Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-02-13
The New Pension Law e.

Since the announcement some
days ago that the McCumber Old
Age or Service Pension Law was
liable to become a law many in
duir1es have been made at the
Herald Office relative to their
status under this new law. The
matter was referred to our Madison
correspondent who sends In the
following interesting data relative
to the matter:
"Scores of old soldiers are max
ing inquiries of the state pension
department in the Office of the
adiutant general, seeking to learn
when they will be able to procure
pensions under the old age or serv-
i've pension act. They are informed
by General G. H. Russell, state
pension clerk, that the bill is not
yet law, but may become one be-
fore thee close OF the present session
of congress.
The McCumber bill is the one to
which old soldiers pin their faith
This was introduced by the senator
from Tennessee and was urged by
him so successfully that it was
passed by the senate and sent over
to the house for consideration by
that body. It is now in the house
committee on pensions, but is eX-
pected to be reported out To the
calendar and in that even il has a
good chance of being enacted into
law before the close OF the session,
March 4. Many Wisconsin cid
soldiers have written TO their con-
gressmen in support of that bill.
Congressman Johl NJ Nelson of
the second district. and others of
the badger delegation, have pro-
nounced themselves in favor OF it
and 1t is said that if the bill gets out
of the committee it will not long
tarry on its road to passage.
The McCumber bill provides that
the minimum pension shall be so a
month instead of IS, and that when
any old soldier not under disabilities
such as desertion or dishOnorable
discharge. shall reach the age of
90 years he shall be entitled to
monthly pension of SO. 1t also
provides that when a qualified old
soldier reaches the age of 40 he
shall get SIS month and this shall
| be increased to $50 a month when
the veteran reaches the age of Is.
It is calculated that this law
would not initiate the pension roll
as much as might at first thought
be supposed. At present there is
in force an old age order, kind OF
executive enactment, and the thou
sands Of private and special pension
bills put through congress testify to
the need of some general enactment
to make the provision for the care
and support of the old soldiers more
uniform and adequate. 1t is said
/ by some congressman that i Q
general service or old age pension
| law were in force, instead of the
present system, under which il is
supposed that none get pensions
other than those disabled by reason
of injuries or sickness induced or
acquired in the service, and under
which those not entitled TO pen
sions under the general law get
them by special bills, there would
be far less inequality and injustice
i'm the administration Of the pension
system. AS it is now the private
pension bills are not carefully eX-
ahmed. That would be impossible
/ because there are so many thou
sands Of them. Most Of such bills
provide for larger pensions than
would be granted under a general
old age law, and so the result is
that many veterans are deprived Of
pensions while others are able to
get more through pull and working
their congressman than general
age law would entitle them 70.