The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-05-23

Tho llouse and senate Hills Tor Inc Sc~-
slonins of Veterans of tho Wal 81 inc
Rebellion. whieh are ~ Present iss"k'ns
Fire. Cont asscd ~ Estimates - inc
Amounts Necessary 10 Meet the Fro
posed Pensions.
WAsmx.roN. May iA-Thc senate
pension committee yesterday presented
10 the senate q report recommend ~ .
disar rcement to the House amendments
substituting a service pension bin for
the Dependent Pension bill. The re-
port says that the Senate bill provides
that the beneficiary must be- de-
pendent upon his daily labor or upon
the contributions Of Others not le-
gaily bound for his support, while tho
House amendments makes pcnsionahle
all persons who can bring themselves
within its requirements irrespective OF
%pccuniary means.
The senate bill also fixes the rate q
pension at twelve dollars and the House
bill al eight dollars q month. The SEN
ate bill also makes provision for de-
pendent parents which is omitted in
the House amendment. The senate
bill provides that the disability shall
not be the result OF vicious habits. This
Is omitted in the House amendments.
The House also provides for a service
pension. which the Senat does not. In
the opinion OF the senate committee
the two measures are entirely irrecon-
cilablc. and in the committees judg-
ment the House bill is wholly in
adequate. The report says that, count
ing the number OF disabled soldiers in
the soldiers homes and c~leemosynary
institutions. there are at least twenty
five thousand disabled and dependent
Union soldiers recipi ents OF public
charity. The rate OF twelve dollars .
month approaches nearly the minimum
OF substance, while eight dollars a
month undoubtedly fails far below it.
II it be deemed expedicnt To allow a
pension Of eight dollars per month
simply because a person is dis
ablcd, that is no reason why
four dollars a month should be
taken from the dependent soldier.
The House provision benefits those who
do not need a pension at the expense OF
those who are in absolute need. 1t is
the opinion OF the senate committee
that il Is tho duty Of the Government,
before entering p any other pension
legislation. 10 provide for the needs OF
the disabled and dependent soldiers in
the most liberal manner possible. Tho
Senate bill was framed upon this
theory. Its object is relief to the neces-
sitous and not to those who do not need.
The committee think the service pen
sion a matter which should not be in
volved with a disability bill. A serv-
ice pension is a matter requiring
the most careful consideration
in order that justice may be done
both TO the soldier and TO tho country.
Estimates prepared by Captain AIMS
worth shows that the approximate ag-
gregatc cost Of a service pension upon a
basis Of sixty-two years Is he age limit
will be sl.1s2, 095. 525. Upon a basis OF
sixty years the cost would be 81. $685.
100. $40. OF this amount 81. 079. 017. O24
must be paid before the End OF the year
1915. and the average annual payment
will Be ~, SIS, 7S2- It should be stated,
however, that these estimates are sub
ject to IN annual reduction OF ST.
ia, 036, due 4 %, 595 OF the pensioners
already being on tho rolls at an average
Of -. 80 . month. These estimates
are materially greater than those Of the
House committee. but the Senate COM
mittee adopt them because they seemed
to be based on valid reasons and because
all experience has shown that pension
estimates have heretofore invariably
fallen below the actual cost. The COM
mittee do not believe the service
pension would give satisfaction 70 the
soldiers 1t Is preferential and invidi-
Gus. It'll a tontine measure. 1t places
the man who served twenty DAYS upon
the SAM footing with him who served
four years. 1t compels the youth
who enlisted 1t sixteen. los
ing his opportunity for education. and
who was discharged a veteran at TWEEN
ty-three TO wait twelve years before his
claim for recognition will be enter
tanned. 1t is the committees opinion
that whenever II Is deemed wise 70 in.
augurate . system Of service pensions ii
should be done for the benefit Of all
living soldiers who are h~onorably dis
charged. The estimates submitted : o
the committee respecting the average
term Of service vary from eighteen 20
twenty-six months. On this basis tho
annual charge would be S6s, CPS. sos the
whole subject, however, being largely
conjectural.
With regard TO the proposed repeal
Of the Arrears act the committee learns
that the Secretary OF the Interior este
mates that II would require ST.. 800. zoo
to pay the claims allowed between the
date the arrears limitation went into
effect and January I. 1886; and $3.50
145, 200 TO pay arrears on all claims still
pending. These estimates do not apply
to claims filed since the beginning 81
1889.
h Louisiana nrlbe May be Accepted.