New-York tribune., 1896-06-05
SERVICE PENSION BILL.
PROPOSED MEASURE REPORTED FAv-
ORABLY TO THE HOUSE.
1T WOULD PENSION EVERY HONORABLY DIS
CHARGED SURVIVOR OF THE wAR-MAxIMUM
INCREASE IN ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS
ESTIMATED AT s20O00o00
TO $50 OrO 900.
rBY TELEGRAPH Tc THE TRrBUNE.l

fBY TELEGRAPH Tc THE TR1BUNE.l
Washington. June A pension bill Of interest to
regular and volunteer officers and enlisted men VINO
took part In the War % the Rebellion has been fav-
orab!y reported In the House from the Committee
Invalid Pensions. The measure provides that
from and after July T. 1897. every surviving officer
man who was mustered into the military or naval
service between April Is. 1861 and July l. 1867 and
received honorable discharge therefrom shall be
entitled TO receive a pension OF 81 month"; and, In
addition thereto. a per month equal TO one cent
day for every day served under such muster-in
during the time mentioned In computing the period
served. al services from which such person had an
honorable discharge to be taken into considera-
ton The pension provided for Is not TO be In addition
10 any pension granted or to be granted. but moth
ing in the bill is be construed as debarring
person from applying for and electng to receive
pension to which he may be otherwise entitled. Pen
sions granted under the bl TO date from july
T. 1897 provided appica tons therefor shall have been
filed within year subsequent thereto lf the ap-
p.cations filed at any time beyond one year
thereafter the pcn Jlon when allowed. Is to begin
the date OF such flling The Secretary OF the IN
terror is prescribe rules and regulations
TO carry into effect the provisions OF the Dill
The report on the bill made to the House
OF Representatives by Representative Pickler ana
contains interesting data. 1t says that many ser
vice pension bills have been referred 10 the COM
mittee during the present session OF Congress. but
In some OF them no distinction is made between
the who served the shortest possible term
day for example and the men who served
longer period. say six months. Under others, fhe
soldier who faithfully served his country for a
limited time receives no recognition Whatever
while the pane Of his comrade. whose services
perhaps covered only day more. would De
placed on tie rolls at the minimum rate 1he Dill
recommended by the committee VIII obv'ate 20 Il
marked extent all difficulty Of this character Inc
first proposition contained in the bill recognizes
nd
pensonabe status for this alone. thus placing All
on exactly the same footing. Starting with this
as a basis. there is added a pension depending ex-
clusively on the length 81 service
The report saws that these features have ten
dency TO simplify the pension rolls. ms mere
glance at the fact OF the certificate VIII sho" an
enlistment and honorable service and the length or
such service II Is further said that one section OF
the bill reerates the principle expressed IN all the
countrys pension legislation. VIZ that person
shall not receive than one pension al any
stated time but that ne shall have the privilege
OF election under any law by virtue OF "hich ne
may be entitled A period OF eighteen months VIII
elapse before any money is taken from the Treas
sury to discharge the obligations OF the bill
The repor, gives some Information as 20 the cost
OF the bill IN It becomes law. II appears
that according the special enumeration made
during the census OF 1880. there we're then 10000
surviving soldiers and sailors of the Rebellion. The
number OF deaths between 1890 and 1895 is esti-
mated at 5000 There are now ,&"o nval!ds
drawing pensions. II every remaining survivor has
n pensOnabe status there Will he In round mum
bers about 1000 persons be benefited by the BILL
there will be entitled to a; least - month
under the first proposition o! the bin. ard. In ad-
d!'ion thereto pension depending upon the length
Of hts service The average time OF service Is est
mated at years. and on this basis. at one cent
per day. the average monthly pension will be s. 30
plus g. tha, r.. SO 20. The smallest pension paid
under tho law Is Is. and there are al present. 5000
!nvais receiving this rate. There 5000 pen
soners drawing s. month. Taking II for granted
tha, every applica ton will be nled within year
from July l. iss1-a remote possibility. says the re-
port-th!s will be he result:
Survivors ii lse 1000 Deaths between 1900 and
lsg'. $500 Names now the rolls. 735.O"D Nom
pensoned survivors. 2".o".
Two hundred thousand new pensions a, SO 50 a
month for twelve months. GI.73ocl Eighty thou
sand increased from IS TO SO 20. ui:scU sNiy
thourand incregsed from s. 20 SO o. a. cjsD1 Total
cost per auEur f3O.Jpi.v'i.
This sum may be- further reduced. for. according
20 the computa Ion made by the Bur"au OF Pensions
June 3D. 1895. there were only $40" survivors OF
the War %, the Rebellion and from This number
deaths during two years. %! claims "hioh Will b.
allowed during thirteen months OF persons not nav
rolls at - and s. who VIII not take advantage u
the provision, . H., eii and OF apca LEN me-
The revised estimate Therefore stands
survivors on June D. is't. &0", Estimated NUN
her Of deaths 1pOp Survivors now drawing pen
s,rs 1862 Probable Increase ia.D' Survivors
not honoraply discharged 3o'' N1n-pensioncI cur
one hnndr,i and nny thousand rev pensions AZ
s,o 26 a month r0r twelve months. 81 5i0yr sixty
,hou.and increased from s 70 81 So ,sgsOo Total
cost per annum ~. fH,",
fore. viii be s2'o'.oo. according - the repor, on