The National tribune., 1910-09-29
PENSIONS.
Report of the National Pension
Committee.

ment.
Comrades: The Grand Army of the
Republic first gave serious consideration
IN the "pension question at the nth
Annual Encampment, held in Denver,
Colo. July 1926, 1888. For the nrst
time il was fully realized that a DIVISION
of counsel and effort must result disas-
trously. Individual opinion, as In a pure
democracy must give place to concrete
plan and the ascertained VIII OF tue
maioritv. if substantial progress was to
be made in securing addluonal ieeisia-
ton.
Committee at that session after an am,
mated discussion was approved, ana
action had which virtually and pracu-
cally made the premier body Oh our
organization the sole judge as TO what
character of legisla ton should be asked
at the hands of the Congress. rms Or
der has been reaffirmed time ana AGAIN.
and there is need now of timely re-
minder that comrades, Posts and De
partments should give heed to the WIS
dom of such action. The fashioninS
and lanching of pension bills $50 called)
is in Congressional circles one OF the
leading industries, diversions or appears
to human credulity, as you VIII. IL
would be a difficult task to properly
characterize some of the grists deposit
ed in the tabled hoppers at the white
thrones of the presiding officers and
solemnlv dignified by ponderous num-
bers. never to be heard of after their
consignment to the tomb where rest
thousands of the stranded barQueS orig
inaIly planned for inland seas and home
consumption. But 1t is not difficult to
picture the influence of these unfortun-
ate and ill-considered personal express
Sions Of the measure of justice due from
a great Government to its defenders in
the DAYS of National peril. 1t was a
cruel wrong a year ago to inspire in the
hearts and minds of aged men the hope
that the American Congress would soon
pass the dollar-a-day general pension
q bill when no such proposition had been
officially made in either House. This
false hope continues to be fed by those
who would profit by professions which
are only from the lips outward.
Work of % Years.
During the 81 years stretching for
ward from the Denver Encampment to
this hour the G. A. r. has fairly and
Zealousiy conserved the interests of the
survivors of the Union army and navy
in the war of the rebellion and their
dependent ones. Wisely. patiently, pa
triotically a pension code was written
into law. the most liberal in the annals
of Nations. With due regard for the
rights of all parties in interest, keeping
in mind the unwritteu- and gnmeasured
sacrifices of those who bore the bur-
dens of the SOS, keenly alive to the
obligations of the citizenship of which
we are SO proud, the comradeship of
the old line has been steadily kept to
the fore. Rank position, length of SER
vice and achievement have all but
faded out, and the glorious memories
of a common cause remain, the heri-
tage of US all. On this broad founda-
tion has been builded the pension sys-
fem of the proudest and freest Repub-
lie on the earth-largeIy the handiwork
Of the Representatives assembled in an
nual Encampment, as you, are here this
day, for the past quarter of century.
In 1883 the average annual valueaof
invalid civil war pensions was $104. 23-
$S.6S per month.
In 1910 the average annual value of
invalid civil war pensions is s1s722-
$3.50 per month-an increase in 81
years of s6.92 per month. practically so
per cent The total disbursements for
pensions Gall classes in 1883 wasNs60,-
427,573.S1; in 1910. s159,974. .056.0S, an
increase of s.546, 6,462.27-nearly ons
81 years ago.
The most notable pension act ever
passed by Congress was that of June
81, 1890. By Its farreaching scope hum
dreds of thousands were added to the
roll. In two years after !ts enactment,
in 1892, the total amount paid on ac-
count of pensions Gall classes) was
s13s. 1894, ,147.11. an increase over 1883.
nine years before. of practically $79.-
000.000. and the increase of the aver
age annual value from S104.23 in 1883
to $134S5 in 1892, or exceeding 20 per
cent.
If we are minded to seek for the
reason of this most generous legisla-
ton the answer comes, primarily, be-
cause the G. A. R. was a unit two dec
ades ago. We stood together then in a
common cause, on a common line. and
the Congress with the then President
a comrade who proudly wore the little
bronze button, recognized the justice of
that cause.
What of the present? We are older
now than 20 years ago. Fewer in num-
Der; let US hope, closer knit in the
bonds of fraternity. Are we as nearly
of one mind? AS sane and charitable
and loyal TO the saving common sense
which so happily controlled when we
first began to realize and note the
lengthening shadows in the West? We
must be amenable TO reason. No mat
ter how much they who plead from the
housetops may indulge themselves in
the hOneyed phrases which mean much
or little, as you will we have to dea
with stern facts. Your committee was
charged with but one duty the past
year-tO secure, if possible. the amend,
nIent of the widow act Of 1908. so as Il
eliminate the bar as 10 marriage after
June 81, 1890. A bill to that effect wa.
Introduced by Senator T. J. McCumber
and now rests with the Senate Commit.
tee on Pensions Not line of genera
pension legislation was added TO Tho
pension code at either of the two ses
sions Of the 6lst Congress Why?
Bills In Congress.
II is not the province of this commit
tee to guess at motives nor inject dog
matte opinions into a document of thi
character. Rather is il our province t'
present the facts. Here is one signifi
cant fact If you will turn to volume
As, pages 4362-4367, Congressional Rec
ord, 61st Congress; Second Session, anC
read, you will be amazed and possibl,
fiattered at the attention given the pen
sion question. provided you persever,
TO the end and master the full signifi
cance of the labor involved in that stu
pendous summary Of general pension
bills offered.
The list embraces 22O distinct bill
offered in the House of Representative
and 80 in the Senate. About 100 mem
bers of the House, representing both o
the dominant political parties, addressed
themselves to the liberalizing of tn,
pension la"".s cf the Nation. Each bill
vas appr5 priaielr referred TO the prop
er committee and not one was passed
They represent all shades of opinion
and most of them contemplate libera
advances in ratings. They cover a wild
range from giving militiamen in Ger