The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-18
PENSION LEGISLATION.
Statement Prepared by the Chairman of
of the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Il

OF the Committee on lnValld PENSIONS.
Chairman Martin of the House committee
of invalid pensions has prepared Il state
ment showing what was done in the way of
pension legislat on during the Fifty-third
Congress. as well as proposed legislation
which failed. 1t is as follows: Number of
gneral House bills and resolutions referred
to the commit ee, &c. number of of general
bills from the Senate. 2; resolutions report
ed by the commi, tee. 4; general bills report
ed by the committee. II, as follows
l. To supplement the act of June 21. 1890,
SO as to 1--WE pensionable status to the wild
ows of soldiers who died in the sci vice, but
not in the line of duty. This bill passed the
House, but not the senate.
g. To repeal the law prohibiting the Fay
ment of pensions 10 noDresidents. This
provision was enacted into law as an
amendment to the pension appropriation
hill.
8. To give the same weight to testimony
OF private soldiers as to that of officers.
This bill passed the Hou Sc. but not the
Senate.
and 5. House and Senate bill providing
for the payment OF accrued pensions. This
was enacted into law March 2, 1886.
s. To punish officers for postdatlng
vouchers. This did not pass the House.
7. To pension members of State militia
and others not regularly mustered for
wounds OF injuries received in battle. This
did not pass the House. .
s. To restore pensions to soldiers widows
whose pensions had ceased bee ause of Re
marriage, but W no had again become Wild
ows. This did not pass tie House.
9. To permit fourth-class postmasters to
execute vouchers for pensioners. This was
enacted into law.
10. I o amend the act of June q, 1890, as
to insane, idiotic or otherwise helpless
children. This passed the House, hut not
the Senate.
IL. To restore the status of members of
the Missouri State militia under the act of
June 27, 1890. This was enacted into law.
PRIVATE PENSION BILLS.
There were referred to the committee
!, 1888 private pension bills introduced in the
House and ii bills which bad passed the
Senate. and of these priavte bills tie COM
mittee reported 143 favorably and 22 adj
yerseIy The 1928 House bills referred to
this committee may be classified as follows:
To pension q,iaIterma sters' employees and
others not regularly mustered into the ser
i've of the United States. or the widows of
such, ZOE: bills containing no suMient data
to lassify, 132; bills imp operly referred to
this committee, and hence returned for
reference to other committees. 81: to PEN
sion. perma nently helpless children of SOL
diers, ~; to restore pensions to soldiers
widows who had remarked, but again be-
come widows. rs; to pension persons whose
claim are still pending in the pension
bureau. s.: bills to- pension those already
pensioned, the passage of which would be
of no benefit 20; to pension soldiers or wild
ows of soldiers who served less than ninety
days. 80; to pen sion army nurses. "a; to
pension soldiers not disa bled in a ratable
degree, %; to allow arrears of pensions. %;
exact duplicates Of other bills, II; to pen
sion deserteIs or their widows. 10; to PEN
zion widows of soldiers who died in the SER
vice, bui not in The line OF duty, such wild
ows not being pensionable under the act of
June ~. 1890. because the soldier was not
disc haTged. 16; to pension mothers of sal-
diers whose death was not due TO the SER
vice, 20; to pension mothersA of soldiers
who left widow orscLildren having pl ior
title. IA to pension stepmothers or foster
mothers of soldiers. Il; to pension fathers
of soldiers. 9. 81
SOME OTHER CLASSES.
To pension stepfathers or fostef fathers.
4; to pensions, sisters of soldiers, 2; to PEN
sion stepsister of soldies- 10 pension
women not legally married '. sold iers. IL;
to pension supposed widows, where SOL
diers' death is not positively proved, but
presumed. rs; to pension adult daughter of
soldier. l; to pension minors of soldier who
left widow by second marriage /; to PEN
sion widow married since June 81, $780, l,
to pension brother of soldier for PERSONAL
ing him in the Regiment for some weeks. /;
to pension soldier whose disability resulted
fl ON vicious habits. 2: to pension soldier
who had served for time in rebel army.
who also served in the Union army, s; to
pay pension accrued TO relatives of sol
diers. 10; to pension widow who is not de-
pendent, under act of June 7. 1890. 1; to re-
store pensions stopped illegally or allowed.