Evening journal., 1897-07-08
THURspAY. JULY 5. Iso7.
WORK OF PUBLIC PLUMBER.

Last week senator Galllnger, cnair-
man of the Committee on Pensions,
announced from his place in the Senate,
that, at its first meeting that morning,
his committee had decided to report
favorably all pension bills that had
ever received affirmative action eltherI
by the committee or by one or both
houses Of Congress at any former ses-
sion.
What can be the purpose of this
wholesale indiscriminating recommen-
dation by the Senate Committee on
Pensions? How do they answer their
responsibility to the taxpayers Of the
country, at time when the Treasury
is already depleted? They have sim
ply shut their eyes to the merits or de-
merits Of any pension bill that ever re-
ceived a favorable report from tho
committee Of any previous House or
Senate or that ever passed either body
of Congress, regardless Of how serious
the later developments in the case may
have been that caused it to fail to pass
both branches of Congress or to receive
the signature of the president.
In the first place, let 1t be remem-
bered that no pension bill is presented
to Congress for the granting of pri-
vate pension until the intended beneh-
ciary has first applied to the commits
sioner of pensions, under the provis
ions of the general pension laws, and
d 40. I,t. I,.n "A ,,fl
his failure to establish his right to al
pension under the terms Of those laws.
Then as a matter of course, every bill
for the granting of a private pension
by act of Congress should be most
carefully and closely investigated to-
exceptional cases which though it does
not come within the provisions Of the
general laws, is peculiarly meritorious,
and therefore a proper subject for spe-
cial legislation. But we must not lose
sight of the fact that the general PEN
sion laws are most liberal, and so Is
the administration OF them, and always
has been. Under these laws, upon ap-
plication to the commissioner of pen
sions, and the furnishing of testimony
establishing the fact, pension Isl
granted to any officer or enlisted nars
who served in army or navy of the
United States, whether regularly mus
tered or not, and who is disabled by
reason of any wound or injury received
or disease contracted while in the SER
vice Of the United States and in line OF
duty. Upon the death of the soldier
pension is granted to his widow and an
extra allowance is made to her for each
child of the soldier under 16 years OF
age. After the death of the widow pen
sion is continued to the children until
they are 16 years of age. If there is no
widow or minor child, then pension Is
granted to the dead soldiers dependent
mother; at her death it goes to his de-
pendent father, if there be such living.
II not it goes to his dependent brother
or sister.
In addition to this, under the general
pension law passed in June 1890, PEN
sions are granted to all soldiers and
sailors who served in the late war for a
period of ninety days merely, and who
are suffering from any mental or ply
steal disability of a permanent charac-
ter which incapacitates them from the
performance of manual labor Under
this law Il is not necessary that the in
jury or disability should have been
contracted in service. II is enough If
the soldier was simply in the army for
ninety days and has been honorably
discharged. The disability from which
he suffers is not required to have been
contracted in the army Il may be due
to any over exertion, indiscretion or ac
cident on the part OF the soldier. and
for which the government was not, in
/. the remotest sense, responsible, so II
WAS not due to vicious habits. And
under this law also after the soldier
dies, pension is continued to his widow
and minors. If he leaves an insane
idiotic or permanently helpless child
pension is continued to it for life, or in
the absence of widow and minor chill
dren, Il goes to the soldiers dependent
mother. and at her death to his father
We cite these laws in general way tc
call attention to their liberality. Now
when a special pension bill is presented
in one house or the other of Congress.
for consideration, there is no previous
notice of it except to its friends. AS I
result there is no one there to oppos,
it until it has made some progress il
getting through the committee. or on'
or both houses Of Congress. This mucl
is necessary before there is enough
publicity given to the matter for thos
who know the real merits of the case 4
call the attention of Congress or tn
president to its unworthy features
is the bringing forward or develop
ment of such information that cause
such bills to fail TO become laws. An
when they do fail il is not because 0
Il. - ~