The National tribune., 1909-04-22

4
$4,000. 900 for the payment of such pen
sions, and providing for the submission
| of this act to a vote of the people at the
general election to be held in 1902 be
approved?"
| Sec. 1s. This act shall take effect i'm
mediately.
THE PENNSYLVANIA PENSION
BILL.
The PENNSYLVANIA Pension bill has
passed the House of Representatives
with only two votes in opposition. and
it now goes to the Senate. This meas
ure provides s1,700,000- to be distribute
! ed in pensions at the rate of Sc month
| to all veterans in the State whose in
comes do not exceed $500 1t was pro-
posed to strike out the income clause
for fear Of its rendering the bill uncon-
/ stitutional, but this effort was finally
| abandoned The final vote was 189
yeas to two noes. Those absent or not
voting numbered 13. Comrade James
G.. Mitchell, of jefferson; George NJ,
Patterson, of Blair, and John Rebel. Of
Philadelphia, voted for the measure,
saying that the income clause exempted
them as parties Interested. The two
votes against 1t were William A. Magee,
of Pittsburg and Samuel B. Scott, of
Germantown. The text of the bill is as
follows:
| That any person who enlisted in a
Pennsylvania organization or in the
Army, Navy or Marine Corps of the
United States between April 13, 1861,
and April O., 1866. and served so days
or more in the war for the suppression
of the rebellion. and who shall have
| been honorably discharged therefronl
after such service or shall have been
honorably discharged for disability or
wounds incurred in the line of duty
within the said period of (90) SO days,
and who shall have been at the time of
his entry into the said service resident
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
and who is resident of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania at the time Of
his making application therefor, shall
upon properly approved application as
| hereinafter provided be entitled to and
shall be paid pension by the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania at the rate OF
Sc per month, payable as hereinafter
Iset forth, provided, however, that no
lperson shall be entitled to receive pay
ment of pension under this act unless
| he shall have been a resident of the
| Commonwealth of PennsyIvania for
period of six months Immediately prior
to making application therefor and
Eshall have been a resident Of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania for period
| of at least six months Immediately be-
fore each pension-paying period pro-
Ivided by this act; provided, also, that
no pension shall be payable under this
act to any person whose income from
all sources shall exceed the sum of $500
! nrnuidad frfrf fhot oil
I pensions granted and rayable under
this act shall be subject to the provi-
sions and regulations hereinafter set
forth.
| Sec. e. Within 80 days after the ap-
proval of this act by the Governor of
the Commonwealth the Governor shall
appoint, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, Commissioner
of Pensions, to be designated as State
Commissioner of Pensions for PennsyI-
vania, to hold office for the term of two
years, or until his successor shall have
been duly appointed and qualified, and
whose office shall be located in the Cap-
itol Building in the city of Harrisburg.
He shall receive salary at the rate of
! S2,50O per annum, and his duty shall be
to determine the right to pension Of all
applicants under this act and issue GER
tifcates therefor. He shall give bond to
! be approved by the Governor and filed
Commonwealth, in the sum of $4,000.
| Sec. 3. All applicants for pension un-
der the provisions of this act shall be
made to the State Commissioner of PEN
sions, and he shall determine the right
of such applicant to receive pension
from the Commonwealth Of PennsyI-
vania.
| Sec. 4. There shall be State Pension
Agent, who shall be appointed by the
| Governor, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, for a term of two
years or until his successor shall have
been duly appointed and qualified
whose office shall be located in the State
Capitol Building, and whose duty shall
be to make payments of pensions as the
State Commissioner of Pensions shall
have certified to him as being entitled
| to pension. He shall make all disburse-
| ments and have charge of all accounts
and records in connection with the pay
ment of pensions under this act. He
shall receive salary at the rate of
$500 per annum, and shall give bond
for the faithful 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 Com
monwealth.
Sec 5. The State Pension Agent may
appoint for the term of two years only
one Chief Clerk at a salary Of $4,000
per annum. who shall exercise the du-
ties of said Pension Agent in case of
absence or disability of that officer: one
clerk, at $1,4O0; one clerk. wl,o shall
be stenographer, at salary of 81, 200
per annum; one messenger, at q salary
Of $700 per annum. The State Commits
sioner of Pensions may appoint for two
years one chief clerk, at salary of
S1,5eO per annum, who shall exercise
the duties and authority of State Com
missioner of Pensions during the ab-
sence or disability of that officer; one
clerk, at 1,200 per annunl; one stenng-
rapher, at $1,000 per annum: one ad-
ditional clerk to adiudicate claims at a
salary of $500 per annum.
Sec. 6. Payment of pensions under
this act~shall be made quarterly, the
first payment thereof on the 1st day of
January, 1910, and thereafter on the
1st day of April. July. October and jan
uary of each year; provided, however,
that no application for pension shall be
filed prior to Sept. 1, 1909, and none
shall take effect until Dec. 1, 1903; pro-
vided, further, that subject to the fore
going proviso all applicants whose
claims shall have been granted shall be
entitled to pension from the date of fl
ing their applications respectively.
Sec. z. All payments of pension under
this act shall be made by the State
Pension Agent by check drawn upon
the State Treasurer, duly certified by the |
and no payment shall
be made to a pensioner In advance of