The National tribune., 1904-03-24
WHAT WILL 1T DO?
Opinions of Leading Representatives as to
the E ect of the New Pension Order.

Following are some interviews will
prominent members of Congress on the
| recent pension ruling of COMMISSIONS
Ware. They give the views of leading Re
publicans and Democrats as to the force
| and effect which they believe the Execu
tive order will have.
Mr.. Sulloway, Chairman Of the Com.
mittee on Invalid Pensions, says that nc
added appropriation will be made neces-
sary by the new order, his contention be-
ing that each year there is covered back
into the Treasury from the annual appro
priation a sum more than sufficient to COW
er whatever increase of cost to the Gov.
eminent will result from the order. He
estimates that between $3,O0O,0O0 and
S. ,OOO,O 900 annually will be added to the
pension roll. Other estimates, especially
those Of the Democratic members of the
Pension Committee, run as high as $10,-
100000.
Speaker Cannon said: 81 think it is a
very just order. Experience has shown
that man is one-half incapacitated for
manual labor at the age of 62 years.
mean, of course, the average man; it is
the average man for whom we must legis-
late, We can not legislate for the exceptions.
The order is in line with the past policy
of the Department. Since the Admins
tration of President Cleveland man has
been regarded as incapacitated to a certain
extent at the age of 65 and to q certain
other extent at the age of 10, and his pen
sion rated accordingly. The order is but
still further carrying out this policy
Gen. Grosvenor (Ohio) said:
Il think the order of the Commissioner
of Pensions, which seems to have been APP
proved by the Secretary of the Interior
and hence meets with the approval of the
President, is a fine thing for the soldiers
of the United States, and will work salts
factoriiy to all concerned.
Reduced to its true analysis, it is a rule
Of evidence adopted in the Pension Office
for the adjudication of pension claims, and
it provides that proof of the age of 62 in
the applicant shall be prima facie evidence
that he is entitled to Sc a month pension.
at So he shall have S., at 6S, $40, and at
10, $12 per month.
This does not change the provisions of
the law of 1890, amended, excepting that
it establishes a rule of evidence that is
plicant for a pension. Moreover, it does
not prevent a man of GO, if he can prove
sufficient degree of disability, from receiy-
ing the full $12 month.
1T is quick way to reach what is in
a way service pension by a character
of proof that is available to every appli'
cant, and, moreover, it gets rid of all the
interminable proof of the disability of the
soldier.
Il am very highly pleased with the ac>
ton of the Department, and | think the
President has made strong step in the
right direction which will be cordially ap-
proved by the people"
Mr.. Miers (Ind.), the ranking Demo-
cratic member of the Pensions Committee.
in discussing the order, said: 1T would
have been all right for the President to
have issued this order if Congress had re-
fused to act or had adjourned without tax
ing action, but issuing it at the time he did,
it looks like an attempt to ignore Congress.
The Pensions Committee was ready to take
up the Grand Army Bill for consideration.
am in favor of ignoring the Executive
order and going ahead with the bill. The
President should have waited. The thing
sought to be accomplished should have been
accomplished by law, for if one Admins
tration could issue such an order another
administration could rescind it,
Mr.. Williams (Miss.), the Democratic
leader in the House, did not care to dis
cuss the order further than to say that "at
first blush it looks very much like Execu-
tive legislation" Mr. Smith (Ky.) de-
clared that it was an usurpation of the
power of Congress by the Executive.