The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-06-13
FIFTEEN THOUSAND FOR HOULTON.
The Sundry Civil Bill Provides for a
Public Building There.
Some Interesting Reading for the
Veterans of the war.
The Text of the General Pension
Bill as Reported.
Especial to the Press.1

| Especial to the Press1
| WASHINGTON, June 12.-The sundry civil
appropriation bill was reported to the House
today. 1t carries total of about twenty
eight millions of dollars. Included in this
amount are fifteen thous and dollars for pur-
chasing site and commencing work on the
new public building at Houlton; three
thousand for improving the grounds about
the custom house at Rockland; thirty-fve
hundred for triangulation of topography and
photography of the coast of Maine and the
ST. Cr0ix river and to the international
boundary monument; three thousand dollal S
for laying four inch water main with fire
plugs and connections over the arsenal at
Augusta, Maine, and two hundred and sixty
three thousand dollars for the expenses of
the Soldiers Home at Togus for the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1891.
A conference report has been made finally,
after weeks of conference, upon a
general pension bill. 1t is the first general
pension bill passed since the dependent pen
sionbill which Cleveland vetoed. This bill
will undoubtedly become law. 1t embodies
distinct and important advance from the
position hitherto held by the government in
| relation to soldiers of the civil war, although
| 1t does not advance to the positions taken in
/ regard to veterans of the old wars. Mr..
Morrill, of Kansas, wanted to give a service
| pension to every soldier Ewho should attain
the age of sixty years, and the House passed
| such bill. The Senate wanted to give
pension to every dependent soldier. 1t was
| estimated that the Morrill, plan would cost
about forty million dollars year additional;
| and that the Senate plan would take about
thirty-six million dollars yearly. The bill
as reported is compromise. 1t gives
pension to every soldier disabled so he can
not support himself by manual; labor, with
out regard to whether that disability was
contracted in the war or not. The full terms
of this bill, are of great interest to every old
soldier. The bill is as follows in full:
PENSIONS TO SOLDIERS AND7sAILoRs.
An act granting pensions to soldiers and
formance of manual labor, and providing
for pensions to widows, minor children and
dependent parents
Be it enacted By the Senate and House of
Representatives. OF the United States Of
AnericG in Congress assembled:
That in considering the pension claims of
dependent parents, the fact of the soldiers
death by reason OF any wound. injury, cas-
ualty, or disease which, under the condi-
tions and limitations of existing laws,
sion, and the fact that the soldier left no
widow or minor children have been shown
as required by law, it shall be necessary on
ly to show by competent and Sufficient evil
dence that such parent or parents are with
out other present means of support than
their own manual labor or the contributions
of others not legally bound for their sup
port Provided That all pensions allowed to
n <dAwxA H.
mence from the date of the filing of the ap-
plication hereunder and shall continue no
longer than the existence of the dependence.
Sec. 2-That all persons who served 80
days or more In the military, or naval ser
vice of the United States during the late
war of the rebellion and who have been hon
orably discharged therefrom, and who are
now or who may hereafter be suffering from |
a mental or physical disability of a perma- |
nent character, not the result of their own |
from the performance of manual labor in |
such degree as to render them unable to |
earn support shall, upon making due, proof |
of the fact according to such rules and regu- |
lations as the Secretary Of the Interior may |
provide, be placed upon the list of invalid |
pensioners Of the United States, and be en- |
twelve dollars per month, and not less
portioned to the degree Of inability to earn
support; and such pension shall commence
from the date of the filing of the application
in the pension office, after the passage, of
this act upon proof that the disability then
existed, and shall continue during the ex-
istence of the same: Provided, That per-
sons who are now receiving pensions under
existing laws, or whose claims are pending
in the pension office, may, by application to
the Commissioner of Pensions, in such form
as he may prescribe, showing themselves
entitled thereto, receive the benefits of this
act; and nothing herein contained shall be
so construed as to prevent any pensioner
Hereunder from prosecuting his claim and
receiving his pension under any other gen.
eral or special act: Provided, however, That
no person shall receive more than one pen
sion for the same period: And provided
further, That rank in the service shall not
be considered In applications filed under this
act.
Sec. 3.-That if any officer or enlisted man
who served ninety days or more in the army
or navy of the United States during the late
war of the rebellion, and who was honora-
bly, discharged has died, or shall hereafter
die, leaving widow without other means of
support than her daily labor, or minor chill
dren under the age of 16 years, such widow
death, without proving his death to be the
result of his army service, be placed on the
pension roll from the date of the application
thereof under this act, at the rate of So per
month during her widowhO3d, and shall also
be paid So per month for each child of such
officer or enlisted man, under 6years of age,
and in case of the death or re-marriage of
the widow, leaving a child or children of
such officer or enlisted man, under the age of
16 years, such pension shall be paid such
child or children until the age of 16; Pr0vid-
ed, That in case minor child is insane, idi-
otic or otherwise permanently helpless, the
pension shall continue during the life of
said child, or during the period of such disa-
bility, and this provis0 shall apply to all
pensions heretofore granted, or hereafter to
be granted, under this or any former statute
and such pensions shall commence from the
date of application therefor, after the pas
sage of this act, and provideds further, that
said widow shall have married said sol dier
prior to the passage of this act.
Sec. 4.-That no agent, attorney, or other
person engaged in preparing, presenting, or
prosecuting any claim under the provisions
of this act shall, directly or indirectly, con-
tract for, demand, receive, or retain for such
services in preparing, or prosecuting such
claim a sum greater than ten dollars, which
sum shall be payable only upon the order of
the commissioner of PENSIONS by the pen
sion agent making payment of the pension
allowed, and any person who shall violate
any of the provisions of this section, or
who shall wrongfully withhold from pen
sioner or claimant the whole or any part of
pension or claim allowed or due such pension
er or claimant under this act shall be deemed
guilty of misdemean0r, and upon c0nvic-
tion thereof shall, for each and every such
offense, be fined not exceeding five hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned at hard labor not
exceeding two years. or both in the discre-
Nf ho anurt