The evening times., 1900-01-27

yOrable report on the bill introduced by
Senator Mcbride on December 6. amend
ing the act Of 1892. granting pensions to
the survivors Of the Indian wars of 1892
~, inclusive known as the b ack Hawk
war Creek war, Cherokee Disturbances,
and the Seminole war.
The act is amended and extended 10 in
clude the names Of the surviving officers
and enlisted men who served for thirty
days or more and were honorably dis
charged under the United States military,
| state, Territorial or provisional authOri-
ties in the Florida and Georgil Seminole
Indian war of 1S17-lS: the Fevre River In
dian war of Illinois of 1927; the Sac and
Fox Indian war Of 1881; the Sabine In
dian disturbances of 1S36-37; the Clyuse
Indian war of 1Sl7-4S, on the Pacific C as;
the Florida wars with the Seminole In
dians from 1Sl2-5S. inclusive; the Texus
and New Mexico Indian war OF 1896;
the California Indian disturbances OF 1S51-
y; the Utah indian disturbances OF 1870
%. inclusive, aud the Oregon and Wash
i2gton Territory Indian wars from 1876.
inclusive, and also to include the surviv-
ing widows OF such officers and elisted
men, provided that such widows have not
remarked.
Mr.. Gallinger reports as an amendment
to Mr.. McBride,s bill the following: That
all contracts heretofore made between the
bcnefciaries under this act and pension at
torneys and claim agents are hereby de-
clared nun and void"
bill similar to that reported by Mr.
Galiiuger passed the Senate in both the
Fifty fourth and Fifty-dfth Congresses.
! but failed TO receive consideration in the
I House. The bill had been referred to VIII
| liam LOchren, Commissioner Of Pensions.
| and he made report In which he said
| that the cost Of pensions OF survivors and
/ widows would probably be for the first
| year S75O.65G. and computed by t-e Ameri-
/ can table of mortality. the average pen
! sionable period would be seven and two
| thirds years .
IL is said the records Of the Government
/ show that there remain Of the Seminole
/ war OF lSl1-lS but five survivors and i20
/ widows.
| OF the. la Fevre' Indian war. which oc-
/ curred siXty-eight years ago, there re-
l main but IA survivors and 1G7 widows. OF
= the Sabine war Of 1896 there remain but
/ @2l survivors and las widows. OF the Cay
! use war Of 1S47-iS there are IA survivors
| and So widows. OF the Texas and New
I Mexico Indian wars there stiu survive
/ il>- with $50 widows. or the California
/ Indian war there tll survive 47G. and 23O
/ widows. OF the Indian wars OF the Terri
I torieCS OF Oregon and Washington. prior
Z to 1886. there still survive 2 3gg and $40
| widows
! In many regiments serving i'm these In
| dian wars an examination Of the names
/ shows repetition, caused by the same
/ person enlisting in different companies.
/ and this. it is estimated. will still further
/ reduce the number of benefciaries at least
I zoo, leaving the total survivors Of the In
dian wars at about 1000.
/ The committee in its report saws
/ The last OF these wars occurred forty
years ago and the estimated age OF the
/ survivors Is fixed NJ sixty-dve years. while
4 the estimated age Of the Seminole surviv-
/ Ors is ninety four years. OF the inestima-
! bic services of these pioneer men and SOL
| diers we deem il unnecessary 10 refer. His
/ tory recognizes the results they have
| achieved. I'm the South and West they en-
/ dured the greatest privations. sacrifices.
! and suncrings. We owe 70 them largely il
not entirely. the acquisition of the vast en-
| piTe OF the Pacific Northwest.
/ 1T having been the policy of the oGv-
! ernment and the uniform course Of the leg
\ islation that service pensions should be
granted at the expiration OF forty years fol-
| lowing the wars for which such pensions
| have been granted. Il will be seen that
| this period has been now reached As to all
the wars mentioned in the present bill
while as to some over seventy-seven years
have elapsed since the war. Most Of these
| CID survivors are i'm needy circumstances.
/ while all are in old age, and. as estimated
! by the Commissioner OF Pensions the aver
age peusionable period cannot extend be
! yond about seven years hence. Many OF
J these aged men were omitted from the act
/ pensiOning survivors of Indian wars be
| tween 1892 ana 1912. and for this reason
/ the present bill is the more just. since it
/ includes an the survivors OF the recognized
/ Indian wars prior to 1856.
The language Of the bill has the approx
| al Of the Interior Department"