The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-19

son entitled to q pension from prose-
cutting his claim and receiving q 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 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:
"It is the opinion of your Committee
that the time has arrived when the
Government should consider more lib
orally the claims of those aged yeter-
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,
reminder of the cnfeebled condition of
the older veterans of the civil war.
at Is now IL 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
1t in importance to the life of the Ma
ton. That its soldiers should be treated
with solicitude and care equal to those
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 all it
meant to the country, may we'll be con-
coded.
1T will alio be observed that the first
act in relation to the War Of 1912 re.
quired only 60 days service and the
next one only IA days service; that the
first act I'm 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 1t will be seen that both i'm ref.
erence to time elapaing after the close
Of the war I'm which the soldiers were
engaged to the length of service neces-
sary to entitie any one of them to the
benefits OF the law, and to the amount
re ceiyed under any service-pension law
OF order the soldiers Of other wars have
il some respects been treated with
greater consideration than those Of the
civil war
THE spirit of all pension laws is that
NO soldier who honorabiy served his
country in time OF great need or peril
should be abandoned by that country at
ar advanced period iii 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 ~ 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-
sress, coincide in making the age of SO
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