 q Little farther. A man has 10
a p0rting ~ isis hand. iBe has n woHHld. N mtu
culaT Nound No one tcl tho amount of pal
tiai mnn sslers, There is 40 physician on enr'
who can tea- no fBnn czfn tel file de1sree Of "a
feFiHg fhai person iiils from q wound in joint
from Nsssad thal produces what is known
Tlieunlallain or aeuraigln growing osii Of . @o0R
% flot te.Ange there i physician on earth wi
te fiss degree of disability and tlae degree
suffering Be- salh cAses-
There j. riore chan thas in connection with pei
eiOns. u b not Hllogeller the iuci lhA4 Inl
Fullef ilistt d ls not known 10 physicians
oilers, IA may bc dihhglFcc in some way. a Ina
fof tiic io.e - nu ese Er's Fery small Pensio
and 80 r tlse loss oi iEger the ioss si TIC nos
Tie SniiitisF may say TINT h sDeciilc NO matt
what y ie. br eeis icss than v month. What mi
would irfrrl through fife earth with ile isose {
fos ~ suolisliT A. s mot the Tlin The su9ierin
but d D. tllr Qaiiarniiou thai se suffers from " bi
. the gle.a annoyance When physielans tell a
theTe D. d distinction between one aud a twO-ds
lar pension that they can discover, do not belle
a. do fiqt Nafa 90 tee tsese discflna inatiOns. Il
nan c1,nmai get ogcf y q month. want 10 sec IA
get = month.
hr Blair.
q suppose che poiri which nlost senniors u,ish
reach u iut title There quito number ~ ~
dleIh whose rating is discredItniys hHd c0ricnp
by .tlr and b ncenss rifBost offensive aud hum
sailing liEsE GOvcrBmcut OF 50.VS9.00D or o.Og0t
people w3so afe pretty well on should be paying
dollar. uI 8 dollar and d bnif Or d dollar and a qni
teI. % D b mouth o. q uan whom IL ~ pof
eflIiie g. S1esision 81 any rate. The objeCa 81 Z
Seuat0rffom Illinois t ~ cast ol thai litsze yrorll :.
baYe a Cui ~ the way; and he nssuues n
N'ilere = = worth while 10 pension man al All
ought a. llnrc as much A. -.
For ms part ) think should arFanpe q
business in such way as - give tiie soldier I
man NiioH q D. worth Dhile 10 80 through The !,
formaHet ~ pelisi0ning Rt all, sis year for
atnaiIas disability. winch may he q wound "a
ltila ipc ~ N4c obiniutiOn ~ one cnd Of hih iii
ginger ho AnRor ~ ills lefl lsand II gipe Il
81 yrA .itnt A. prrity fair tlae wliUle c0tlsid
inF tilt riasse circumstances - the country. III
would 4sis his nour. h would Pny Cor bis "a
elothr ininselt and his wife and perhaps HE al
crcn, ioT teli you. Mr. President thai sss %
isa gfcft aeia ~ money 90 thousands aud huDdr.
81 tllouatIIls ~ American Iseopei Ia sould A
tnsif iaNoe, pay their rent. and belP thsm gn
Afler further debate Mr. Blairs amepdme
f1ing the lowest rate Of pension ai s., was
5ecteG ayes, lsi noes p; not voting, So
MT. LogAnE ameBdncnt providing that
pension 0f no soidieF should be- less than O.
month, was discussed Ht length. Mr.. Lol
said:
4 may b. . very Biting time. perhaps. % call