The National tribune., 1888-04-19

month to those who are wholly incspacitRted for
the performance Of manual labor, provides that
the pension for such persons shall be at the rate
month of one cent for each days service in other
words, apply what is known the per diem
idea to all soldiers who are totally disabled, and
that without regard 60 dependence, We go fur
Their aud beyond that asked by the Grand Army II
the Republic and provide the same kind ofpension
to all who % years of age, and to ali VIII o
shall become e. years from aud after that period
during their natural lives The majority of the
committee cheerfuuy give recognition TO the mani
testify just principle Of pensionng soldier for his
service, according to his service. The objection
may be made that some who are now needy do not
receive at this rate enough TO give them entire re-
lief from their impoverished condition, and yet the
fact remains that such pensoned at the same rate
according to their service. And if one receives not
enough it is because he did not serve long enough;
and he be heard TO complain If he gets
just rate equal to his feIlowsoIdiers and for the
remainder of the relief necessary to his support he
shall be allowed, as other citizens must to accept
the charity Of the local authorities. Those who
served during the whole war would, at this rate,
get more than is provided in the Senate bill for
them.
The majority of the committee also recognize
the fact that the period for universal service PEN
sion bill is fast approaching, and that many we'll
founded complaints have been made that advanc-
years nave EtiiuGTGu LlhlLGI Vi
livelihood matter of very great difficulty to many
of the veterans of even late civil war; and SO
TO meet the question of giving this class of worthy
citizens the relief that they have right to expect
from the General Government, we have provided
that all who now of the age of 62 years shall
be at once placed ON the pension roll, at the rate of
one cent per month for each day of war service,
and that all who have not shall, they become of
that age be likewise placed on the list of pension
Va IN lrlyrp
recognition to the principle of the per diem idea
and we feel that if this bill becomes law 1t estab
fishes the principle and is likely to be followed
in subsequent legislation relating to service pen
sions. 1t will hardly be eontended that when the
pension, in every case provided for in this BILL is
on account Of service purely, that rate made ae-
cording to the length of service can be objection
able.
We have reported a substitute for the third sec
ton of the Senate bill, which adopts behalf of
the widows the same principle we have applied to
the soldiers in the second section Of the bill.
| We have amended the fourth section of the bill
to give attorneys fee Of IS instead of $40, as
| provided in the Senate bill.
We are unable TO submit an estimated cost Of this
| BILL but hope before the bill is considered by
the House TO be able TO supply approximate
estimate of the cost of this legislation. We ven
ture TO say, however, that il will be found to be
posed and that it is within the easy reach of the
/ people to give this much now in recognition Of the
service of those who have defended their country.
This document is certainly not what one
had the right to expect from such body as
the majority of the Invalid Pensions Com
mittee. 1t is to be regretted that it is not
worthier the men whose act it claims to be.
There is a snippiness and a special pleading
which is not pleasant to see.
1t begins with an unpleasant pretense of
acceding to the wishes of the GAR, in CIV
ing to the disabled veterans very much less
than the National Encampment asked for
them. Were not the subject so serious, the
extraordinary tumble of veto" condition
of dependence" "pauper rule" etc, by
which the conclusion is reached that cent
a day is better than S12 month, would be
absolutely funny. It reminds one of some
of the burlesque logic in Pinafore" and
the Mikado."
The position of the GAR. National Pen
sion Committee and of the National En-.
campment is, that where veteran is inca
pable of performing the manual labor
necessary for his support, he shall receive
from the Government sum sufficient tc
procure for him at least the bare necessaries
of life. The lowest amount that will dC
4t,;c ,rog 61a5 81 40 n month
Of course if the man needs a support, hi
needs it just as much whether he served
three months or three years. When tht
lowest amount upon which a man can iyt
is found, it cannot be cut down one-haIf o.
three-quarters because he happened to serve
some fractions of the maximum term
Length of service may be good reason 70
giving one man more than the absolute nee
essaries of existence, but shortness of serv
ice is no excuse for giving him less than vii
maintain life. A man who served sil
months OF year needs just as many pound
of bread and meat, and just az much fue
per month, as one who served three years.
But Col. Matson's majority, while pretend
ing to recognize and act upon the principl
that governed the GAR. Pension Commit
tee, have injected new and curious ides
tt is that while one class of totally disable
men require about 81 a month to procur
the bare necessaries of life, another class c
totally disabled need but 80 cents
On the same principle the three-monthl
men, when in the service, should have bee
: given only one-quarter the daily ration
} issued to the one-year's men, and but one
G twelfth of the bareback and salt pork give
the three-years' soldiers.
They do not stop even with this yeducti
ad aJsard0m. They insist that it shall appl
to the widow Of veteran. Common sens
d says that when a woman has lost her hu,
: band she has lost her means of support. Ht
j loss is the same, and her need of support
2 the same whether he served 90 days