The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-03
THE SERVICE PENSION


We shall, therefore, ask pardon OF
those who are already informed as to its
nature, and go into full explanation
of it. 1t shall read something like this
Be IL Enacted, Jy the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States Of Amerfcd
an Congress Asst mtied: That the Secretary
of the Interior be and he is hereby directed
to place on the pension roll of the United
States the name of any man who served w
DAYS or more in the Army Navy OF Marine
Corps of the United States during the war OF
the rebellion-that is to say, between dates
of March 4, 1861. and July l, 1S65-and
was honorably discharged therefrom, at the
rate of So per month Said pension to begin
from the date of the application therefor,
and continue during the term OF the lie OF
said man.
Sec 9 That the widow of any man VINO
served 80 days or more during the war OF the
rebellion in the Army, Navy or Marine corps
of the United States and was honorably DIS
charged, shall, upon due proof OF her nus
bands service and death, be placed upon the
pension roll from the date of her application,
at the rate of S. month, to continue duIlng
her widowhood.
Sec. 3. In case of the death or remarrlage
of such widow, leaving minor child or chl!-
dren of such q soldier, sailor or marine, such
pension shall be paid such child or children
until the age of I6.
There it is, simple and plain. The
wayfaring man, even though he be a fool,
can read and understand.
What we expect to gain by the pas
sage of such law is this:
1. 1t viii sweep away at one stroke a
vast mass of the sickening delay and
irritating circumlocution that now en-
cumbers the granting of pensions. 1t
will give to every man not pensloned'
and to every pensioner who new re-
ceiyes but Sc month, a pension OF So
month, as a matter of right, who can
fulfill two plain, simple conditions
first, that he served so days or more
during the war of the rebellion and
second, that he was honorably discharged
His pension will not be a matter Of
| favoritisln by the Commissioner of Pen
sions or any of the other powers that
be; it cannot be taken away or sus
pended when the elections 60 the wrong
way; it will not be affected by lega
bubbles or technical hair-splitting
Medical Boards can not juggle with it
If the records show that be served 81
DAYS or more and was honorably dis
charged, he must be given his pension
not at some future convenience of TIT
Pension Bureau, but at once.
2. 1t will give immediate relief t
hundreds of thousands Of most deserv
] ING men whose claims have been fo
years grinding through the interminabl'
mill of the Pension Bureau. 1t viii
give them something to help along un
til that time in the future when thei
cases will be reached and allowed.
8. 1t will put all pensions on a mucl
more solid and secure basis BY max
ing IS a month the minimum pension
and giving that to every man as
matter of absolute right, whether dis
abled or not, basic starting-point Is es
tablished for all pensions. No ma
shall be paid less than So a month
while those who are entitled under pres
ent laws to rating in excess of So pc
month will not be debarred from asser
ing their title to such higher rate by al
propriate application under existing law
| 1t viii not affect in any way those VIII
are now getting pensions, except
raise those which are below So mont
up to that rate, and give everybody
frmer hold upon his present allowanc
1t will not operate to reduce any pc
sion, since those now in receipt of IS
. more per month will not be in any
e gree affected by it.
$ 1t will not operate to increase al
: pension save only those survivors pc
E stoned (under any law at Sc per mont
s Lastly, no one will be obliged to a
$ cept this Service Pension, and no o.
IS will accept it who is not benefited by
e doing.
r a. 1t will be a sound foundation
which to build other pension legislatio
Starting with basis of So a month I
honorable service, we can readily a.
n other needed and just features.
is There are the strongest precedents
q such legislation. After every war
n which the country has been engag,