The National tribune., 1895-12-05
PENSION LEGISLATION.

DSiblC lOaiN ava 49, W Ai''fAN
arrangements for the coming Nation
al Encampment, Commander-in-C Chief
Walker told the newspaper men of In
dianapolis that the Grand Army of the
Republic would ask some pension legis-
lation from the present session of Con-
gress.
Sin the frst place." he said, "we shall
ask that the pensions be made specific in char
acter and relief so that it will not he left to
the arbitrary Board to determine whether a
man is entitled TO a pension or not.
"When n pension is fixed it should not be
afterward reduced or taken away, though 1t
frequently happens that evidence is secured
which allows Of its being increased.
Another thing we want Is uniformity IN
widows pensions We ask that these pen
sions be made uniform at $l2 per month.
We also ask that the dependent clause in
widows pensions be changed. "
This is eminently right and proper.
We want Congress to place the veteran
upon the same plane as any other citizen
of the United States with reference to
his lawful dues. Every other man, in
every other sort of legal proceedings,
when he has presented all his evidence
to the court of last resort, and has OBJ
tanned a decision in his favor, feels a
security in possession of what has been
awarded him. No subsequent Judge
will attempt to review the evidence upon
which his predecessor has passed and re-
verse or modify his decision. This is a
principle that has always been regarded
as vital in our institutions. 1t is in
grained into the Constitution, which de-
clares that no fact decided by jury
shall afterward be re-examined, except
under closely-guarded conditions
Certainly, a pensioner who has been
compelled to furnish more exact proof
than would be necessary in many in
stances to send man to the gallows, and
has had bis case formally passed upon
by the high officers appointed for that
purpose, should have a security in the
award that has been made to him after so
much expense and difficultyon both sides,
and his pension should not be regarded
as bagatelle at the entire disposal of
anyone whom political accidents place
in power. 1t is monstrous to think
otherwise. The veteran has at least as
much right to his pension as a farmer has
to a horse, a COW, or a load Of hay
which has been awarded to him In the
course of litigation. No later Judge or
Justice of the Peace would have the
extreme impudence to think Of reopen
ING the case which had been decided by
his predecessor, and making another de-
cision upon the same evidence. Congress
can do no less than to make the adiudi-
cations of the Interior Department as
binding and irreversibIe as those of the
ordinary courts of justice, with the same
protection TO veterans that the citizens
generally enjoy in their judicially de-
termined rights.
The Commander-in-Chief voices the
unanimous opinion Of the comrades in
regard to widows pensions. Almost
without exception these women are far
advanced in years, and have experienced
trials and hardships far beyond the or
binary lot of woman. They have had
long years Of nursing their broken
down husbands, and Of endurance of
poverty and privation. They are en-
titled TO high consideration and most
Grateful treatment Inv CON oreSS