Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-01

NATIONS CAPITAL.
The Dependent Pension Bill
Before the Senate.
Hoafhg BaioFs The Post 0hce Committee
On Postal Telegraph Systan.
oz3. .65o. 900 In the Deficiency Bill.
With oz1 600. 600 for Psnsionsss Of
1917 and Mexican War.

WAsHrxsIox, Feb. 2s.-The Senase
proceeded TO the consideration Of the bill
reported from the committee on pensions
on the 18th Of January, granting pensions
10 ex-soidiers and sol'iierv inexperienced for
the performance Of manual labor. and pro-
viding for pensions TO dependent relstives
Of deceased soldiers and saiiors.
Davis. chairman Of committee on pc J.
siops, addr essed the Senate in explanation
Of the bill. IL vas, be said, the same bill
verbatim ~ paused the Senate last Congress
but failed Of action In ths Hasse. II pro-
vided that all persons Who served three
months Or more in the Rebellion and were
honofably discharged. suffering from men-
tai or physical disability not the result Of
their own vicious habifs, Il q ineapscitated
them from the performance Of labor In
such manner - 10 render them unable TO
earn their support and who are dependent
upon their daily labor for support should
be placed upon the list Of invalid pension
ers st el2 per month, no person TO receive
more than one pension for the same period,
and rank in service not TO be considered in
the applications under the act He would
take the number of survivors Of the war at
200 600 men. OF that number there
were on the pension rolls June 80, 1889,
35l, ,484 men. lie would assume .here
we're 800, 600 survivors not pensioned. OF
that nuuber l67 900 had elaine pending
under the existing Law. and 80 per cent of
these claims were likely To be sliOsed,
leaving 33 400 rejected. OF that 33. 400
some 20 900 could claim under pending bill.
That left C30, ,0U0 unpe nsiOned men out of
800. 600. 1t was thought Of that number 1t
least 200, 900 would apply for pensions un-
der the existing law, so per cent Of that
number would receive pensions. That, at
the rate of Sl44 year, would amount to
sl4, 400 ,0O0 as al annual expense for invalid
pensions under the pending bill. In = like
manner Davis made estimates a. to the
pensions Of widows, children, and depend
ent parents, the general result being; For
invalid pensions S14 400 900, for increase
OF existing pensions So ,90s 600; for widows
of unpensioned soldiers dying. annually
81, ,72s 900: for widows of pensioners dying
Annually 1854, 900; for widows whose
claims are now pending or have been re-
jected, $40, SOC. 900; for children of widows
81 ,632 ,OO0 for children under the pending
bill s576 ,000-t,ial $35, ,90S, 900.
Mcpherson asked whether the report of
tHt On ptH1iuuh was uEhuifuOu9
Davis replied in the affirmative.
Mcpherson remarked that the estimate
of the cost of the bill just given by Davis
was (as well as he remembers) far short
of the estimate given at previous Con-
gresses. He would like to vote for
proper dependent pension bill, one that
would reach the most extreme cases.
Davis said that Mcpherson was mistaken
and that the estimate he was thinking of
was evidently that as to the service of the
pension bill.
Plumb offered a substitute for the second
section of the bill and argued in support of
it. Under this sub no pensioner would re-
ceive less than $6 q month He claimed
that his ame endment was definite and sure
under it every Union soldier would know
-xactly (by the mere fact of his medical
examination) to what pension he was en-
titled, and ne would not be subject to the
mercy of friendly or unfriendly admins
tration of the Law at headquarters.
Blair (member Of the pensions commit
tee made some remarks in advocacy of the
bill
Moody (another member Of the commit
tee disagreed with Plumb's remarks and
with the substitute offered Oy him. The
bill was the dependent pension bill, nothing
more nor nothing less. 1t did not purport
to be the service pension bill. Whenever
such measure be proposed the pension
committee would act upon it with liberslity.
He would have been happy to vote in the
committee for the service pension bill if it
was possible for the treasury to bear the
burden of such measure. He also would
have gladly voted to make pensions under
the pending bill S25 q month instead of
el2.
Vest opposed the bill and pointed out
some of its nsistencies. One was that
q parent who could not support himself by
manual labor but who might, by mental or
clerical work earn So 900, $40 900 or S20,-
600 year will be entitle d to . pension un-
der it, He spoke of unrelisbility Of the
cost and said no man living could tell with
in millions aud millions how much this bill
would cost.
Mcpherson favored the recommittal Of
the bill and the reporting of measure that
would grant relief to dependent parents
but would cut off the privileges this bill
seemed TO give parents whether dependent
or not The bill went over without action.
On motion of Teller House bill for the
appointment of two persons to represent
the United States in the international con-
ference at Madrid in reference to ind lstri
al property was passed.
After the executive session the Senate at
So adjourned until Monday.