The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26
A FRIENDLY VOICE.
A PuHgeni Analysis Of tie MangIel
Bill Reported by Mr. Mats0n.

Tie following Is the report u the House
Committee ca Iavalid Pensions upon the Disa-
biEty Bill, as submitted 10y Mr.. Gailiuger:
The undersigned a minority Of the Commit
tee on Invalid Pensions. 20 which committee
was referred the bill -. ISL granting pen
Eions o. ex-s0ldiers and sailors who are incJ-
paci.ated for the performance of manual labor.
and providing for pensions 10 dependent rela-
Iives OF deceased soldiers and sailors feeling
compelled to dissent from the conclusions
reached by majority OF the committee, which
have been embodied 10 a report 10 the House,
beg leave 10 submit their views on the subject.
House bin $3.50 has also been urged upon the
attention Of your committee by the Pensions
Committee or the National Eucampment Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic. Senate bill Isl
is substantially the same measure that passed
bosh Houses OF the 18Th Congress and was We
tOed by the President The chief difference
between Senate bill Isl and House bin $3.50 is
that the Senate bill recognizes the principle of
Gcpeu6eucc aud the Grand Army bill does not
III ether essential particulars they are the
same and beth had common origin and
common purpose that Of securing immediate
and adequate relief 20 the worthy soldiers Of
the Unian armies who, through sickness or
misfortune. have been reduced 10 a condition
OF want and suffering. those who to-day are
incapable Of gaining for themselves a hveli-
hood Independent of the charity Of indIyid-
-
the pOorhegses OF the country.
il Is variousiy esiim ted that there are in
almsh0uses from 10000 to 10000 Of the men
who periodically responded 70 the call OF the
Government. and bT3vely fought for the preser-
walton Of the Union. Had ii not been for these
men. and others like them, the Union would
have been destroyed and the Government
overthrow That single one Of these men
should be the Of ICt OF public charity unless
perchaucc the deStitGticn which has 0vertaken
him is the result OF his own misconduct. Is .
Tepr0ach and shame 70 this great Government
tie Treasury OF which is grooming under e
raDiClv accommodating surplus IOreiIeve these
worthy veterans is the purpose OF b5th Senate
bin Isl and House bin 800, and Whatever else
they might accomplish. either one oi the bills
certziulv would d enacted into law bring about
this desirable result the rate OF pension under
both bills being SD per mouth. The House b-il
providing thar it shall apply 20 al those 30 who
are now OF who may hereafter he suffering
from mental OF physical disability not
the result of their own vicious habits, which
totally incapacitates them from the perform
aucc Ct manual labor while the Senate hi.i
contains the additional provision that they
shall 5e without other adequate means Ci SELF
Support"
il win be seen that the phrascol0-y of both
bills is clear and easily understood, and under
their provisions every veteran DOB an alHshGl-c
would secure relief and 30 Union soldier would
III the future be driven 20 q p1lFhuUse iOr
support We stand In advocacy az thar prince
Die and feel that its abandonment Is q virtual
surrender Of everything asked by the Grand
Army Of the Republic in behalf Of their poor
aud suffering comrades. In this particular we
occupy the very ground so firmly taken and
uulliuchiugly held by the House Committee Of
the 18th Congress. and we recall with sstIstac-
tion the patriotic l2nguageOf the report Of that
committee, written by the same distinguished
gentleman who is the author % the majority
report IN tins Congress. on tue veto message OF
the President wherein it is said. in reply TO
the objection Of the Executive that the bill
covered q much larger number Of cases IMAM
was claimed:
This consideration causes us 10 stand more firmly
for the proposition embodied in the second section
q Tire 1lil- because c0ncednE that our estimate Is
TOO low. and tiat the number utterly unable 10
work is larger than was heretofore estimated,
then there = that much stronger reason Tor giving
she relief Aud we have been tempted 10y
tie coUteu1r laliou ri such condition. aud yet
ternued more strongly when we consider the fact
tlat have mol fully realized the full extent Of
suffering BOW being undergone by these heroes, TO
supply Teiief and If sFe were wrong in our esti-
maze we sublfFt lhat we ARE supplied now with
stronger reason than before for The passage Of this
bill notwithstanding tie objections OF the Execu-
tive
That Il patriotic language. aud when Il is
considered that il was used in advocacy Of a
5il suDstan tally the same Is Senate bill Isl.
We are a. a loss 70 understand why the princi-
PIE has been repudiated and an entirely differ
ent Theory adopted.
The majority Of the committee propose TO
amend the Senate bib by substituting a section
for section 2 Of that bill. involving two prop0-
siti0ns. 10 wit first, that the benefciaries under
the bill be PcBsioHed in accordance with the
per diem idea Of ] cent per month for each day
Of army service, and secondly, that all soldiers
who are now g years old, or who may hereafter
reach that age be pensioned at the same rate
We desire 70 briefly call attention 10 both these
propositions.
The report Of the majority lays great stress
on the fact That the per diem idea Of pensions
is just and equitable, and the argument is ad-
Tanced thar IBasmuch as. under that system,
eaCh soldier receives fair proportion estimated
upon the basis Of length Of service, no com
paint should be maze, and the fact that this
viii not grant sufficient relief IN most cases 10
take veterans from the pOorhouses Of the coun-
Try is met 1y the cool suggestion that
For The remainder q the relief necessary to his
Support he Ltle soldier shall be allowed, a. other
citizens are = accept the charity Of tic local author
1lies.
That may seem just and right to some. but
We cannot subscribe 10 II. II certainly fails to
meet the necessities Of those who, amid their
oestlruti0n and suffering. appeal % the Govern
TDcnt they served for relief aud is 2 complete
Rbrogati0l Of the underlying principle Of the
legislation Of the s9th Congress, rs well as Of
ttat Low d1AS- GoE DE the committee Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic
The majority report emphasizes not only the
fairHes5 o. granting pensions 20 destitute soldiers
o. the basis Of q graduated scale, but it also
argues by implication. at least, that all pen
EiOns are granted because Of army service We
do not admit The s0uudHcss Of the argument
that the value ri military service can be meas
ured by days months, or years, aud on this
point marvellous change seems 70 have come
over the minds 81 some members Of this COM
mittce, for ID the. report already quoted from.
that "a TIE Executive veto Of the Dependent
Pension Blli IN the last Congress, we find these
significant and truthful words:
A. 10 fbe length Of service b j. commended that
81 olg ffirec months service d req ulrcd some who
had sccH iitle II amy. field service could lake 4d
yaltaZe q - provisions. Hes. upon the other
haa. thousands and tens Ol thousands Of men 81 10
enlisted for oEsly lllEee months saw some Of the
most 4rcuous and dangerous service Of The entire
war aud The lujgrg that results 10 one who QUITS
the peoefu. vacations u c undergo the trying
ordeal 81 an active military service j. more likely
. follow from The earlier months q his service
than from period later when he has become IN
Dred e. H.
And 50 Ear as cur observation extends the
proposition o. the majority On this point does
DOT commend itself 10 the favorable c0nsidera-
bon d the newspapers published IN the inter
isis Of the veteran s0ldieTy Of the country. One
q them, Al band, p0intcdIy SAYS:
TIE Petsi ou Committee Of the House have elili
mated from the Senate pension bin IT. vital point
rtgnt ~