Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-18
MORE PENSION Bills
Il ,
Those Already Introduced This
Session Analysed.
VALDE OF INCREASE OYER $4,000, 1000
Effect Of tho Measures on the
the Treasury if Passed.
NEW CLASSES COVERED

The following Is an analysis Of the several
pension bills introduced at this session of
Congress. 1t was made by prominent off,
cial of the pension bureau and gives sue
cinctly the meaning of each bill and its
effect upon the treasury If passed.
Pensions to Teamsters.
House bill 29ss, introduced by Mr.. Hall.
authorizes the payment of pensions to
teamsters in employ of the quarternaster's
department during the late war of the re-
bellion.
This bill extends the benefits of all PEN
sion laws to all teamsters who served in
the quartermastar.s department of the
United States army during the war of the
children.
The benefc!aries under this bill were
classed as civilian employees and were
hired by the month at good wages, rang
ing from SO to $40 per month and rations.
They were not mustered into the service
OF the United States, and were never re-
gar1ed as part of the military establish
ment. They constituted but one class of
classes of men similarly hired and paid by
the quartermaster s department, viz clerks,
employees of United States military rail-
roads and others, who would have equal
rights with those provided for by the bill.
It is somewhat difficult to estimate the
number of beuefcareS under this bill, but
1t is safe to assume that at least $4,000. and
perhaps 70, 600, claims would be. filed there
under. Taking the lesser number, 10000,
and the average annual value of all pen
sions at $132.14, and there would be
yearly increase of the value of the roll
amounting to about 100000. 1t will be
remembered that under existing laws PEN
sions to widows under the general law COM
mence at date of soldiers death. and
large amount of money would also be re-
auired to pay the arrears of pension in this
class of cases.
There does not appear to be any good
reason why civil employees should be given
the same pensionable status as soldiers and
sailors, and why this particular class Of
civil employees should be granted these
rights to the exclusion of other employees,
whose services were equally and even
more hazardous and meritorious.
The Life-sasing Service.
Senate bill 350-Mr. Mcbride introduced
bill granting pensions to certain officers
and enlisted men Of, the life-saying service
and to their widews, and minor children.
The bill provides a pension for every
superintendent, keeper of a crew and mem
Der of a crew of the 4life-saving service,
who has been or may hereafter be disabled
by disease or injury incurred while in the
actual performance of his duty in such SER
vice. and to the widow or minor child or
children of such person, who has died or
may hereafter die from any injury received
or disease contracted in said service, the
rate, commencement and duration Of PEN
Sions to be governed by the provisions and
Limitations of the general pension laws.
The rank of superintendent shall be
equivalent to thar of SapiainS in the navy,
entitiing~him to d. pension of $50 for disa-
bility rated as total; gank of keeper that
of ensign in navy erutlfng to a pension of
SIS per month for disability rated as total,
and the rank of members of a crew that of
private in army.nentitlipg him, to IS. for
'1 9h % T s5Ts Il ffbfs con-
sists Of thirteen superfntendents, with an
274 keepers of crews. With annual salaries
Of $500, and about 1So0 members of crews
whose compensation is $50 per month
1t IL impossible to estimate the number of
persons who have been discharged from
the life-saving service, and who would be-
come beneficiaries under this bill, but 1t
would bring about considerable addition
to the pension roll and to the annual value
of the loll, estimating the average annual
value of each pension at S133 besides allow
ing ARREARS es to widows and minor chill
dTen.
An Adjustment Bill.
Senate bill 1432-Mr Penrose introduced
a bill to adjust the pensions of those who
have lost limbs are totally disabled in
them or have additional disabilities.
This bill is practically the same as House
bill PIG, which it is estimated will increase
the value of the pension roll by about 3d.
300, 600 per annum- Ia
There is however, an additional provision.
rot included in the House bill, providing for
said sums to be determined by adding to-
gether the rates provided by law for each
of said disabilities separately.
This additional provision would operate
to grant further increase to those who
are now in receipt of liberal pension, and
hn Inns hp q