The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-11-19
PLAN RETIREMENT
FOR ALL OFFICERS
The Indiana Grand Army Is
Asked to IndorSe a Bill
Before Congress.
is LIKELY TO SUCCEED.
AN IMPORTANT MATTER TO Ev-
cry SOLDIER WHO WAS A CON-
MlssIoNED OFFICER DETAILS
OF PROPOSED ACT GIVEN OUT.

Indianapolis, Nov. 19-The Indiana
department, G. A. r. has been asked
to indorse a bill before congress in
troduced by Congressman Dawes. of
Ohio, the purpose of which is to place
on the retired list commissioned of
ficers OF the Union volunteer army en-
listed for the war Of the rebellion. The
department is considering the matter
and will act upon 1t before it comes up
in congress. The bill is warmly in
dorsed by Capt. J. M. PAYER, of this
city, who has had considerable CORES
pondence regarding 1t. The bill has
already been Endorsed by the depart
ments of Illinois. New York. Mas
sachusetts, Minnesota and Pennsylva
MIA.
The great republic in 1905" said
prominent G.. A. R. official recently
in discussing the bill, will be asked to
treat the surviving officers Of her vol
unteer army with the same fairness
which the republic in 1880 accorded tC
the surviving officers of the volunteer
army of the revolutionary war. Among
! the men who are at the head OF this
movement are Gen. Green B. Raum, OF
| Chicago, and Gen. A. B. Nettleton. al
| so of Chicago, but formerly resident
of Minneapolis.
Provides for Pay.
"The bill has been before congress
since Dec. IS, 1905, but has never yet
reached a vote. The bill provides
that the name of each surviving officer
of volunteers may be entered on roll
to be known as the volunteer retired
| list, provided that each one so entered
shall have served not less than one
year in the field with troops, be-
! tween April IS, 1861 and July 10, 1865,
Or, if not in the service in the field
for one year, must furnish evidence
of discharge from services because of
wounds received In battle; shall have
been honorably discharged and shall
not belong to the regular army. It is
provided, also that each applicant
! shall be entered Of the highest rank
held by him while serving in the vol
unteer army, and that each officer re-
ceive one-half pay at the age of So
years and three-fourths pay at the age
of 20 years, according to his actual
rank, which pay shall be the same as
shat received by retired officers of like
rank in the regular army, provided
that the retired pay of no officer shall
exceed the full pay of a captain of
cavalry in the regular army
| Every person SyhO becomes a bene-
ficiary of this act will be required to
relinquish any pension which he may
now enjoy. The largest sum that will
I be paid to any one man under this reg.
Raum who is at the head of this move
ment has carefully estimated the mum
Der OF beneficiaries, and in a letter tC
the chairman of the house commit
tee on military affairs. produces evi
dence to support an estimate of not
to exceed 10000 men-a body of men
too. which is being reduced in rum
bers very rapidly from year to year
| Means Comfortable Living.
1t is estimated that there are in In
diana about $50 volunteer officers who
would benefit by the bill should it be
come law. Some of these officers
would, through its enactment, be as
sured of a comparatively comfortable
! living. To officers of such rank as
! Gen. George F. McGinnis an income
| of nearly $4,000 a year would be as
| sured