The National tribune., 1906-04-19

son entitled to a pension from prose-
cutting his claim and receiving n pension
under any other general or special act:
Provided, That no reson shall receive a
pension under any other law at tn same
time or for the same period that he is
receiving q pension under the provisions
of this act: Provided further, That no
person who is now or shall hereafter
receive q greater pension under any
other general or special law than he
would be entitled to receive under the
provisions herein shall be pensionable
under this act
Sec. 2. That rank in the service shall
not be considered in applications filed
hereunder.
In the report accompanying the bill
the Committee recites the history of the
passage of the Service Pension bills for
the survivors OF previous wars, and
says:
at is the opinion of your Committee
that the time has arrived when the
Government should consider more lib
orally the claims oE those aged veter-
ans, who, as the years advance, find
themselves growing less able to earn
their support. The great number of
special pension bills constantly on the
calendars of both Houses of Congress,
growing greater each year, is a constant
reminder OF the enfeebled condition of
the older veterans of the civil war.
iii is now Al years since the close Of
! the civil war. No war since the Revo-
luton has called for such heroic SER
vice no war has involved equal hard
ships, and no war can be compared with
| it in Importance to the life of the Ma
ton. That its soldiers should be treated
! sxsAr Il -a.l
| of any other war cannot be denied;
that they should be treated with greater
consideration than the soldiers of any
war since the Revolution, considering
| the character of the struggle and ali il
meant TO the country, may well be con-
ceded.
| 1T will al.o be observed that the first
| act in relation to the War OF 1872 re-
quired only 60 days service and the
next one only IA days service; that the
| first act in reference to the war with
Mexico required but 60 days service;
that the Indian-wars pension law re-
quired but 80 days service; that the
law of June q, 1890, in reference to
the civil war, requires 80 days service,
| 50 that it will be seen that both in ref
erence to time elapsing after the close
of the war IN which the soldiers were
engaged TO the length of service neces-
sary to entitie any ole of them TO the
| benefits of the law, and to the amount
received under any service-pcnsion law
Or order the soldiers Of other wars have
in some respects been treated with
greater consideration than those of the
| civil war.
"The spirit of all pension laws is that
no soldier who honorably served his
country in time of great need or peril
should be abandoned by that country at
ar advanced period in life or when by
reason of wounds or injuries received
in line OF duty he is unable to care for
! himself.
THE judgment of Congress as ex-
pressed by the law granting service
pensions TO soldiers OF the war with
Mexico. the judgment of the Executive
and Interior Department In applying
! Order No. rs, of March Is, 1904, and
Legislation | recommended by this Con-
gress, coincide in making the age of 81
years a proper period TO entitle claim
ant to the benefits of Il general service
pension, and inasmuch as under the
present law, the claimant would now
receive the sum of $12 per month upon