Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-24

CONSIDERATION Tor thursday, FeD. 70.
Mr.. DONIGAN of Somerset: Mr..
President: 1t seems to me that that
assignment is delaying the bill for
quite While. 1t came from the COM
mittee a week ago last Wednesday
and it has been promised that it should
be assigned, once or twice, between
then and now. / had a talk with Mr.
Theriault this morning, and he said
1T would be perfectly satisfactory to
him to have it assigned for today or
tomorrow. 1t seems to me that tomor-
row would be as long a delay as ne
cessary, and I hope the senator from
Washington will change his motion so
as to have it assigned for tomorrow,
instead of Thursday. An order recent
ly introduced in the House requires
ali matters which may be tabled and
unassigned to be in some way disposed
Of by Thursday Of each week This bill
has been delayed so long that it seems
to me nothing more than fair that it
should be assigned not later than to-
morrow.
Mr.. WyMAN of Washington: Mr.
President: 1 did not select the date
Thursday the 25th, as having any pur-
pose of delaying the bill; it affects the
whole State, I would not object to hav-
ing it assigned tomorrow if Mr.
Theridult had been here. He has been
away. l think it is only fair to the
senators, in the rush of business, that
they should have a day, say Wednes-
day, to think this bill over, as we have
two reports from the committee, so
that they may digest it. One day can
not make very much difference with
TIE bill; and l still think it should be
assigned for Thursday.
Mr.. DONIGAN: Mr.. President: Since
the senator says that the Senate de-
sires more time, I am not particular
about the change; but know that bills
from the same source last year We're
delayed and delayed until they We're
beaten; and / do not want it to be
beaten in that way. I will agree to the
motion of the senator from Washing
ton.
The motion prevailed and Senate
Document No 208 was tabled and as
signed for consideration for Thursday,
Feb. %.
On motion by Mr. Looney of Cumber-
land the Memorial in favor of a law
creating a volunteer retired list in the
War department." together with the
majority and minority reports of the
committee on federal relations, which
We're previously tabled by that sena
tor at the present session, We're taken
from the table.
Mr.. WARREN of Cumberland: Mr..
President: move to substitute the mi
noritv for the majority report of the
committee en- federal relations in this
matter
This matter has previously been be-
fore us. 1t was referred to the COM
mttee and now has come back from
the committee whit the endorsement
of a majority report. A hearing was
held, from which hearing I was I'M
avoidably absent. The matter comes
back, however, in a new draft, the
memorial now supporting a measure
much different from that which was
previously proposed, and to my mind
much less Objectionable measure; but
one that I shall still oppose.
AS a matter of information, I will
briefly state the present situation in
regard to pensions. This is not a mat
ter Gil which we have direct vote. but
ii there is occasion for US to act at all,
we should act right. The matter is not
unimDortant. I am not very wise In
this matter Of PENSIONS; but l have
had occasion to look the matter up
SOfneW hat, and the statements that l
will make are approximately correct.
Until within a few years pensions
have been raid to veterans of the CIV
il War for disability only; and on the
basis of disability various sums We're
paid, hut not the same to officers as to
men, The officers share in u larger
measure. For instance, a very COM
mon pension OF So month for a GER
tain grade of disability paid to an en-
listed man would entitle a second lieu
tenant, the lowest grade of a commits
stoned officer, to about SIS month
captain would receive on the same
disability 500 and so on. This difference
I am rot now questioning, although
l 90 not think it should have existed.
Within a few years there has been es-
tablished, by what method you may
remember, what is known as service
pension, which gives pensions to men,
not on the basis of their disability. but
on the basis of their age, in which
matter officers and men share alike.
The present amount to which they
are entitled, if of 20 years of age
(Which many of them are) is $15 per
month. At the age of IS they will re-
ceivc $40 per month. believe that this
is sufficient and that this law should
not now he amended. l believe that it
is right as it stands, officers and men
sharing alike. The amount of money
which las been expended SO far by
the government for Civil War pensions
up to the first CT January, 1905 is
something over s3,50O,0Oo,oo0, almost. il
not quite, equaling the direct cost of
that war, which is ordinarily estimated
at somewhere between three and half
to four billion. Before the account Is
finally closed the cost of pensions VIII
far exceed the amount of the direct
cost The pension list of the Civil War
is still active, at the rate of 44,ooO0oo
a year.
Close behind the veterans of the CIV
il War stand those of the Spanish
War. Whatever is paid the veterans
of the Civil War will ultimately be
paid to them. You may say that there
is not the same sentiment in regard to