The National tribune., 1909-09-09

FUTURE PENSION LEGISLATION.

FUTURE PENSION LEGISLATION.
Experience teaches US that liberaliz-
| ing pension legislation must be done
step by step. Those who are advocating
radical and revolutionary changes in
the pension system are not only wasting
their energies, but they are injuring
their comrades by distracting their at
tention from what can be secured to
vain pursuit of impossibilities. All the
pension legislation on the statute books
and of which the veterans now enjoy
the full benefit has been secured by con-
centrated and continued effort in one
direction, with all the veterans facing
that way.
The National Tribune is proud of it's
record of always having carried the
banner TO the front and having led in
this great work for our comrades and
their dependent ones. It's counsels as
to which was the wisest policy have
always been followed and have invari-
ably led to success. AS the political
platforms say, I'VE can point with
pride" to our record. extending over
three decades, unmarried by a single
failure to secure what we have endeav-
ored to bring about.
The forward steps that We propose
to take in the coming session of Con-
gress are:
1. Raising of the rates for pensioners
of 65 and over.
2. Repeal of the limitation on wild
ows' pensions.
s. Pensions to prisoners of war.
While We are not going to neglect any
other proper movement to make the
pension laws as symmetrically just as
they should be, we are going to concen-
trate our efforts upon these three, and
strongly hope to achieve success. We
believe that the temper of Congress is
pose, and that by the veterans uniting
solidIy upon these they can be secured.
We believe that there should be a rat
ing of SIS a month for all who arrive
at the age of 65. $50 for those of 20 and
$40 for those of Is and upwards. While
this increase of the rates will cost the
Government but little, since in the order
of nature the recipients cannot enjoy
them long. it will bring measureless
benefits to the aged men who receive
them. Thirty dollars a month to a vet
eran at 20 years will give him enough
TO support life with comfort and also to
keep his aged wife with him in a little
home. This will save the Government
the cost of supporting him in Soldiers
Home and also prevent the misfortune
of separating him from the woman who
has been his faithful companion. With
sac at rs years and upward there can
be no doubt of his having all that will
make his and her last days as comfort
able as can be expected.
As to the removal of the unjust dis
elimination against the widows who
have married their husbands since 1890.
we have expressed ourselves fully for
years, and there is little that needs to
be said at this time. We shall keep up
the fight for this until success is gained.
1t is a reproach to Congress which we
have not hesitated to express in the
strongest terms that the men who en-
dGred worse than death in Southern
prisons have been neglected SO long,
anG that tens of thousands have passed
a.,-,y into the great Beyond. Iamenting
the Nations ingratitude and lack of
appreciation of what they suffered for
the great prize of the Nations saliva
ton. We shall work as earnestly as
heretofore to secure this legislation. To
win success it is necessary that the
great mass of the veterans should be
solidly behind us in these proposed
amendments. and we believe that we
shall have them as We have had them
in the past.