The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1890-06-13
4 Set Back 10 the Pension Bill.

WASHINGTON, June 5.-The action of
the republican caucus OF the pension
bill was a decided setback for the con-
ference committee, and as a result it's
meeting yesterday was short and sweet,
and it afterward reported that its negO-
tiations had failed. The committee had
formally decided upon the terms of the
compromise measure, which was TO be
formulated and accepted by both sides
at the session this morning. There
was NJ intention on the part of Mr..
Morrill,, the chairman of the house COM
mittee, TO refer the question 10 the de-
clSiOn OF the caucus, but he intended to
sign the conference report II then try
TO get it through the house. but certain
gentlemen WHO are III favor of more rad
zeal legislation than Mr.. Morrill, conSid-
erS judiciCuS at this session of congress
decided 10 force the committee back
into the position which had originally
been taken by the house, and SO they
secured Il decree of the caucus requir-
ing the confereeS on the part Of the
house bill to stick TO the eaSur that
passed that body and forbade them TO
make any concessions TO the senate
This deferS final action On the bill in
definitely, for the senate will not agree
TO Il service bill at this session
and would rather have no legiSla-
ton at all. AS Mr.. Davis, the chairman
OF the committee said today. every
proposition contained in the house bill
had been brought before the senate and
had been voted down. and there were
not half a dozen members in the senate
in favor of the service bill. There is Il
general Disposition said Mr.. Davis, "a
unanimous desire, you might say, to
take care of all the disabled soldiers who
cannot earn their own living. and TO
leave the service pension for future con-
'SideratiOn. 1t is a fixed conviction with
nearly every senator that 4 soldier VINO
has become disabled from any cause
whatever, whether in the service or
since, to such a degree as TO disable him
from earning his support ought to be
penSioned. provided he has no other in
come than that derived from his own
labor. Bills of this kind have repeatedly
passed the senate. but they have not
been the subject of favorable consider
alton IN the house except OnCe in the
FOrty-ninth congress then such Il bill
was passed and vetoed. The senate
committee and the senators unani-
mouSly agree that the needs of disabled
and dependent soldiers should be pro-
vided for in the most liberal manner
possible at once, but that the service pen
sion bill can be postponed. A service
pension to the survivors of the revO-
l%utionary war was not granted until
SiXty-three years after the war. to the
survivors of the war of 1912 until fifty
years after, and TO the survivors of the
Mexican war until forty years after, and
the committee did not believe that there
should be a service pension for the sur
VivorS OF the war of the rebellion until
at least thirty-five years had expired"
Mr.. Davis says. too, that there is no
time at this session to give a service bill
proper attention. sit is q measure which
will require the most careful cOnSIdera-
ton to the end that justice may be done
both to the soldier and the
This consideration will necessarily in
vOlve the time when such relief should
be extended. the amount thereof, ways
aud means by which the expenditure is
to be borne, and above all whether it
can be granted with a due regard to the
rights OF those ~penSionable by reason of
disability incurred since the expiration
of their term of service. Much embar-
rasSment has resulted and must result
from an attempt to combine measures OF
this character"