Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-12-27
COUNTY ROAD GRAB A new PENSION LAW
SENATOR jones' PLAN TO ABOL.
ISH SPECIAL PENSIONS.
The Bill Provides Generous Allow.
anCe for All, and Paws no Atten.
fiOn to Rank. All Veterans Are
Placed on Same Footing. Age
Alone Governs Rate,

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. "a
II congress can be induced to pass
a general service pension bill intro
duced by Senator Jones of Washing
ton there will be no occasion for TAX
ing up the time of congress in pass
ing special pension bills. In fact,
one clause of the Jones bill prohibits
the further introduction of special
pension legislation. So generous is
the Jones bill in it's provisions that
special bills will no longer be nee
essary, for it provides very fair
pension for every veteran of the civil
or Mexican war who saw 80 days or
more of actual service. The assump-
tion is that a man who served a less
period, unless wounded in action, is
not entitled to pension from the
government. Those wounded are al
ready provided for by the existing
pension laws.
The Jones bill, previously outlined
in these dispatches, provides that all
persons who served 80 days or more
in the military or naval service of
the United States in the civil or Mex
lean war, and was honorably dis
charged from the service, and who
mas reached the age of 62 years or
over, shall. upon proving his service
and Identity be pensioned at the
rate OF $15 per month; when 60
years or over he shall receive a pen
sion OF $40 per month, and on attain
ing the age Of 20 his pension goes
to $50 a month; the maximum of
$40 a month being granted when he
reaches the age OF 70. Once vet
eran goes on the service pension roll
his pension increases automatically
as mis- age advances. Pensioners now
on the roll, if receiving less than the
allowance granted by the Jones bill,
will be entitled to increase to the
amounts above stated upon formal
application to the commissioner of
pensions. In the case of those who,
because Of wounds or disability, are
entitled to rates higher than given
by the Jones bill, such greater allow
ance shall continue in effect, but no
person will be entitled to a pension
under more than one law at any CIV
en- time. Those receiving large pen
sions for disability, or under special
act will not be entitled to addition
al allowance under the terms of the
Jones bill.
There is one feature of this meas
ure that will appeal strongly to the
veterans. 1t does not recognize the
rank in the service of various appli-
cants. The veteran who served as
private is entitled to as great
pension as the veteran who led a
company, a regiment or a brigade.
All are placed on an equal footing,
age alone governing the rate of PEN
sion.
The Jones bill also makes provi-
sion for widows of soldiers and sail
ors 1t repeals previous enactments
denying pensions to widows of SOL
diers, sailors and marines who mar
ried subsequent to June 81, 1890,
and also provides that widows who
were the wives of soldiers, sailors
or marines during the civil war, and
who are otherwise entitled to PEN
sion at the rate of $12 under the ex-
listing law, shall be given a pension
of SIS per month. The final clause
of the bill reads:
''It is hereby declared to be the
policy of congress not to consider
hereafter special pension bills"