The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-08
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that should Gil any patriotic heart" not only
with grief and indignation, but an earnest de-
sire TO change the existing. 1t is believed that
there are to-day nearly 10000 ex-soldiers in
the poOrhouses, almshouses, and like charitable
institutions Of this country. give an extract
from the report of Commissioner Black in 1886,
and the shameful facts therein contained were
known when, in February, 1887, the Depend
ent Pension Bill was vetoed.
INDECENT SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.
About the first of the present calendar year di-
rected an investigation 10 he made with view to
determine the number Of soldiers and sailors who,
having served in the Army and Navy of the United
States, were supported ia whole or in part from
the public funds or organized charities. To this
end tle gentleman having charge OF this nVestiga-
ton communicated with the County officers clerks
Of courts, County Judges oyerseers of the poor,
etc The reports to Connecticut and Michigan
were made by State officers. Two Of the States
New Jersey and Delaware, did not furnish the in
formation called for. Partial information has
been furnished from nearly all the remaining
States however, and full reports have been
ceiyed from 30 Counties Of the United States
The inquiry does not include those in the Soldiers
/ Homes supported by the United states. Upon the
| information thus furnished computations were
/ made which are believed to exhibit approximately
I correct results. The number SO found receiving
s@SRo''' sdS5 as before ''''so 'S IN f00no numbers
| He goes on to say that the oldest man was
/ 103 years of age. The mean age was 81 years.
| Only 13 per cent were pensioners probably
some of those, over $4,000 in number, who are
/ on the pension roll at 81 and less per month,
| being the munifceBt sum Of 81 cents per day..
| Nineteen per cent. Of the number we're blind or
4 insane We read this record with a sense Of
1 shame and the conviction OF duty neglected.
THE REMEDY FoR SOME OF THE EVILS
| lies in the passage of this bill. Mr.. President,
| ] will refer very briefly to the other sections
Of this proposed law, and no longer detain the
Senate.
The first section makes simply new eharac-
ter of proof to enable dependent father OF
mother to obtain pension where there is no
widow or child surviving. If without other
means of support than their own manual labor
or the contribution Of others not legally bound
for their support" they shall be pensioned
Surely this is right. The law as it now stands
requires proof that the dependency upon the
soldier son should have existed at the time Of
his death. The parent then might have beer
able to support himself or herself, but advanc
ing age with its infrmities now prevents. This
legislation is in strict accord with the specia
legislation of Congress in private pension bills
/ and has abundant recommendation. The Sec
retary of the Interior in 1883, in his report
suggests 1t.
Secretary Lamar said:
In considering appeals from the decisions OF tn
Pension Office hnossome classes OF cases of sucl
peculiar hardships that / deem amendatory legis
laton advisable. Section 4T07 limits the claim 0
dependence Of an aged parent and fixes its nfiatiy
at the moment of time OF death of soldier on &C
count of whose death the dependent is made pen
sionable. II seems TO me to be wiser rule, and
more just one, that where dependence has oecUrre
in the natural order of events at time subsequen
to the death of the soldier account of increasing
years or of misfortune not contributed by the bene
ciary, the dependent pension should then have ii
foundation and beginning.
In the report of the Commissioner of Pen
sions for 1887 viii be found the following:
DEPENDENT MOTHERS AND FATHERS
} The commencement OF the period Of dependenc
on the part of q father mother In order to estab
lish the right TO pension Is now fixed at the soldier
death / respectfully suggest that the recognition
{ of dependence and the claim of the father an,
, mother upon the son for support too narrowl
bounded by fixing the period of dependence at tn