The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-01-28
THE GRAND ARMY BILL.

WASHINGTON, Ji.u. Ex-senator Davis,
from the Pensions Committee, to-day re-
ported tavorably i bill Introduced by Sena,
tor Henderson (and known as The Grand
Army bill), to pension eX-soldiers and sail
ors who are incapacitatsd from manual
labor, and provide pensions for dependent
relatives of deceased soldiers. The bill has
the same objects in view that were Con.em-
plated by what was known rs the Depend
ent Pension bill, vetoed by the President
during the last Congress. 1t is believed,
however, that the new bill, by the moro ex-
plicit manner in which its purpose is stated
Obviates the principal objections raised in
the Presidents veto. The bill has the
unanimous endorsement OF the Pension
Committee.
Che first section of the bill declares that
in considering the pension claims Of depend
ent parents, the fact and cause of death,
and the fact that the soldier left no widow
or minor children, having been shown, it
shall he necessary only TO show that the
parent or parents are without other means
of support than their own manual labor, or
the contributions OF others not legally bound
for their support. a proviso to this section
fixes the time for the commencement Of
pension from the date of the passage of the
act, or from the date of subsequent depeud-
ence, and declares that the pension shall
continue no longer than the existence OF
such dependence.
In this respect it differs from the vetoed
bill, which provided that no person should
commence prior TO the passage of the act,
and that, i'll case of application hereafter
made the pension should commence from
the date OF filling the application. By the
second section OF both bills, pensions at he
raet of Si2 per Month are guaranteed all
persons who served more than three months
anu were hOnorably discharged, and who
are, or may hereafter be, suffering from
Rlental or physical disability, not the result
OF their own vicious habits or gross care
lessuess. They differ, no sever, i'll the Ian
guage by which they define the degree of
disability which shall entlCe a person to a
pension. On this point the new bill reads
Disability which totally incapacitates then
for the performance OF manual Labor; while
the language OF the vetoed bill read: elisa
bility which incapacitated then. for per-
tOr-nance of labor i'll such degree as to
RENTER them unable to earn a support, and
who are dependent on their daily labor for
support" The new bill also limits its pro-
visions to those who served in the late
bellion, whereas the vetoed bill extended to
soldiers of any war in which the u uited
States was engaged. The bill further differs
from the vetoed bill ill the addition of
another section granting pension to the
widow, or minor children under eighteen
years of age; or, in case there is no widow
or minor children, TO a dependent mother
or father, without reward - the cause of
death Of the penSIJner. Tue selection also
increases the pension of minor children from
81 to So per month, and declares that the
pension OF idiotic or helpless minors shall
continue during lite, or the period of disa-
biiity.
The section in relation to the fee of peu-
sion agents Is amended by liking Il maxi
mum fee vi $40, instead of allowing Zee of
-, with discretionary power in the Gem
missioner OF Pensions to increase the fee TO
$40, rs the vetoed bill provided.
The remaining section, providing that no
person shall be peusioned who is under
politica! disabilities, or who incurred his
disability while engaged in the military
service against the United States, differs i'll
no respect from the bill vetoed by President
Cleveland