The National tribune., 1900-09-06
A SCATHlNG
ARRANGEMENT.
Continued from fifth page

$12 per month proportioned to the degree
of inability to earn support, the loiioW-
ing additional words, and in determining
such inability each and every inlimty
shall be duly considered and the agSfe-
gate of the disabilities should be rated.
HOPE OF MORE LIBERAL RATINGS.
1T is confidently believed that this
change in the existing law will secure
more liberal ratings and the consideration
of all lutirmltieS, no matter how Sml!l,
which, in the language of the proposed
legislation, amount 10 mental OF physical
disability OF disabilities of u permanent
character not the result of their own VIC
iouS habits, which So incapacitatcs them
from the performance of manual labor as
TO render them unable to earn a support.
1t. also guarantees, by provision which
is absolutely mandatory, that each and
every intirmity shall he duly considered
and the aggregate of the disabilities
shown be rated This makes it Impossible
in the execution of the proposed legisla-
ton, if enacted into law, TO ignore any
disabilities under the provisions Of the law
arbitrarily. They shall not only all be con-
sidered, but shall all be aggregated, l., e.,
added together, and the sum total shall
be the rate OF pension to which the claim
ant shall be entitled, not exceeding, how
ever, S12 per month" This is II distinct,
forceful and accurate statement of the
principle of rule lG4, which Is quoted I'M
medIately following, and reads:
That all claimants under the act of
June -, 1890, showing a mental or phys
ical disability or disabilities of perma-
nent character, not the result of their
own vicious habits, and which incapaci-
tateS them from the performance OF man
ual labor, rendering them unable to earn
a support in such a degree as would be
rated under former laws at or above ST
and less than ST., shall be rated the same
as like disabilities of service origin; and
that all cases showing a pensionable dis
ability which, if of service origin, would
be rated at or above So per month shall
be rated at S12 per month";
"a GROSS INEQUALITY"
The relc"t, after reciting Order No.
225 and directing the attention of the
members of Congress to gross inequal-
ity'' which exists between the ratings Of
different soldiers for the same disability
under the act of June q, 1890, closes this
branch of the case with these significant
words: at is believed that if the pro-
posed legislation, as amended by your
committee, becomes a law it will have the
effect of equalizing the ratings of soldiers
under the act of June q, 1890, produc-
ing hereafter nearer approach to uni
formity in the enjoyment of the privileges
of said act between soldiers who applied
under the provisions of said act when it
first became a law and those who have up
piled since that time. As to the exact
conditions between the rating under the
two orders, it is difficult to state them with
exactness. Generally speaking, it may be
said that under Order 225 a soldier must
have rating under the general law of
at least $40 per month to entitle him un-
darf ha OF of ftrpa fnr hn IN
disability, to rating Of So per month,
while rating of $50 month under the
general law must be shown in order to
entitle q claimant to a rating of Sl2 O
month under the act of June %, $780,
Your committee believe that this legis-
lation will give to the soldier material
benefits, and at the same time will he
legislation which is conservative and
which we may reasonably hope to be en-
acted into law, still keeping in mind that
the soldier who can prove his disabilities
to be of service origin shall receive rat
ing higher than one who has been unable
10 prove the same to be due to service, or
whose disabilities have been incurred
since he left the army" As has been said.
this admirable and eminently fair report
was printed and laid on the desks of the
members. Five days after it was sub
mitted, after an extended discussion.
every member of the House of Represent
atives present, and voting, was recorded
in favor of the bill. Thus the American
Congress after the fullest consideration
extending from Dec. Is, 1899, to May s,
1900, on wi.icl: date the Senate concurred
in the House amendments, by a unani-
nous vote acceded TO the unanimous re-
quest of the Philadelphia Encampment.
The next day, May 8. our comrade, Presi-
dent Mckinley, gave the bill constitutional
life by attaching his signature thereto.
1t is said that in the history of general
pension legislation the Grand Army Bill.
officially designated as Senate Bill 1471,
was the first to receive the assent of
every member of Congress voting on call
of the roll. However that may be, the fair
presumption is that the Congress gave ex-
preston to its real purpose as 50 clearly
outlined by Mr.. Graft inshis report sub
mitted as the unanimous action of the
Committee on Invalid Pension.
VISIT OF THE coMAIANDER-IN-CHIEF.
On the 21st of May, II days after the
Amended Act of June Z, 1890, became a
law, Commander-in-C Chief Shaw, Past De.
partment Commander Patrick, and the
Chairman of the National Pension Com
mittee, by appointment, met the Honora-
bic Secretary Of the Interior and the
Honorable Commissioner of Pensions at
the Department of the Interior, Washing.
ton, -. C., Tor q conference on the con
struction to be placed on the amended act
for the government of the Pension Bu.
reau in the adjudication OF claims under
this statute. The representatives of the
Grand Army respectfully represented that
the exact principle enunciated in Order
l64 had been engrafted into the law in
its amended form, thus suspending Order
225, which should, by action of the De
partment, be formally abrogated. 1t was
urged that all claims rejected under Ordel
225 should be reopened and that all dis
abilities be aggregated; that widows ap
plications denied because Of the S96 bai
should be restored to the active files, anC
| in cases where the rejection was based or
| the ground of nOn-pensionable status by
| reason of income, that pensions should is
sue under the provisions OF section 3; thai
| new applications should not be required
| in any Of the rejected claims in either
class, but that the pension, il allowed
should commence from the date of tn,
| filing OF the application in the Pension or
| fee upon proof that the disability or disa
| bilities then existed. Ii was earnestl,
contended on the part of the Naiiona
Pension Committee that the amended ac