The National tribune., 1902-07-10
NEW PENSION LAWS.
Synopsis OF Legislation Enacted
During Recent Session of Con-
sress-BiIls Awaiting Action.


Cofamittee ON Pensions. Three pension
bills were passed. One was to extend the
service pension law to survivors of certain
Indian wars and their widows who hereto
fore had no pensionable status under the
general laws; another was to remove the
bar to pensions under act of June -, 1870.
In certain cases where the soldier had pre-
yiously served in the Confederate army;
the third was to give pensionable status
to soldiers who had deserted from n prior
service, but who had served faithfully and
honorably throughout a later enlistment.
A bill was also passed authorizing the Sec
retary of War to issue certificates in lieu
of lost or destroyed discharge.
Indian War Service Pension Law.
The following is a copy of the Indian
War Service Pension Act, which became
law on June %, 1902:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the
provisions. limitations, and benefits of the
Act entitled An Act granting pensions to
survivors of the Indian wars of 1872 to
1912, inclusive, known as the Black Hawk
war, Greek war, Cherokee disturbances.
and the Seminole war, approved July -,
1882, be. and the same are hereby. eN-
tended. from the date of the passage OF
this Act, to the surviving officers and en-
listed men, including marines, militia, and
volunteers of the military and naval ser
vice of the United States who served for
80 days or more and We're honorably dis
charged under the United States military,
State, Territorial, or provisional authori-
ties in the Florida and Georgia Seminole
Indian war of 1917 and 1918; the Fevre
River Indian war of Illinois of 1871; the
Sac and Fox Indian war of 1881; the
Sabine Indian disturbances of 1886 and
1887; the Cayuse Indian war of 1S41 and
1SiS, on the Pacific coast: the Florida
wars with the Seminole Indians, from
1912 to 1858. inclusive; the Texas and
New Mexico Indian war of 1919 TO 1856:
the California Indian disturbances of 1881
and 1852; the Utah Indian disturbances
of 1850 to 1853, inclusive, and the Oregon
and Washington Territory Indian wars
from 1851 to 1856, inclusive; and also to
include the surviving widows of such Off
GERS and enlisted men: Provided, That
such widows have not remarked: And
provided further, That where there is no
record of enlistment or muster into the
service of the United States in any of the
wars mentioned in this Act, the record of
pay by the United States shall be accept
ed as full and satisfactory proof of such
enlistment and service: And provided fur
ther, That all contracts heretofore made
between the benefciaries under this Act
and pension attorneys and claim agents are
hereby declared null and void"
Prior Confederate Military or Naval Service
No Ear to Pension in Certain Cases.
On July 1, 1902, the President signed
the bill repeating section 4I16. K. s., U. s.,
as to disloyalty in certain claims for pen
sion under the act of June u, 1890, based
upon a subsequent enlistment or appoint
ment in the military or naval service of
the United States. The following is a
copy of the law:
'Resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, Tha. the
Act approved June ~, 1890, entitled An
Act granting pensions to soldiers and sail
ors who are incapacitated for the per-
formance of manual labor, and providing
for pensions to widows, minor children,
and dependent parents, is construed and
held to include all persons and the widows
and minor children of all deceased persons.
subject to the limitations of said Act, who
served for 80 days ill the military or naval
service Of the United States during the
late war of the rebellion, and who have
been honorably discharged theIefrom, and
section 4716, Revised Statutes United
States, is amended accordingly: Provided,
however, That the foregoing shall not ap-
ply to those who served in the 1st, ID, Sd, |
4th. 9TH and 9th regiments United States |
Volunteer Infantry who had prior SER
vice in the Confederate army or navy and
who enlisted in said regiments while con-
fined as prisoners of war under a stipua- |
tion that they were not to be pensiOnable |
under the laws of the United States, nor
to those who, having had such prior SER
vice, enlisted in the military or naval SER
II
day of January, 1863"
Desertion from a Prior Service No Bar to
Pension If the Last Service Entered Into
Was Faithful and Honorable Throughout.
The following is copy of so much of
the law of July l, 1902, bearing upon the
pensionable rights of those who were hon
orably discharged from, the last service en-
tered into, although no discharge was oh.
tained from the military or naval service
previously entered into with the United
States during the war of the rebellion:
THAT in the administration of the pen
sion laws any enlisted man of the army, |
including regulars, volunteers and militia, |
or any appointed or enlisted man of the |
navy or marine corps, who was honorably
discharged from the last contract of ser
vice entered into by him during the late
war of the rebellion, shall be held and
considered to have been honOrably dis
charged from all similar contracts of ser
vice previously entered into by him with
the United States during said war: Pro
vided, That such enlisted or appointed man
served not less than six months under said
last enlistment or appointment, that his
entire service under said last enlistment or
appointment was faithful, and that he did
not receive by reason of said last enlist
ment or appointment any bounty or gratu-
ity other than from the United States in
excess Of that to which he would have
been entitled if he had continued to serve
faithfully until honOrably discharged under
any contract Of service previously entered
into by him, either in the army, navy, or
marine corps, during the war of the rebel
lion."
Authorizing the Issuance of Certificates in
Lieu Of Lost or Destroyed Discharges.
The following bill was signed by the
President on July /, 1902, and became
law as of that date:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled That
Whenever satisfactory proof shall be fur
nished TO the War Department that any
officer or enlisted man who has been or
shall hereafter be honoraby discharged
from the military service of the United
States has lost his certificate of discharge.
or the same has been destroyed without
his pr,ity or procurement, the Secretary
Of War shall be authorized to furnish to
such officer or enlisted man, or to the
widow of such officer or enlisted man, n
certificate nf Suph DISCHARGE IN no ip1al;