The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-08

| '-icious habits which so incapacitate
| them from the performance of manual la
Dor as to render them unable 10 ear:
support, shall, upon making due proof o
| the fact, according to such rules and regu.
| lations as the Secretary OF the interior
! may provide. be placed upon the list of in
! valid pensioners OF the United States anG
/ be entitled 10 receive pension not ex-
! ceeding Sl2 per month and not less thar
| 80 per month, proportioned TO the degree
! OF inability to earn support
! Mr.. Graf recited briefly the history OF
| the act-its origin in the series of reso-
| lutioDs introduced by General Sickles at
| the last annual eneampment of the G. A.
| R. at Philadelphia. The act of June 81,
1880. Mr.. Graft said, required ninety
days service in the army or navy during
the War of the Rebellion with an honor
able discharge therefrom and disabilities
OF permanent character and not the re-
| suit of vicious habits which incapacitated
the claimants from the performance OF
manual labor so as to render them unable
to earn support.
1t was undoubtedly true that many SOL
diers and sailors who were disabled in the
military or naval service OF the United
States, but who were unable to establish
that fact by competent proof have been
able TO enjoy the privileges of the act Of
June 81, 1890 Included in this number
were many whose services extended far
beyond the period of ninety days provided
in the act. AS the time since the war
heightened ii became more difficult, even
well nigh impossible. for a soldier to prove
service origin of disabilities. and quite as
difficult for him TO prove the continuance
of such disabilities for each year since his
discharge. II therefore appeared to the
committee both reasonable and Just that
the provisions OF the act should be more
liberal within reasonable limits. very
material change was made in the act of
June p. 1890 by inserting the word cor
disabilities after the words physical
disability" and after the words "be enti-
Tied to rec i've a pension not exceeding
sl2 per month and not less than
Sc per month. proportional to the
degree of inability TO earn a sup
port the following additional words.
and in determining such inability each
and every infrmity shall be duly consid-
cred and the aggregate of the disabilities
shown be rated
1t was confidently believed. said Mr..
Graft, that this change in the existing
law would secure more liberal ratings and
the consideration OF all infirmities no mat
Ter how small, which tender TO mental and
physical disa bility or disabilities of a per-
meat character not the result of their
own vicious habits. which so incapacitated
them from performance of manual labor as
to render them unable to earn a support.
Tia. Aggregation of Disabilities.
This M De it impossible in the execution
of the proposed legislation il enacted into
law. 10 ignore any disability under the
provision OF the law arbitrarily They
could not only all be considered but all
be aggregated, that is. added together and
the sum total should be the rate OF pension
to which the claimant should be entitled
not exceeding, however, s12 per month.
The other change in tie law related TO
incomes OF widows. In recent years the
Pension Bureau had refused pensions to
widows having an income OF s96 a year or
proposed that the minimum annual income
to shut off pension shall be $3.50.
Tic bill was further advocated by
Messrs Jett, briggs, Ryan, Norton, Baker,
Rhea, ralbert. Gibson, Meirs. Calderhead,
Curtis. Gardner. and Sulloway.
Mr.. Sulloway. Chairman of the Commit
tee on Invalid Pensions, replying to vari
oLs questions that had been asked in the
course Of the discussion, said that the
bill wa; not committee measure; that
it was the child of the Grand Army, and
had been reported without the douing
of an 'i'' or the crossing of ct" Tie Grand
Army. said Mr.. Sulloway complained that
the disabilities OF the soldier were not
aggregated in fixing his rating. ana 1t
was a complaint well founded. 1t had It's
origin in the last Administration, and it |
was continued in the present one.
The bill was then passed.
Conference reports were presented ~ ]