The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-23
THE DISABILITY BILL.


The following is the Disability Bill, intro
duced into the Senate by Senator Mander-
son at the instance of the GAR. National
Pension Committee. The portions inclosed
in brackets are those which were stricken
out of the bill by the Senate Committee on
Pensions, to which it was referred, and the
parts in italics are the amendments of the
Committee to the bill before reporting it
favorably to the Senate:
BILL granting pensions to ex-soldiers and sailors
who incapacitated for the performance of
manual labor, and providing for pensions to de-
pendent relatives of deceased soldiers and sailors
Be ii enGctedbg the Senate and House Of Representa
tires Of he United States of America IN Congress as
se1nbled, That in considering the pension claims of
dependent parents the fact and of death, and
the fact that the soldier left no widow or minor
child or children, having been shown as required
by law 1t shall be necessary only to show by COM
petent and sufficient evidence that such parent or
parents are, or have been without other means of
support than their manual labor or the oontri-
buttons of others not legally bound for their sup
port: Provided, THAT ali pensions allowed under
this section of this act shall commence from date OF
/, 1885, and in of applications thereafter made,
the pension shall commence from the date of the
filing of the application in the Pension Office, or
from date of subsequent dePendenceJ That all PEN
Stons Goiged under His section shall commence from
the date Of passage Of this act or from he date Of
subsequent dependence and shall continue no longer
than the eristeace Of such dependence.
SEC. 2. That all persons who served three months
or more in the military or naval service of the
United States during the late of the rebellion,
and who have been honorably discharged there
from, and who are or who may hereafter be
| suffering from mental or physical disability, not
the result of their vicious habits, which total
ly incapacitates them for the performance of man
ual labor shall, upon making due proof of the fact
according to such rules and regulations as the Sec
rotary OF the Interior may provide, be placed upon
the list of invalid pensioners of the United States
and be entitled to receive Sl2 per month"; and such
pension shall commence from the date of the filing
of the application in the Pension Office, after the
passage of this net upon proof that the disability
then existed, and shall continue during the exist
| ence of the same in the degree herein speci'
fed: Provided, That persons who are now
receiving pensions under existing laws, OF
| whose claims pending in the Pen
sion Office. may, by application to the Com
missioner of Pensions, in such form as he may pre-
scribe, receive the benefits of this act; and nothing
herein contained shall be so construed topre.
vent any pensioner Hereunder from prosecuting
| his claim and receiving his pension under any
other general or special act: PrOuided ho10ereT
That no person shall receive more than one pen
| sion for the same period 4nd provided further
That rank in the service shall not be considered in
applications filed Hereunder.
SEC 3. That if any invalid pensioner has died
or shall hereafter die, leaving widow, minor child
or children under 10 years of age, or in case
there be widow, or minor child or children,
dependent mother or father such widow, mnol
child or children, mother father, shall be
placed upon the pensionroli at the rates estab
lshed by law for widows, minor children and pa
rents, with regard to the cause of death of suct
pensioner Proriasd THAT the cause of death o
such pensiouer not or is not due to violation
of civil or military laws or the result of viciou
habits: Aiad proUtdsd f,,rther,l That said widow
married to the deceased pcnsioner prior to The
passage of this act. That the increase of pensions
for minor children shall be at the rate Of S. pc
month instead of g per month, as now provided
by law, and in case minor child is insane, diot
or otherwise helpless, the pension shall continue
during the life Of said child during the periot
Of such disability.
SEC. 4. That any agent, attorney or other person
instrumental in prosecuting any claim under sec
ton two three of this act who shall, directly
indirectly, contract for, demand receive retain
for his services or fundamentally in presenting
and prosecuting such claim. sum greater than 81
payable only upon the order of the COMMISSIONS
of Pensions, by the pension agent making pay
meut of the pension Rowed), or who shall wrong
fully withhold from pensoner claimant TIN
whole any part of the pension claim allowed
and due such pensioner or claimant, shall be deem
ed guilty OF a ulisdemeanor and upon conviction
thereof shall, for every such offense be fined no
OF
exceeding two years or both, in the discretion o
the court.
SEC s. That section 1716 of the Revised Statutes 1
hereby modified so that the same shall apply 10 hi
act: Prouided That this act shall not apply 10 HtOs
persons under political disabilities And no Y,ersol
shall be l,snsiored 'tnder this act for any ttsa
5ity incurred ioltite engaged IN the miEitaTy Serric
against The United States.
SIC 6. That all laws and parts Of laws which con
fict with the provisions of this act be, and the sam
are hereby, repealed
, THE PENNSYLVANIA ENCAMPMENT.
The Eneampment of the Department G
Pennsylvania at Allentown on the 14t
inst. was one of the largest and best eve
held While there was lively contest 70
the Office of Department Commander til
best of feeling prevailed, and all were sati;
fed that most excellent selections had bee
made for all the Offices
Col Magee, the Department Commando
has an excellent army record and is we
known in military circles as Colonel of on
$ of the most efficient regiments in the n;
tional Guards of the State. He is Demo
: crat in politics, and for years has been
e faithful worker in the ranks of the GAR.
W. r. Jones, the Senior Vice Commando
" is one of PittBburg's prominent bushes
Il men, and George r. Hart, the Junior Vic
e is colored man of high intelligence al
G most excellent character. The reappoin
ment Of the efficient Assistant Adiutan
General, Thomas J. Stewart, and Assistal
Quartermaster-General,H G. Williams, Civ
. general satisfaction.
Seven hundred and fifty votes were ca
;" for officers, and while in this large numb
differences of opinion were to be expecte
L yet on the question of pensions the Encam