The National tribune., 1907-01-17
THE SENATE PASSES THE McCUMBER
BILL.

hat any person VINO served ~ day
or more in the military or naval service
of the United States during the late wa
of the rebellion. and who has been hon
orably discharged therefrom, and wh'
has reached the age of 60 years or over
shall. upon making proof of such fact
according to such rules and regulations
as the Secretary of the Interior ma,
provide. be placed upon the pension
roll, and be entitled to receive a pen
sion as follows: In case such person
has reached the age of 81 years, 81!
per month; 20 years. SIS per month
"a years or over, $40 per month; and
such pension shall commence from the
date of the filing of the application in
the Pension Office after the passage
and approval of this act: Provided
That pensioners who are 81 years OF
age or over and who are now receiving
pensions under existing laws. or whose
claims are pending in the Pension Of
flee, may, by application to the Commits
sioner of Pensions in such form as he
may prescribe, receive the benefits of
this act; and nothing herein contained
shall prevent any pensiener or person
entitled to pension from prosecuting
his claim and receiving a pension under
any other general or special act: Pro-
vided, That no person shall receive a
pension under any other law at the
same time or for the same period that
he is receiving a pension under the
provisions of this act: Provided further,
That no person who is now or shall
hereafter receive a greater pension un-
der any other general of special law
than he would be entitled to receive
under the provisions herein shall be
pensionabe under this act.
Sec. 3 That rank in the service shall
not be copsidered in applications filed
1t was expected that Senator Warner,
of Missouri, would open the discussion,
but he said that the matter had been
so thoroly presented by the Senator
from North Dakota that if the Senate
was ready to vote upon it he would not
take up further time in argument.
Senator Spooner asked what was like
" to be the increase in the expenditure
Inder the BILL Senator McCumber re-
Piled that it was difficult to estimate,
but it might possibly be $4,000, 600.
rhe estimates of year ago would have
% be considerably modified on account
IF the great death rate which has oc-
,urred since. AS all of the claims
,ould not be acted upon for a consider
ible length of time. it was his opinion
hat it might increase the expenditures
from $4,000, 600 to sS,0OO.00O during
he coming year.
Senator Culberson wanted to know if
he bill was not virtually a Service Pen
sion bill, to which McCumber replied
hat it was upon application
Senator Hale raised the point as to
whether the applicants We're sufficiently
protected against the extortion of pen
sion attorneys, and after some discus
sion the following amendment b. him
was adopted:
Sec. 3. That no pension attorney,
claim agent or other person shall be
entitled to receive any compensation
'or services rendered in presenting any
claim to the Bureau of Pensions for Sc
curing any pension under this act"
Senator Berry wanted the bill to ap-
ply to veterans of the Mexican War, to
which Senator McCumber replied that
shicii is now in the other House, grant
ng to the survivors of the Mexican War
1 pension of $40 per month, and it was
1ot deemed desirable to include them
while that bill was pending in the
House. Senator Berry also inquired as
20 provision for the Spanish War Vet
Grams. Senator Carmack was not sat
SIZED with this, and finally secured the
adoption of the following amendment:
THAT any person who served 80 days
DR. more in the military or naval service
Of the United States during the late
war of the rebellion or so days in the
Mexican War, and who has been honor
sbly discharged therefrom," etc.
Senator Gallinger said that there
ought to be, since the bill was likely to
pass, no conceaIment with reference to
IS cost, and he read a report from the
1906, in which it was said that there
we're 782,722 survivors of the war, and
Is there were then $4,000 veterans on
he pension roll there would probably
De 100000 survivors not yet pensioned.
It is tr1e that this number had been
greatly reduced by the mortality Of al
rear, and that it would be some time
before all of these could be put upon
he roll, but that it was likely that the
cost would be s12,000,0O0 for the first
Tear. Still, 1t ought to be freely grant
ID, as we cannot do too much for the
brave men who saved the Government
rom overthrow. Senator McCumber
Ldmitted that the first cost might prob
lbIy run up to SIS, 100000.
Senator Teller made strong argu-
nent in favor of the bill, saying among
,ther things:
Mr.. President, I myself regret that
he committee did not extend the bene-
its of this pension bill to practically all
IF the soldiers of the late civil war. ItI
comes nearer being service pension;
md it seems to me it would have been
lust as well to have made it so. of
course, l am not going to interfere with
he text of this bill; / am heartily in
'avor of it; but / am not myself stag
5ered, 1r. President, as some Senators
appear to be, at the extraordinary ex-
lense og S15,000,0 900 year. 1t may be
hat much and it may be a great deal
more. Our pension list is large, and 1t
has been large. 1t is payment in
most cases in accordance with the con-
.ract by which the soldier entered the
rmy. The soldier entered the Army
with the agreement upon the part Of
The Government that if disability oc-
cured to him during the period of his
service by reason of such service he
should be pensioned. 1 have never con-