The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-17

A GRADED SERVICE PENSION RzLL.
A bill has been favorably reported
from the House Committee on Invalid
Pensions. which reads as follows:
That from and after July 4, 1897, every sur
viving officer or enlisted man who was mus
tered into the military or naval service OF the
United States between April 10, 1861, and
July j, 1865, and received an honorable dis
charge therefrom, shall be entitled. upon
application, to receive pension Of - per
month. and. In addition thereto, . sum per
month equal to one cent per day for every
day served under such muster-in during
said time: Provided, That in computing the
period served all services from which such
person had an honorable discharge shall be
taken into consideration.
Sec 2 That the pension herein provided
shall not be in addition to any pension nov
or which may hereafter be granted; but
nothing in this act contained shall be con-
strued to debar person from applying and
electing to receive a pension to which ne
may be otherwise entitled.
Sec. 8. That pensions granted under this
act snail date from July 4, 1897: Provided,
That the application therefor shall have
been filed within one year subsequently
thereto: And provided further, That ii such
application be filed at any time beyond one
year thereafter, the pension, when allowed,
shall commence at the date Of such filing.
Sec f. That the Secretary of the Interior
shall prescribe such rules and regulations as
may be necessary to carry into effect the
provisions of this act.
We do not think this as good a bill
as the straight Service Pension Bill OF
So a month for every man who served
80 daTs or more and was honorably dis
charged, for the following reasons:
1. Eight dollars month is the his
torical minimum for service pension.
1t is the rate that has always been given
as the lowest fer any length of service.
1t was the rate given all soldiers of the
Revolution for nine months service. 1t
was the rate fixed for soldiers of the war
of 1912 who served 60 days. Later
this service was reduced to IA days. 1t
was the rate fixed for soldiers who served
for 80 days in the Black Hawk, Creek,
Cherokee, and Seminole Indian wars,
and it was the rate fixed for 60 days
service in the Mexican war. We think
it grave and unjust discrimination to
fix the minimum pension for service in
the war of the rebellion at less than IS
a month. All the historical precedents
are in favor of this rating, and they form
a most powerful argument for it.
2. The Per Deim feature is impolitic
at this time. Any uncertainty as to the
amount to be expended by any proposed
pension legislation is the strongest bar to
its success Very many Representatives
and Senators who will vote for liberal
bill giving known amount Of money
will strongly oppose one giving an un-
known amount. This is particularly
true now, in the present condition of the
Treasury. They are hanted by bug
bear as to the immensely of the number
of soldiers yet living and the size of
the sum that will be required to pay
them. 1t is useless to contend against
this feeling. We must simply accept it
as a fact, and do the best We can. After
awhile, when the Treasury is fuller, they
may feel different, and then will be the
time to urge the Per Diem feature. At
present we can hope to get a straight
Service Pension Bill, giving So month
to every man, because all the arguments
historical and otherwise-are over
whelmingly in favor of it, and we can
show very satisfactorily what 1t Will
cost.
3. As the object of agitation is sue
cess, we should concentrate upon that
which is most hopeful, and look to flu
ture agitation to secure whatever addi-
tional is needed to make the legislation
what we desire.
Therefore, let US all join now upon a
simple, plain Service Pension Bill, which
| will give at least So month to every
man who served 80 days or more, and
was honorably discharged.
THE TARIFF BILL.
The test vote in the Senate showed
the impossibility of passing the Dingley
| Bill at this session. The Free Silver
4 O. L 4