Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-03-05

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WAssINsEDs March Two han-
9rsd gsasrzl pension bills have already
been rsfsrred 70 tie House psnsi0n CON
mites aad 1. 04s special bills. the gea-
era bills embracing al coneeivaols
forms Of psasioa legislation The noss
IN P0fsAat Of the geasral bills. ss reach
Ing shs larger aunber % old soldiers
snd rec airing . zreAs expenditure Of
money, "a ths service pension bill
Thsrs ars seysral bills introduced per
t1laing 70 sAls one subject the moss
liberal ons Of uhlcb proposes 10 place
az old soldiers on tho pension
roll IS = mtninan % sighs dollars per
month pension, with tho addition Of one
csat par noah foe each days service
over 500 days, this pension % DO paid
20 al old soldiers regardless IS 10
whsthsr they are now receiving pen
sions or not The friends OF this bill
estimate that lt would cost sl4o 600, 600
per Annum- There are other service
pension bills which place only those cid
soldiers on the roll who are receiving
eiKhttOllars per month. which would ma
tsriAlly reduce tho cost The most mod
crate Of these bills would probably cost
from so, coo. 900 70 sl0o. ooO. 600 per year.
Another very important bill proposes
% place On the roll al disabled soldiers
who are not now drawing pensions, with
cut regard a. 80 whether the disability
was incurred in the service or not The
next bill IN importance Is what IL
known as the dependent bill." which
proposes TO pension every Old soldier
who Il nov disabled from the per
Torrance OF labor and is dependent
upon his Labor for support. This
biz also proposes 20 place the widows
Of deceased soldiers on the pensiOnroll,
% increase the pension granted 70 minor
children from two dollars 10
four dollars per month, and 20
cont the minors pension 20 children
who are over 10 years OF age who sre
helpless 10 also proposes TO pension
al dependent fathers and mothers with
out regard 70 the time and cause OF the
death Of the son IL Is estimated that
this bill would require an annual ex-
penditure Of about So. 600. Oo0-
Another )ll OF great importance and
which has been vigorously pressed upon
the committee is one providing for in
creasing the pensions OF those who have
lost an arm or leg from the present rate
20 $50 per month and 60 pay the
difference between that rate and the
rate the soldiers have received from the
close OF the war 20 the present time.
"A the number Of these claimants Is def
initely known, an absolutely accurate
estimate can be made. The amount re-
qairsd under this bill is se5, 500, 900.
81 ~ IA
largest expenditure OF money, and which
would become due az once upon the pas
sage OF the bill, ia that repeating the
limitation 70 she arrears act. Under the
act OF March. 1879. pensions we're TO be
paid from she date of discharge
"A al cases where applications
were made prior 70 June 80, 1850.
and after that date pensions would
only Be paid from the date OF the
fhng OF tho application. Some
$4,000 applications in round numbers
have been died since June 80, $780, and
about 10, 600 cases have been allowed.
On these 10. GOO cases, if the Limitation
should be repealed, the arrears would
become due A. once. There are over
zoe. 600 cases which have been fled since
juno 30. 1850. now pending, of which it
Is safe TO say that at least 90 per cent
will be allowed in the near future. The
Commissioner Of Pensions estimates
that IL would require 10 pay cases al
ready allowed and those that are almost
certain 20 be allowed upon applications
fled since the expiration OF the hmita-
ton the sum % s475, 900. 900.
Bills are also pending before the com
Enittse 20 increase the pension of the
totally deaf from $50 70 $50 and those OF
she totally blind from 81 to 500 The
passage OF these bills would proba 81 J
require The expenditure of 81. 600. 900.
Il Is also proposed 20 increase the pen
sion for inability 20 perform manual la
Dor from $50 to s45 per month
The ex-prisoners Of war also have a
bill before ths committee for their re-
lief which proposes 20 pension all who
are now disabled and not on the pension,
roll who can reasonably be presumed "a
have incurred sheir disabilities In
Southern prisons. Il also proposes e
pay them two dollars per day for each
aAy they we're In confinement. And
then bill "a before The committee &c
pension army nurses az the rate OF SIS
per month. This would require an al
nual expsnditurs Of about q. coo. 900.
The COMMITTEES asa Seen unremittiug
m tss sndsavors - obtain statistics as u
shs numbe OF lirirr soldiers and she
death rate since go close Of the war
The death rate has BEEN much less thar
has been general Supposed. Tables
soon 20 be com FL will show tia
the desths in Or ~ Army ranks las
year were only Son cut Of 40o, 900, an
among pensioners thew we're about ths
same There "a a u-7ni rnous sentiment
in The CON mittee IN favor Of liberal leg
tslation for soldiers tUs all arc agree
that IL viii Be SIMPLY impossible 4
pass al ths propos measures as this
session Of Congress. n shey are care
fully investigating sae whole subiec
- determine which is the most meri
sorious and she most practicable.
EDWIN COwLES DEAD.
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