The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-03-20
A SERVICE PENSION BILL.

Last Monday Maj. L. N. Morrill, of Kan
sas, introduced the following bill--No
S,299-in the House, which was read twice
and referred TO the Committee on Invalid
Pensions:
BE IL euocied Jy The Senate and House Of Repre-
SopjatircS Of hc United States Of america In Con-
orcss assembled, That the Secretary of the l"teror
be, and he is hereby, authorized aud directed to
place on the pension rolls of the United States the
name ofauy officer enlisted man G2 years ofage or
over, who shall hereafter reach Tint age who shall
have served 90 days or more in Tic Army, Navy,
or Marine Corps of the United States during the
war of the rebellion, and shall have received an
honorable discharge thercfrom; said pension to
commence from the date of the application there
for, and 10 continue during the term of the life OF
said officer or enlisted man, at the rate OF Is
month.
SEC. >. All persons who shall have served 90 days
or more in the military naval service of the
United States during the late war of the rebellion
and who have been honoraby discharged there
from, and who now, or may hereafter be, sui
icring from mental or physical disability equivalent
TO the grade now established in the Pension Office
for the rating of So per month shall upon due proof
of the fnct according to such rules aud regulations
rs the Secretary of the Interior mny provide be
United States at the rate of s. per month aud such
pension shall commence from the date of the filing
of the application in tho Pension Office, after tho
passage of this act upon proof that the disability
then existed, and shall continue during the exist
cncc OF The same: PForidcd, That those who are
now receiving pensions under existing laws or
whose claims pending in the Pension Office,
may, by application 10 tho Commissioner of Pen
sions. in such form rs he may prescribe and prove
/ IL H. q
benefits of this act; and nothing contained in this
/ act shall be SO construed as to prevent any pen
sioner hereunder from prosecuting his claim, and
receiving his pension under my other general or
special act: Proridcd, however, that person
shall receive more than pension for the same
| period
SEC. 3. That IL any officer enlisted man who
! served three months d more in the Army or Navy
OF the United state during the late war of the re-
bellion, and who honorably discharged, has
died, or shall hereafter die, leaving widow over
| the age of 62 years such widow shall. upon due
proof of her husbands death, be placed upon the
pension-rolls from the date OF hernpplicaton there
for at the rate of IS per month continue during
| widowhood
SEC. 4. That IL any officer or enlisted man who
! served three months or in the Army Navy
Of the United States during the late Of the re-
/ bellion and who honorably discharged, has
!
out other OF support than her daily labor. or
| minor children under the age of l6 years, such
widow minor children shall upon proof Of her
husbands DEATH without proving his death TO be
the result of his army service. be placed on the
pension-rolls from the date of application therefor
at the rate Of IS a month during her widowhood I;
| and Ia of the death Of the widow, leaving a
child children, under the age OF l6 years. such
pension shall be paid such child children: Pro-
/ vidci. That said widow shall have married said
soldier prior to the passage OF this act.
SIC 8. That no agent. attorney, or other person
engaged in preparing, presenting. prosecuting:
any claim under the provisions Of this act. shall
directly indirectly contract for. demand, receive,
retain for such services la preparing presenting. OF
prosecuting such claim, a sum greater than 81.
which shall be payable only upon the order OF
the Commissioner Of Pensions by the Pension
Agent making payment of the pension allowed
aud any person who shall violate any of the pro-
visions OF this section, who shall wrongfulIy
withhold from tho pcnsioncr claimant The
whole or any part OF the pension or claim allowed
or due such pensioncr claimant under this act
shall be deemed guilty OF n mi5demeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall for cno aud every
such offcnsc DO fined not less than 500 nor more
than $3.50, or bs imprisoned nj hard labor not
ceedng two years. both, ia the discretion o
the court.
Maj Morrill, said that this bill would al
once place about 100000 pensioners on tn,
rolls, and about $4,000 year afterwart
lie estimated that its annual cost woult
be about siO,OOO0OO year. 1t is certainly
an excellent measure, and will receive tn,
commentator Of the comrades generally.
Among its good features are that it estab
fishes the rate of disability at the scale nov
technically called "total" in the Pension
, Bureau-that is, a disability equivalent q
) anchylosis of the wrist or ankle. IL doe
! not require dependence, il allows the pen
, sioner to elect under which law he will re
, ceive his rating, itintroduces the age prin
ciple, it continues the pension 10 the veter
ans widow, and gives one to all widows VIII
) are 62 and over, or 10 minor orphans, wheI
, there is no widow.