The National tribune., 1896-12-17

A General Pension Measure Now Before
the Senate.
In compliance with numerous requests We
give the full text of the Pickier Pension Bill
which, passed the House April %, 1896. and has
been before the Senate since then:
A BILL RELATING TO PENSIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Rep.
resentatiUes Of the United States Of America in
Congress assembled That no person otherwise
entitled to a pension by virtue Of any law Of
the United States shall be disqualified from re.
ceiving the same by reason OF any prior service
in the Confederate army or navy during the
war of the rebellion, nor shall the widow.
children, or dependent relatives of such per-
son be deprived of right to pension by reason
of service: Prorided. That no pension shall be
granted by virtue of this section for disability
contracted or incurred while aiding or abetting
the late rebellion against the authority Of the
United States: Proridcd further, That in the
ministration of the Pension Bureau all laws
shall be construed literally in the interest of
the claimant, and in no case shall the claim
ant be required to furnish measure Of proof
that excludes all reasonable doubt. but he
shall only be required to establish his claim by
fair preponderance of proof.
Sec 9. That from and after the passage oil
this act no pension heretofore granted or
pension laws shall he reduced or discontinued
except for fraud clerical error, mistake Of fact,
or recovery from disability: Pr0videot however,
That nothing herein contained shall be con-
strucd to entitle any person to more than one
pension, or as allowing more than one pension
for the same service nor to affect or enlarge
the pension rights of widows aud others under
section 47O2, 47O6. and 4708 Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States and acts sup
Elemental to and alncndatory thereof.
Sec g. That all pensions reduced or discon.
timed since Jan. T. 1893, shall. upon appfica.
tion, be recOnsidered and adjudicated in accord
ancc with the provisions Of this act, and the
pension. il restored or allowed, shall commence
from the date of such reduction or discontin.
uauce or from the date subsequent thereto al
which the disability is shown by the evidence
to have existed: Prouided That in the event
OF the death of the pensioner after such reduc-
ton or discontinuaBce any accrued pension
that may be found duo under this section shall
be paid as provided by existing law in cases oil
death.
Sec. 4. That hereafter. in the administration
of the pension laws, lall Investigations into the
merits Of any pension previously allowed shall
be by question aud apsweaa under oath, in open
session. after due notice to the person or per
sons who may be affected thereby to be present
personally or by attorney; and such person OF
persons shall have the right to cross-examine
and fair and full opportunity to rebat or sub
stantiate any facts alleged or disputed: Pro
vided That when fraud is alleged the allega
tions shall be reduced to writing and under
| oath aud the person br persons affected thereby
| shall be furnished with certified copy Of thu
charges made, together with the names of th,
| persons making the same. at least 30 days prio
! to such investigation, aud shall be furnished
with the names of the witnesses by whom sait
charges are to be proved at least five days prio
to their examinations, such investigation to b.
! conducted at the County-seat of the County il
which the person affected resides, and th
depositions of Witnesses residing outside 0
said County shall be taken as near as NAV b