The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-13
THE DEPENDENr PENSION BILL.

The Effect of the Changes Proposed by the
House Committee IN the Senate's Bill.
Washington Special
The House committee on invalid pensions has
ventured upon the experiment of materially al
terinR the dependant pension bill sent TO IL by
the Senate. The result will probably be to
make this measure the subject of alteration be-
tween the two branches of Congress, with pro-
portionate increase of the difficulties in the
problem presented to the President when the
bill reaches MIN for decision upon it. His po-
sition in the matter has already been taken in
the message which accompanied bis veto of the
previous dependent pension bill. on the 18th of
February, 1887; ard any departure from that
position in the present instance is likely to be
imputed TO the exigencies Of the presidential
year
The notifications proposed by the House
committee on the bill passed by the Senate are
numerous The two most important relate to
amount OF pension to be paid and the degree OF
dependency required. For the uniform rate OF
el2 month provided for in the Senate measure,
and also in last years bill, the House has sub
stituEed the monthly rate of one cent per day
for each day Of service performed by the bene-
fciary. This. in some cases, would yield more
than the @12 month provided in the original
BILL while in many others it would certainly
produce much less. It will probably be urged,
and plausibly, that the net result would be re-
dnction in the cost; but no one really knows
within scores of millions what it will cost under
either mode Of reckoning.
Still more remarkable is the House commit
tees change in that provision OF the Senate bill
which made dependence manual labor for
support prerequisite to receiving the pension
The result of the proposed alteration in many
cases would be TO make total disability for man
ual labor sufficient to secure tae pension, even
where there is no dependence on manual labor
at all AS the Senate has never shown itself
behind the House in willingness to go so
tremes of pension legislation, it may accept this
challenge TO liberality with the peoples money
by giving dependents pension to psopie who
arc not dependent within the meaning of the
term as hitherto used, even in pension legisla-
tion.
Other notifications proposed by the House
committee are hardly less noticeable. One of
them gives the pension described In the bill to
avery Union soldier or sailor on arriving at the
age of 81 years, whether rich or poor. Since
tWenty-seven years have already passed since
the first troops gathered for the in April,
1861. and many men between the ages of 80 and
40 took part in il, this provision will largely in
crease the cost OF the Senate bill even from the
moment OF enactment. while in future years the
burden upcn the Treasury will grow enormously
ms more and more of the veterans approach this
pensionable age. The increase Is doubled by
making C. like provision for all widows Of vet
Grams who may reach the age of 81
It has been suggested that this latter prOv1s-
ion. if adopted, will bring out veto from the
President. since il directly conflicts with views
expressed by him In his message OF last year.
This may De true; yet the very basis of this
precise provision for pens1oning on the ground
of age alone, without reference to wounds, dsa-
bI1.ty. even existing need, Was laid by the
President himself in approving the Mexican pen
sion bill. Accordingly veto, however neces-
Bary for consistency other grounds. would
fion between the veterans of the Mexican war
and the veterans of the war for the Union, to
the detriment of the latter.
This dependent pension bill, as it stands has
been brought into form in which it can hardly
fail to make good deal of trouble in many ways,
whatever may now be done with IL.