The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-09
DISABILITY PENSION BILL.
The Measure Passed by the
United States Senate.
Text of the Bill as Agreed Upon
by Both Houses.

The Disability Pension bill, offered by the
Conference Committee on Pensions as a sat-
isfactory compromise between the Dependent
and Service bills, and accepted by the House
some two weeks ago, passed the Secate by a
vote Of "a to 1S.
Mr.. Berry made a speech against it. The
practical effect Of it would be, he said, to put
ninety per cent of the Union soldiers on the
pension roll. He believed that, under the
operation Of the pending measure, the an
nual pension roll would be S2U0, 600, 900.
Mr.. German also opposed the conference
report and said that if the bill became law
there would be a deficit Of S100, 900, 900 in
1892
MIR. Ingalls, advocated the conference re-
port He was In favor Of the removal Of the
Limitation in the act Of granting arrears of
pensions. He did not care whether it cost
one hundred millions or thousand millions.
Finally the discussion closed and the vote
was taken. The conference report was
agreed to. Yeas, "a: nays, 18. Messrs. Call,
Hearst and Turpie, Democrats voted with
the Republicans in the affirmative.
The following is the text Of the bill as
agreed upon:
An act granting pensions to soldiers and
sailors who are incapacitated for the per-
formance Of labor and providing for pensions
to widows. minor children, and dependent
parents. Be it enacted, etc.:
SECTION /. That in considering the PEN
sion Chains Of dependent parents, the fact
of the soldiers death by reason of any wound,
injury. casualty or disease which, under the
condition and Limitations Of existing laws,
would have entitled him to an invalid pension,
and the fact that thesoldier left no widow or
minor children having been shown as re-
uuired by law, it shall be necessary only to
show by competent and sufficient evidence
that such parent or parents are Wlthout
other present means Of support than their
own manual labor or the contributions Of
others not legally bound for their support;
provided, that all pensions allowed to de-
pendent parents under this act shall COM
mence from the date Of the fling Of the ap-
plication hereunder and shall continue no
longer than the existence Of the dependence.
SEC. Q. That all persons who served three
months or more in the military or naval SER
vice Of the United States during the late
war Of the rebellion, and who have been
honorably discharged therefrom, and who ara
now or who may hereafter be suffering from
mental or physical disability Of q perma-
nent character, not the result Of their own
vicious habits which incapacitates them
from the performance Of manual labor In
such a decree as to render them unable to
earn a support, shall, upon making due proof
of the fact, according to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of the Interior
may provide, be placed upon the List OF in
valid pensioners Of the United States and be
entitled to receive pension not to exceed
Sl2 per month and not less than So per
month. proportioned to their inability TO
earn support; and such pension shall COM
mence from the date Of the filing Of the ap-
plication in the Pension Office, after the pas
sage of this act, upon proof that the disabl-
ity then existed, and shall continue during
the existence Of such disability, provided,
that persons who are now receiving pensions
under existing laws, or whose claims are
pending in the Pension Office may, by apph-
cation to the Commissioner of Pensions, in
s1,ch form as he may prescribe. showing
themselves entitled thereto, receive the ben
efits Of this act, and nothing herein con-
tanned shall be SO construed as to prevent
any psnsioner Hereunder from prosecuting
his claim and receiving his pension under
any other general or special act; provided,
however, that no person shall receive more
than one pension for the same period; ana
provided, further, that rank in the service
shall not be considered in applications filed
under this act.
SEQ. 8. That il 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 honorably
discharged. has died, or shall hereafter die,
leaving a widow without other means
of support than her daily labor, or
minor children under the age OF six.
teen years, such widow shall, upon due PROOF
Of her husbands death, without proving his
death to be the result OF his army service De
placed on the pension roll from the date OF
the application therefor under this act, at the
rate Of sS per month during her wIdoWhood,
and shall also be paid 81 per month for eacn
child of the officer or enlisted man under
sixteen years Of age, and in case OF the death
or remarriage of the widow, leaving child
or children Of such officer or enlisted man
under the age Of sixteen years, sucn pension
shall be paid such child or children until the
age Of sixteen; provided, that IN case minor
child is insane, idiotic, or otherwise per-
manently helpless, the pension shall contlnus
during the life OF said child, or during the
period of such disability; and this provision
Shall apply to all pensions heretofore granted
or hereafter to be granted under this or any
former statute; and such pensions shall COM
mence from the date Of the application there
for, after the passage Of this act; and pro-
vided, further, that said widow shall nave
married said soldier prior to the passage Oh
this act. ,.Lo.
That no agent. attorney. or other
person engaged In preparing, presenting; Of
Prosecuting any claim under the provisions
of this act shalt, directly or indirectly, con con
tract demand receive or retain r0T pSosa. Sosn
services in preparing, presenting, OF Pr0se Sse
which sum shall be payable only upon the
order Of the Commissioner Of Pensions 6y
the Pension Agent making payment OF me
pension allowed, and any person VINO
shall violate any OF the the zIpnonas,1Iy prSv,ss.T1rIs
Withhold from a pensioner or claimant
the Whole or any part Of a pension or claim
allowed or due such pensioner or claimant
under this act, shall be deemed guilty OF a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall
for each and every such offense, be hneo nos
exceeding $780, or be imprisoned az az naIa r. "a la
bor not exceeding two years, or ooth' In sns
discretion of the court.
The bill only required the signature OF
PRESIDENT Harrison to become law.