The National tribune., 1908-11-26
PENNSYLVANIA PENSION BILL.
Text OF the Act Prepared by the Pension
Committee of the Department of Penn
syIyania, G. A. n

| iiiSo WHO enllSleQ from tennSyi-
| Vania during the war for the sup
| preston of the rebellion, now re-
| siding in this State. fixing the rate,
| creating q Pension Board and Com
| missioner of Pensions, making ap-
preparation for payment of PEN
| sions and expenses incident thereto.
| and providing for punishment of
| fraud.
| Section ]. That any person who en-
listed and served 80 days or more in
| the army. navy or Marine Corps OF the
United States between April IL, 1861.
and April 9, 1865, in the war for the
suppression of the rebellion, and who
shall have been honorably discharged
| therefrom after such service, and who
shall have been at the time of his entry
into the said service a resident of the
| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and
who Is resident of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania at the time of his max
| ing application therefor shall, upon
properly approved application. as here
| matter provided be entitled to and
shall be paid pension by the Com
moDwealth OF Pennsylvania at the rate
| of $6 per month, payable as hereinafter
set forth: provided, however, that no
person shall be entitled to receive pay
ment of pension under this act unless he
shall have been a resident of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania for a period
ton therefor; and shall have been
| resident of the Commonwealth of Penn
| sylvania for a period of at least six
| months before each pensiOn-paying
period provided by this act. Provided.
| further, that all pensions granted and
| payable under this act shall be subject
to the provisions and regulations here
matter stated.
See. 2. Within 30 days of the approval
| of this act by the Governor of the Com
| monwealth, the Governor shall appoint
| with the advice and consent of the SEN
ate, three persons who shall constitute a
| Board, to be designated the Pension
Board of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, to hold their respective offices
| for the term of four years, or until
| their SUCCESSORS shall be duly appoint
ed, each of whom shall receive a salary
at the rate of $500 per annum. and
whose duty shall be to determine by
majority vote the right to pension of all
applicants under this act; issue certifi-
Gates therefor: formulate rules and reg
ulations to govern the making of appli-
cations, the method of keeping accounts
and the system of records to be made
and kept by the Commissioner of PEN
sions. They shall each give bond. to be
approved by the Governor. and filed in
the Office of the Secretary of the Com
monwealth in the sum of 100000
Sec. 3. All applications for pension
under the provisions Of this act shall
be made to the Pension Board of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and
they, or majority of them, shall deter
| mine the right of such applicants to
receive pension from the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania. The decision
of the majority of said Pension Board
shall in all cases be final as to the ap-
plicant, with the right, however, on the
part of the said Pension Board to re-
open the consideration of any applica-
ton for pension, for the purpose of
allowing the applicant to submit new
evidence, or supply deficiencies in evil
dence that existed at the time of pre-
vious consideration of the application;
provided. however, that any application
twice refused by the said Pension Board
shall not be again considered.
Sec. 4. There shall be Commissioner
of Pensions who shall be appointed by
the Governor, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, for the term
of four years. or until his successor
shall be duly appointed. whose duty
shall be to take charge of and make
the payment of pensions to such per-
sons as the Pension Board of the Conn
nlonwealth of Pennsylvania shall have
certified to him as being entitled to
pension and properly qualified to re-
ceive pension under the provisions of
this act. He shall also have charge of
and supervise all accounts and records
in connection with the payment of PEN
sions under this act. He shall receive
salary at the rate of $4,000 per an
mum, and shall give bond for the faith
ful performance of his duty in the sum
of $4,000. the same to be approved by
the Governor and filed in the Office OF
the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Sec. 5. The Commissioner of PEN
sions may, with the approval of the
PeEsion Board, appoint:
One Chief Clerk at salary of SI,SO0
per annum.
Two clerks at a salary of $1,000 per
annum.
One messenger al salary of $500 per
annum.
One stenographer at salary of ST.
600 per annum.
The necessary number of additional
clerks, each at salary of 5000 per
annum.
The Pension Board of the Common
wealth Of Pennsylvania may appoint:
Three clerks. each of whom shall be
a stenographer. at an annual salary of
$1,000 each
Sec. 6. The payment of pensions IN
der this act shall be made quarterly, |
beginning with the quarter ending Feb |
rs, 1910, and be payable quarterly |
thereafter on the first days of March, |
June, September and December of each |
, SSit piONiuCi, however, lildL pensions
shall only begin on the first day of the |
quarter after same shall have been
and granted. Provided, fur
ther. that no application for pension !
shall be accepted or considered by the |
Pension Board of the Commonwealth |
of Pennsylvania prior to Sept. 1, 1909, |
and that no payment shall be made for !
a portion of quarter, except in the |
case of death of a pensioner already on |
the pension roll.
Sec. Z. All payments of pensions I'M
der this act shall be made by the Com |
missioner of Pensions, by warrant |
drawn upon the State Treasurer, ap-
proved by at least one member of the |
Pension Board of the Commonwealth |
of Pennsylvania, and cOuntersigned by |
the AUDITOR General, and no payment |
of pension shall be made to any person |
other than the pensioner in any case,
and no payment shall be made to a
pensioner in advance of the close of
the quarter for which such pension may
be due and payable.
Sec. 8. No pension shall be paid to
any pensioner in person at the office
OF the Pension Board of Pennsylvania,
or the office or rooms of the Commits
sioner of Pensions, but the warrant
therefor shall be transmitted by mail
to the address of the pensioner as given
in the voucher filed by the nensioner. at
the close of the quarter for which pen
sion may be due.
Sec. 9. No person who Is borne upon