The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-07-23
NEW YORK PENSION LAWS

The Annual Encampment OF the De-
partment of New York, G.. A. r., has
gone about the matter the right way,
and we recommend that its example be
followed by the veterans in other States
who desire to have State pension laws
enacted. 1t is. in fact, the only way
that such legislation can be secured.
The Legislature is not going to pay any
attention to bills introduced by men,
bers for their own political purposes
or to bills which are sent them by
Posts or other organizations. Before
any Legislature will seriously consider
a pension measure, it must be present.
ed to it in the name of all the veter-
ans of the State. and be measure
thoroly digested and practical. 1t must
bear evidence of this from first to last,
and veterans who have pension bills in
their minds. and who desire such legis-
lation by their States, should address
themselves first to their Department
mouthpiece. and speaks in the name
of all the veterans in the State. AT the
Annual Encampment. held at Buffalo.
the following resolution was unani-
mously adopted:
Resolved, That q committee be an
pointed by the Department Command
er, which shall be known as the State
Pension Committee to consist of one
Comrade from each of the nine Judi
cial Districts of this State, the Comrade
so appointed must be an actual resident
and inhabitant of the judicial district
for which he is appointed. Said Com
mittee shall be called together by the
Assistant Adjutant General, not later
than the first Tuesday in October, at
the Department Headquarters in AL
bany, and shall proceed to organize by
the selection of a Chairman and Secre-
tary. and may adopt such rules of pro-
cedure and for the government of said
Committee. as are not inconsistent with
the Rules and Regulations of the G.. A.
R., or the action of the Department
Encampment Said Committee shall
cause to be prepared proper and suit
able bill to be presented to the Legisla-
ture, providing for a Pension TO be paid
by the State of New York, to all resi-
dents of that State who enlisted or
were enrolled in that State, as soldier,
sailor or marine during the civil war.
After said Committee has prepared a
draft of said proposed bill, the same
shall be delivered to the Assistant Ad-
jutant-General. who shall ghaye.-the
same printed. and a copy of which shall
be sent by mail to all the Department
Officers, and to the Commander of ev-
cry Post in the Department, with di-
rection that the proposed bill must be
read at one regular meeting of the
Post. Every Post and every member
thereof, shall have the right to pro-
pose any change, alteration or amend
ment to the proposed bill, by sending
the proposed amendment, in writing. to
the Chairman of said Committee at De-
partment Headquarters, Albany, n. Y.
All amendments thus proposed shall
thereafter be considered by the said
Committee at meeting thereof. to be
held not later than Dec. %, and after
such consideration. said Commit e,
shall revise the bill heretofore pre-.
pared, and by vote of not less than
six members of said Committee, shall
determine upon the form and substance
of the bill to be presented to the Legis-
lature as aforesaid. That thes-billy so
agreed upon by Said Committee, shall
be the only State Pension Bill approved
or favored by this Department of the
this Department. acting as such. shall
ton in opposition to the passage of said
bill by said Legislature. That the
members of said Committee who shall
attend the meetings thereof, shall. be
entitled to and be paid their travelling
and other expenses in the same man
ner as like expenses are paid to men,
bers of the Department Council of Adj