The National tribune., 1907-01-24

| that he had made an estimate from an
| ing Washington. and thot possibly the
expenditure might be from S12, ,000. 300
to s15,O00,o00
The matter of the Unknown Army
was brought up and all present assured
! the Speaker that that was bugaboo
which the operation of the Age Order
had demonstrated not to exist. There
had been an assumption, which had
had great weight with everybody, that
there were some 100000 veterans liv-
ing who had not yet applied for or re-
ceived pensions The operations of the
Age Order were such as to bring all of
these men out, and the total allowances
under that order We're only 21.000. This
could be safely assumed to be an an
proXimation of the entire number, in
Guiding those on the rolls that would
receive the benefit of the bill
The Commander-in-C Chief called at
tention to letter from the Commits
sioner Of Pensions, dated March 2S,
1905. giving an estimate of the number
who would be benefited by the passage
of bill granting $12 month to all
veterans who served 90 days and hai
reached the age of G.. This would be
increased to SIS when they reached 40
and $50 month When they reached
70. The Commissioner stated that OF
those on the ron, $1,000 are receiving
$500 month; $500 are receiving
$500 per month, and 1900 SO
month This would make total Of
rs 900 who would receive the ben 1T
Of tas bill at a total cost Of s6.g2G,4G1.
Of the 100000 pcasioned al $12 a
month and 2t000 al SI4 Il month, e
vas believed that about 5000 ere ba-
tween 20 ana - wears of age and.
therefore. wouId takc $f5 under taa
bill Ihis would involve an increase of
81. s,o91 OF thozo oansioaet IT f--
tween $12 and $40 a month, it was be-
lieved that 10000 would he over 70
years of age June 30, 1906, and TO in
crease them to $40 a month would take
s2,000,000 year. It was pointed out
that these figures were made nearly
one year ago, since which time about
$4,000 veterans had died. The Speaker
went at length into the method of pro-
cedure by which the bill could be
brought before the House and passed,
saving that there were three ways in
which this could be done, and de-
termined majority could not fail to Sc
cure the report and passage of the bill
The Commander-in-C Chief .as quite
desirous of having an interview with
Mr. Loudenslager, ,of New Jersey. the
Chairman of the Committee on Pen
sions. and the Speaker sent for him.
When Nj Loudenslager came in the
matter was gone over with him, ana
ne said that, Of course. ne could not
tell what his Committee would do, ex-
cept that it would give the bill careful
consideration and endeavor to arrive
at facts to be presented to the House
with its report. He was in much doubt
as to the cost of the bill, and desired
greatly to obtain facts rs to the number
which would be benefited by the bill
and the probable expenditures under il.
\ prolonged discussion was held as to
the likelihood of this number which
could be only estimated. rs there was.
no way in which the exact number of
survivors of the civil war could be ar
rived at. He promised, however, that
all diligence would be exercised in ar.
riving at facts that could be presented
for the Houses guidance.
The Commander-iE-Chief said to Mr..
Loudenslager that the c. A. h Nation
al Pension Committee had come to
gether from Kansas to the Atlantic.
coast; that the members were all men