Evening journal., 1908-10-10

ments adopted BY the House SO,
sooner than let our bill fail altogether. !
we We're forced to accept the presant /
bill as passed by the House. with the
promise that the proposed Senate
amendments to our bill would be pass
ed later during the present session Of
Congress- That, we can promise you
viii, during the coming winter session
Of the present Congress. unless pre-
vented by a special bill now pending
before Congress. which threatened the
defeat of the widows increase pension
bill during the past session. This said
pending bill. should il become a law by
Congress, will enectualy block and
prevent any further generaI pension
legislation, by reason of the enormous
amount Of money necessary 70 pay it,
and it will be charged to the general
pension appropriation, which at the
present time is considered to be a very
heavy one. The said pending bill is
for the benefit only Of volunteer ex-
officers. Our widows increase pension
bill carries an appropriation of s12,-
olS112 as follows: 179,S47 widows
who drew IS a month and now $12.
costs SS.60S 656
law increased from IS costs S1i9.32s.
$500 Mexican war widows from IS
to $l2. S33o24o.
S0Sl widows from Indian war from
IS to S12 costs S147SSs.
$4,000 widows who were n-depend-
ent now new pensioners at S12. costs
S2,592, 600.
5000 annual increase OF widows each
year az s12 costs S72o000 making a
total Of S12.51s.112.
When the widows who married since
June 27, 1905 are made pensionable
there will be about 10000 at this time
and 10000 widows at S12 a month ag-
gregates S2.sssO00
Your pension committee has always
tried to prepare sensible and practical
pension bills. which had at least some
hope for their success for ther passage
by Congress. and then put their most
strenuous efforts to have them passed.
and make a part Of our countrys pen
SIGN laws, for the benefit Of all. and
vi kept clear Of all other bills. except
such as were endorsed at our national
encampment We further recommend
an amendment to the act of June 27.
1880, relieving the widows who We're
married to soldiers after that date.
that they may obtain a pensionable
status upon the death OF their hus-
bands who had served 90 days I'm the
civil war. and were honorably dis
charged Also that remarked widows
upon the death os their second hus-
bands or divorced by them from their
second husbands by a re-married
widow. shall be restored to their origi-
nal widows pensionable status. and
that dependent mothers shall when the
soldier was unmarried. and had no
minor children living. obtain the same
pensionable status as a widow of
soldier. sailor or marine. under the
pension laws as now made by Con-
gress, and we earnestly recommend to
the national commander of the U. V.
L. that he shall issue a circular or
other order. for the officers and COM
rades of the L. V. L. TO unite their
best efforts and genuine assistance to
your National Pension Committee. so
as to enable and assist your pension
committee in the yet unoompleted work
stin before them.
Your committee very earnestly rec
ommends that the national commander
shall address an oficial request TO the
honorable secretary of the Interior
Department at Washington. D. c.. re-
questing that the Pension Office allow
the comrades who shall make applica-
ton for the age increase Of their pen
sions by the act of February 6. 1907