The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-04-12
PENSION QUESTION
BEFORE CONGRESS
Democrats Likely Will Pass
An age" or Dollar-a-
Day Bill.

Washington, April 12.-It will occas-
ion no surprise II the Democratic
house shall pass either an "age" pen
sion bill or "dollar-a-day" Dill before
this special session ends. Pension
legislation was not included in the
program laid down by the house by
the committee on ways and means,
but many OF the Democratic represen-
tatives think Il should have been SO
insludcd, and are demanding that the
way be opened for legislation at this
session.
The northern Democrats In the
house are displaying more interest In
pension legislation than are the north
crn Republicans. As for the southern
Democrats they seem willing to as
quiesce In any program OF legislation
the northerners may agree on.
During the last campaign nearly ev.
cry Democratic candidate for congress
in a northern district told the old sol
diers of his district that IL he should
be elected he would favor any sort OF
pension legislation the veterans de-
sired. Most OF the northern Demo
Gratis feel that they ought to keep the
promise they made TO their constit-
ucnts. The cloakroom talk among the
Democrats of the house Is that they
can put through either an age" pen.
sion bill. or a 'dollar-a-day bill. and
trust to the Republican senate to kill
the bill they pass. They cite the fact
that the last house of representatives
a Republican body. passed the "age"
pension bill by vote OF 2i2 to 62,
and that the senate buried the legisla-
ton. They seem to have no doubt
about what the fate any pension bill
they might pass would meet In the
senate.
Representative Isaac Sherwood. Of
Ohio, the Democratic chairman of the
new committee on invalid pensions,
has already introduced what Is known
In the last congress as the Sulloway
bill. lie promised his constituents in
the last campaign that he would IA
vor this bill. At that time he did not
know that he would become chairman
of the committee on invalid pensions.
but chairman he is. and h Is showing
an inclination to make real fight for
the Sulloway bill. The other Demo
cratic members of this committee also
look with favor on the "age" pension
plan. These members are George II.
Lindsay. OF New York: Carl c. Ander-
son. of Ohio; John NJ. Adair. of In.
diana: Joseph w. Russell. Of Mis-
souri; George w. Kipp. OF Pennsylvan.
Ia: II. M. Jacoway. of Arkansas: Mi
chael f. Burke. of Wisconsin; John NJ.
Hamilton. OF West Virginia. and vii.
liam ]. Fields OF Kentucky.
Would Cost Great Sum.
The bill Chairman Sherwood has in
troduced would. according to the CON-
missioner of pension. cost the country
annually $45,4S9, 56S. Under the bill
any person who served ninety days in
the civil war or sixty days in the
Mexican war and was honorably dis
charged would be put on the the PEN
sion pay roll as follows: When sixty
two years old or over. SIS a month;
when sixty.five years or over. $50 a
month; when seventy years or over
SIS month: when as years or over.
9oO uOHiu SHucr SAtotiuS law Veu-
sioners receive sig a month when six
ty.two years or over: SIS when sew.
cnty or over. and $50 u month when
seventy-fivc or over.
The question to be decided by the
Democrats Of the house Is whether
THEY will favor the Sulloway age"
pension bill or a "dollar.a-day" bill
Az the last session the Democrats
who were then In the minority In the
house. were disposed to prefer dol
lar.a.day" legislation. When the Sui
loway "age" bill was reported at that