The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-02-01
PENSION LEGISLATION.



wasHrseros, d. C., January 25.-Seuatoi
Davis, from the Committee ON Pensions. to-
dsy rctorsed fayorably bin known as the
Grand Army bilI) 70 pension cx-soldicrs and
sailors who are incapacitated for manual la
bor. and provide pensions for dependent rel
atives Of dtoeased soldiers. The bill has the
same objccss in view that were contemplated
by shat was known as the Dependent Pen
sion bill. vetoed BY the President during the
last Congress 1t is believed. however. that
the new bill. by the more explicit manner In
which its purpose is stated. obviates the
principal objection raised in the President
veto. The bill has the unanimous indorse-
ment Of the Pension Committee.
The first section of the bill declares that, in
considering the pension claims OF dependent
parents, the fact and cause Of death and the
fact that the soldier lefi ne widow or minor
children having been shown, il shall be nee
essary only TO show that the parent or par
ents are without other means of support than
their own manual labor or the contributions
of Others not legally bound for theiE support.
proyiso TO this section fixes the time for
the commencement of pension from the date
CT the passage Of the act or from the date OF
subsequent dependence, and declares that
the pension shall continue no longer than
the existence of ssich dependence. In this
respect il differs from the vetoed bill which
provided that no pension should commence
prior TO the passage of the act, and that IN
case Of applications hereafter made the pen
sion should commeDce from the date OF filing
of the application.
By the second section of the bill pensions
at the rate of sl2 per month are granted all
persons who served more than three months
and were honorably discharged, and who
are or may hereafter be suffering from men
tsl or physical disability not the result Of
their own vicious habits or gross careless
ness. They differ, however, in the language
by which they define the degree of disability
which shall entitle a person to a pension.
On this point the new bill reads: :" Disabili-
ty which totally incapacitates them for the
performance OF manual labor while the
language of the vetoed bill read 4" Disability
which incapaciiated them for performance OF
labor in such degree as TO render them nm
able to earn support and who are dependent
upon their daily labor for support" The
new bill also limits its provisions to those
who served in the late rebellion whereas
the vetoed bill extended TO soldiers of any
war in which the United States was engaged
The bill further differs from the vetoed
bill in the addition of another section grant
ing pensions to the widow or minor children
under year Of age, or, in case there be no
widow or minor children. TO a dependent
m other or father, without regard TO the
cause of death of the pensioner. The section
also increases the pension of minor children
from g. to s. per month and declares that
the pension of idiotic or helpless minors shall
continue during life or the period of disabil-
iiy.
The section i'm relation to the fee of pension
agents is amended by fixing maximum fee
of $40, instead of allowing fee of s. with
discretionary power in the Commissioner OF
Pensions TO increase the fee to $40, as the We
toed bill peoyided.
The remaining section, providing that no
person shall be pensioned who is under po
litical disabilities or who incurred his disa-
bility while engaged in the military service
against the United States differs in no re-
spect from the bill vetoed by President Cleve-
land