The National tribune., 1895-12-12
A "sPECIFIED TIME.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: You adVO-
cate the Service Pension Bill. That's all
right, comrade; but why not strike out the
words. "a specified time"p Many me nwere
disabled by service in very short time !;
perhaps the time was so short that they
would get left if those words were included
in the provisions of the bill. Ii they were
disabled in the service, are they not just as
much entitled as comrade who was 50 for
tunate as to escape disability for greater
length of time? What would become of
the comrades who were rushed into battle
and disabled in 70 hours from the time they
signed the roll? Are they not entIledF
The same objections hold good for the Per
Diem Service Pension If man was dis
abled "a hours after signing the enlistment
roll, he is just as much patriot and just
as much entitled as the man who served four
years. Time of service should not cut any
figure at all.
The Per Diemn bill is too much like
the bounty law, requiring two years service
to entitle man, whereas man one and hall
years in the service may have seen more real
service than many who were in four years.
A bounty bill should be passed giving every
man so much month for the time he
served. That would be the only equitable
bounty bill possible.
Thousands of comrades are not in favor of
the Service Pension Bill unless the words
" a specified time" are eliminated.-H. NJ.
BRUCE, Co. G, I'd Ohio Cav, Tampa, Fla
Comrade Bruce's objections are not
well taken. There has to be some speci-
fed time in every Service Pension Bill.
Else it would not receive the attention of
Congress and the approval of the pub
lie. After mature consideration by the
comrades for years it was decided to
make the minimum specified time so
days, and this minimum will probably
be maintained. As for the case of man
disabled within few days after enter
ing service, that would be taken care of
under the disability laws. The objection
to the Per Diem laws has been fully con-
sidered in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
and the objection he raises met by a
provision that no pension rate shall be
less than SIS, which is one cent day for
800 days.
But let us lay all these to one side
now, and unite for concerted effort to
get through a simple Service Pension of
IS month for every man who served
not less than 90 days and was honorably
discharged. This is plain and tangible.
Congressman will know just exactly
what they are voting for, and precisely
what it will cost, and this is exceedingly
important in the present condition Of
the Treasury. 1t will do away with the
strongest argument against any further
pension legislation. Our opponents will
play their biggest card in claims that all
previous pension legislation has cost very
much more than the estimates as the time
it was passed, and this will operate very
harmfully upon the minds of many who
mnight otherwise favor us. But if we 90
to them with plain, straightforward
proposition with undeniable figures to
back it, we can hope for success. After
we have gotten the Service Pension
through we can hope to secure additional
legislation simplifying it and giving other
things that the comrades want. A step
at time is the true method of making
Roadway.