New-York tribune., 1886-01-21
DISCUSSING AN INCREASE OF PENSIONS.
WHAT 1T WOULD COST TO GIVE WIDOWS OF SOL
DIERs S12 A MONTH.

DlERS VlH n MVNih'
rRY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON Jan. 20.-The House to-day
considered for an hour the bill favoraby reported by
the Committee on invalid Pensions to increase tho
pay the widows and dependent relatives OF deceased
soldiers from SO to S12 month. The bill contains
section which provides that no claim agent
or attorney shall be recognized or snal re-
cejye any fec for services pretended services
under the act Chairman Matson said he presumed
that the cost of the proposed legislation would be tho
main consideration in the minds OF many Representa-
tyes. careful estimate made less than two years
ago based the number Of pensioners then on tho rolls
ana the number of applicants pending. showed that 10
increase the pensions 10 S2 month, will cost between
SIS 600 900 and SC 100000 year The act would apply
to widows of the Mexican War and the War OF 1872 as
well az to those Of the War OF the Rebellion The rate
OF SS a month WAS fixed in 1Sl6-when the pay OF a
soldier was SO month Chairman Matson said that
the Committee hal not been disposed TO favor every
wild proposition referred to 1t aud he thought that IL
has shown 81 degree OF moderation"
General Brown OF Indiana proposed an amendment TO
repeal the law passed by the Democratic morites In
the Senate and House in 1879 prohibiting the filing OF
any claims under the act after July lSSo
and made some remarks which were regarded with dis
favor by the Democrats.
General Bragg OF Wisconsin declared that The arrear-
ages law was the of Washington claim agents He
would favor reorganization OF the pension system IN
order to bring s several provisions into harmony All
these special laws make the system more incOngruOus
and unequal. For example, penslOner receives only
IS menth for " total disability" such disability as
renders him incapable OF earning subsistence, while
under special laws a man who mas iost an
arm leg or an receives three four or five times as
much Another grave objection, In the opinion OF Gen
eral Bragg is that the bill makes provision for widows
who NAV p.nsiOned hereafter The result VIII be-,
continued the Wisconsin statesman, " that new crop
of soldiers widows will spring up. Veterans who nave
reached the age OF seventy or seventyvo VIII marry
Young misses whose names will figure on the pension
rolls for an indefinite period"
Have You any objection to old veterans marrying
young womeni' inquired Major steele. OF Indiana,
whereat there considerable laughter and applause
and General Bragg felt II necessary to explain.
Mr. Mills of Texas. delivered tariff speech against
the pension bill He to think that the pensions
ought TO he paid from an income tax
lev ed on the wealthy classes which now escape
taxation while the garment of the poor man Is taxed 100
per cent" =. -,
Colonel Wolforl, OF Kentucky, wanted TO know
whether Mr. Mills objected To the bill. and whether he
desired that poor widows should be compelled 10 pay
high prices clothing ont OF mragre pension OF -
month An effort made To go on with the hil afer
the expiration of the morning hour but 1t was thwaIied
by Mr. Symes, OF Colorado who complained some days
ago that his speech on silver was "get'ing cold 1t
certainly with cold reception to-day for lev mem
brrs paid any attention, although Mr.. symes was sol
emnly severe and emphatic in his denuncaton OF gold
hnU