Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-25
OMNIBUS PENSION BILL
The Allen Proposition Will Cost About
$4,000, 900 Annually
Statistics Sent to senator by Commits
sioner Evans-PreaOsed New
Court of Appeals.

To carry out the terms of the Allen bill
granting a pension to all honorably dis
charged soldiers and sailors of the late
civil war an additional appropriation of
about 100000 will be necessary.
The bill proposes to grant a pension Of
SO per month to all unpensioned soldiers
and sailors who served in the army or
navy of the United States for a period of
three months or more. and were honor
ably discharged therefrom. and the same
amount to all soldiers who served for three
months and who are now drawing a pen
sion of less than $40 a month, the same
being in lieu of any pension now being
drawn.
1t Is estimated that of the AZ, Dab invalid
pensioners on the roll about 120.O00 were in
the civil war. There are LOCALS sur
viyors Of the civil war, excluding deserters.
There are at the present time about 3l2,OoO
survivors of the civil war who are unpen-
will require $31 400. 100 annually to pay
these. 1t is estimated that the 100000 sur
vivors who are row drawing pensions at
"a ties less than SO per month would re-
ceive, in addition to what they now receive.
over $12,O0O.0O0 a year, making in all an
increase of $JO.OO000O a year in the pension
appropriation under this bill.
Responding to the inquiry from Senator
Gallinger, Commissioner of Pensions Evans
has sent to him statement giving the
number of pensioners borne on the rolls of
the Office account of each of the wars
of the United States, and giving brief re-
view of the laws under which they were
granted. The statement as to the number
of pensioners is as follows: On account of
the revolutionary war, four widows and
seven daughters.
War of 1872: One survivor, 1,99s widows
Indian wars, 1892 to 1872: 1856 survivors
and 1859 widows.
Mexican war: 1904 survivors and s, 10
widows.
Granted since 1851 under general law:
321 800 invalid and S2,901 widows and other
dependents; under law of 1S9U-invalids
42O.312; widows and dependents, 130,226
Proposed Court of Pension Appeals.
After leaving the White House yesterday
the pension committee of the Grand Army
went to its rooms at the hotel and dis
cussed and decided upon an entirely new
matter. This was the establishment
of court of pension appeals which shall
take the place of the board of appeals now
serving in the Office of the Secretary of the
Interior for reviewing the pension cases.
This recommendation is to take the place
of the proposed commission for codlfylng
the pension laws.
A bill providing for the court of pension
appeals will be drawn and introduced in
Congress with the full sanction of the PEN
sion committee and of Gen Shaw. the conf
mander-in-chief. The bill will propose that
the new court of appeals shall have juris-
diction Of all pension cases which are APP
pealed from the commissioner of pensions.
Il is to have the authority of a regular
court of law. and will probably consist of
three judges. 1t will hear all appeals and
will permit both sides to be represented.
The bill will provide for appeal from the
court to the higher courts of the country
only the certifcation of the court it
self.
The present board of appeals in the In
terror Department consists of clerks of the
department who are well posted in pension
matters. There is no serious objection to
this board as it now stands except that it
does not possess the legal authority and is
not made up of eminent jurists. 1t is also
felt by the committee that when Congress
passes the amendment to pension laws now
desired that the laws themselves will he
sufficiently clear and explicit and will only
need a proper court to define them.