Telegram-herald., 1889-11-20
OFFICIAL PAPER OR The CITY.
GRAND RAPIDS. wEDNEsDAY. Nov. %
PENSION ELLIS.

fENslON Ellis
At the recent session OF the National
Committee Of the G.. A. K. IN New
York. two pension bills were adopted,
which Mil be presented TO Congress at
its coming session. We give our read
ers an abstract Of the two bills.
The per diem service pension" bill
provides that there shall be placed on
the pension roll "the name of any Off
Ger or enlisted man who shall have
served ninety days in the army, navy
or marine corps of the United States,
subsequent to March 4, 1861, and prior
% March /, 1860, and been honorably
discharged, the pension to commence
from the passage Of the act and to con-
tinue during life; that the rate of pen
sion per month shall be one cent for
each days service rendered, but IN no
case 10 be less than an SOO-day rate; that
the act shall apply to cases pending,
shall not prevent the prosecution of
claims under any other general or
special act; and that all pensions under
this act shall be in addition TO pensions
for disability, and rank Is not 10 be con-
sidered. The period Of service is to be
computed from enlistment to discharge;
but no pension IS TO be granted "to, or
on account of any person who
deserted prior 70 July !, 1868, and
who remained absent from his
command thereafter and received no
discharge, until he shall nave obtained
a certificate Of honorable discharge" !"
The act does not apply to any one un-
der political disabilities. The usual
provisions as to attorney fees are also
made.
The "invaEds and widows pension"
bill provide that all persons who
served three months or more
during the war Of the Rebellion,
who are holorably discharged
and who are totally incapacltated by
mental or physical disability mot the
result Of their own vicious habits"
shall, upon due proof, be placed upon
the list Of invalid pensioners, to receive
sl2 per mouth, to commence from the
fling Of the application and to con-
tinus during the disability. Persons
now receiving pensions or having claims
pending may have the benefit of the
act. and no one Is 70 be prevented from
presenting claims under any general or
special act. No one, however, is to
receive more than one pension for the
same period. and rank IL not 20 be con-
sdorcd Tn the case of dependent
parents. when the soldiers death, its
cause and the absence of widow or
children has been proved, it is to be
necessary only % show that the
parent is without other means of
support than their own manual labor
or the c0ntr buttons Of others not
bound 20 support them. In case Of
applications filed prior 70 July /, 1880,
the pensions are 70 commence from
date Of dependence; IN other cases from
the fling of application or subsequent
dependence. If any officer or enlisted
man who served and vas hOnorsbly dis
charged. hss d.ed or shall die, leaving
q widow. nl nor child or children under
ls years of age. or in toe absence of
such. a dependents mother or father.
such wid0w, child or children, mother
or father, il 10 Be placed on the pension
RON az the rates now established bv
law. without regard 10 cause Of death
of such officer or man, go long a it IS
rot from violation Of law or vc.ou.
habits. The widow must have been
married ~ deceased prior ~ the pas
sars of the act. the increase of pensions
for minors - to be s. pr month and,
in case II an insane, idiobc OF other
vse helpless MINOR, the pension s 70
continue during lie OF dlsabilty The
usual rrov 1ons "a % attorney fees fol
lov
The above ara the two bllls which lhe
aB-vs IN Blae8 VII ask b have passed
"a Justice - themselves. As tim,
rasses on The people II she Unltee
states appreciate more and NOR
tae aervees rendered by tie hrav,
boys. instead q letting their rsoelleo
tons grow dim vlth age. The Unitec
states nov "a = position 70 do sxae
iustce and the Republican majority q
Congress must sea that lt = done.