Telegram-herald., 1890-10-20
SOLDIERS PENSIONS
Ths speech of Hon VIA D. Owen,
or In mana.
REVIEW OF PENSION LEGISLATION.
Delivered Ia th- hsass sf Espre-eatA-
asss - cea.Fs.s. Assass >. ls89-
" 10 AFs tas solsisrs' st4aaGA-
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ballots this fail pensions and honesg
elections ~ be tne ssges. The tariff
IN spite u the DO lician, IS passing 10
secondary importance. Wear rapidly
moving 70 a dnsl adjustment OF mat
ters growing out oi tho war. The We
tories of the Union army wlll never
reach a full fTuitioa until the rights oi
a cit.zen AZ the ball0t-bo1 ia Mississippi
or south Carolin4 are as saerediy
guarded As IN IND ana or MassAchu-
sette, aud the justice and generosity OF
Of the nation can lot be quieted until
every man VINO 6,re his life beside rs
musket pa defense Of his country Is car
red on hef pension roll.
have gathered into brief review
the more important Of the pension
legislation OF the past thirty years. il
is due the House that such a collection
be made, and it Is proper that the sol
der understand how tins legislation has
been enacted AMI now the Two great
parties nave stooi 0n the various votes.
The struggling votes Of few men IA
either party cOuat on little. The mem-
Ter OF COu gress Wao supports for Presi-
dent a man Who yltOcs pensions is not
a safe man II his vote 8 20 decide
al important pension measure.
You can only rely ON his vote
when the bill would pass whether he
voted for 10 Or not. one can always
support a man on the general primer
pies be holds; Il = never safe to trust
hlm on bis exceptions % MS party.
Whas has been tue spirit OF the two
great parties on thus question, Has the
trend OF particular party been friend
Is or unfrendly 10 PENSIONS IL one
party were entirely absent aud the
other had complete control OF Con-
gress, what would 10 have done on this
question: Let Us learn the truth by 70
ing TO the record and examining the
pension legislation since 1861.
THE BEGINNING OF PENSIONS.
Our Government was practically with
out pension system when the war
came, aud out of the necessities OF that
war was passed the foundation act of
our present system of July IA. 1862. IL
WAS necessarily crude and defective,
but u was patriotic move IN the right
direction. A great system OF legislation
Is inaugursted along general lines, and
by experience It's inequalities are rem
edIed and proper amendments are
made, and wise adaptations are given it
as unprOvlded-fOr developments may
Indicate.
When the Republicans turned Con
greSs over to the Democrats on the 4th
Of March, 1875, after fourteen years OF
continuous control, in addition TO
countless minor sets were fifteen great
measures Of pension legislation on the
statute books.
Each one of these acts was TO remove
some friction IN the law or TO add a
proper amendment looking TO the build
ing up and making better this patriotic
department OF our Government.
The great system under which the
Pension Office Is now run, with Its army
Of clerks. Its plstOOns OF special exam
iners IN the field, Is payment of $780,.
600 0OV yearly 10 the veterans, is ali
under the law winch was fOunde ed by
the Republican party and amended
from time to time and finally codiied
in 1874.
The Democrats have had control OF
this House SINCE 1870 until this session
with the exception of one Congress.
What have they one IN these twelve
years 10 broaden and hberalize these
laws2
1878 TO 1885.
They broadeneu a law and gave q
separate pension tor the loss OF both a
hand and foot by act OF February 2S
1877. IL reached two hundred and
tNauty-One soldiers
BY act of March 3, 1877. pensions
were granted n certain cases to soldier.
who had engaged IN rebellion against
the United states
On March $, ISIS. they amended the
Republican law of February IA, 1871
granting pensions 20 the Survivors oil
the war 0f 1872. lt reduced the term
Of service from So 70 "a days. It pro
vided that a widov IS pension should
cease If she should marry.
Ine act of June rs, 1873, makes the
pension Of q lieut uant-commandcr Ir
IN she navy the same rs that OF leuteu
ant commanding
Tle act Of june 90. 1878. limits tn,
ee Ciaiul 0t agents to $40.
Fne act ct june u. 1873. increased
the PENSIONS of soldiers or sailors Nn1
had lost either botl hands. botn feet
of the slght of both eyes 20 So psi
month. These were all recei viug f5l
per month. It affected about tN0 hun
0rsd pensioners.
The act Of February 10. 1879. pro
vites for paying three months extra
pay to the officers snd soldiers engaged
iu the military service of the Ju.tef
Ststss ln the var IN Mexico. vcry
large propCrton OF these we're ir tht