The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-17
THE NEW
PENSION BILL
Provides that Old Soldiers Shall
Go on the Disability List at
the Age Of 62.

WASHINGTON, March II. - Com
missioner of Pensions Ware, with the
approval of Secretary Hitchcock, has
promulgated the most important pen
sion ruling that has been issued in Il
long time. 1t directs that, beginning
April IL next, If there is no contrary
evidence and all other legal require
ments have been met, claimants for
pension under the general act of June
p, 1890, who are over sixty-two years
old shall be considered as disabled one
half in ability to perform manual labor
and shall be entitled to SO a month.
Those over slxty-five years shall be al
lowed IS, over sixty-eight years $40
and over seventy SIP, the usual allow
ances at higher rates continuing for
disabilities other than age.
Commissioner Ware just before leav-
ing for trip south for his health
spoke as follows regarding the order,
which, he said, would save both the
old soldiers and the government a
great deal Of money and time.
There has long been in the bureau
rule fixing a maximum age limit at
SO for seventy-five years. This was
made during Mr. Cleveland's admins
tratlon by Commissioner Lochren, now
federal judge in Minnesota.
The sixty-fve year minimum limit
has been a long while in force in the
bureau, but / am not advised by whom
1t was established, nor Is it particulars
~ material since it met with general
acquiescence.
THE act Of congress which was
passed in the latter part of January,
1887, and approved by President Cleve-
land put all the Mexican war veterans
on the pension roll thirty years
exactly after the end of the Mexican
war. The Mexican war ended officially
by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
Feb. 2, 1S4S, although hostllities had
ceased before that time. according to
the capture Of the City of Mexico
1T would seem that il thirty-nine
years after the expiration Of service a
Mexican war soldier was entitled to a
pension at slxty-two years and no 9th
er requisite for drawing a pension
should exist except age that to soldiers
Of the civil war; who fought vastly
more and longer. at least as good a
rule ought to apply.
"The Mexican war limit Of sixty-two
years was probably brought about by
the well known army limit of sixty
two years, at which officers are re-
tired
The order could not have been is
sued earlier because It is only now
that the thirty-uiue years fixed by the
congressional limit has been reached.
The civil war ended April Is, IS .. and
in eulistments in the loyal states those
who enlisted after that time are held
to have no reasonable service during
the war of the rebellion; hence the
thirty-nine years expire on the 18th of
next month, and it is very proper that
the order should be issued fixing the
sixty-two years as the minimum age
limit and the Biblical threescore and
ten as the maximum.
There is an advantage and saving
TO the government in the use of this
order, because every old soldier who
has reached the age of sixty-two years
is able to prove almost without posi-
bility Of doubt that he is one-half dis
abled from earning his support by
manual labor. This being so, it seems
unwise to put soldier to the expense
of time and transportation to 90 to a
place where a medical board can exam
inc him to find that fact out, and, on
the other hand, it seems unnecessary |
for the government to keep boards es-
tablshed and then pay Sc for the ex-
animation of a soldier when the result |
of the examination can be so accurate |
ly foretold."