The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-02-23

duc.d his substitute, which adopted n
A., double standard of measurement He
had received Il letter from a veteran
with whom he was acquainted, in which
he stated that tho he was yet under 20
: wears, he is receiving S12 a month.
. altho lie served four years and some
months. There are four other men,
bers. of his Post who served but a trifie
over 40 DAYS who were older than the
average soldier, and who are receiving
$40 a month now Under the Sulloway
bill they would get $3e month, while
he would get only SIS. Under the
; Sulloway bill it will require but $780,
GEO, 000 the first Year, but add $4,000
ii acc the second year. Under his substi-
tute but SS.43914S would be required
the first year, after which there would
De a decrease of S2,0G9,900 annually.
Senator Nelson asked f the saving
would not arise from the deaths among
the veterans.
!, Senator MrCumber said, Certainly"
and proceeded to call the attention of
the Senators again to the fact that in
! 1910 we paid out 152,63l,729 in PEN
sions. His amendment would bring the
expenditure up again to $162,OOo,OOO,
or $56S. 600 less than we paid for PEN
sions in 1910. The only question was
TO what extent we ought to go in order
to meet the requirements and demands
of the surviving veterans. In several
Il instances they had granted more for
Il longer service than was recommended
I by the Grand Army, and his substitute
granted as much in every instance as
the highest amount that was asked by
the Grand Army.
The only difference is this: That
while some of the 9O-day men and one
wear men and less-than- one-year men
would receive s25 under the bill that
was recommended by the Grand Army
of the Republic, they Will not receive
rr..- Nl...s fst N
only s24 a month if they served but
three wears, and the 90-day men are
given 81 a month more than they are
receiving under the present bill"
The question was as to our financial
condition. Considering the state of the
I Treasury, should we add from $4,000
900 to $50,000,000 to the pension ex-
penditures? He believed that the time
IS coming. and should come, when every
soldier at 20 should receive $50
; month, but We should reach this point
by steps, and pass a bill which will be
! accepted by both Houses and the Presi-
dent. He did not believe that this
would be the last general legislation.
4 Senator Curtis reminded the Senator
from North Dakota that the veterans
are dying at the rate of 5000 month.
Senator Gallinger denied this.
Senator Scott reminded him that
:. 600 died in December.
; Senator McCumber said the deaths
were about 35 200 last year, but agreed
that there were 1000 deaths in De-
cember.
Senator Scott said that the veterans
were not dying fast enough TO suit
some of the Senators. They want to
reduce the appropriation for this rea-
SON vet the veterans are dying at the
rate OF one every il minutes. Several
had died since the bill was taken up.
, Senator McCumber admitted this.
> 8 aI.nr-
were dying so fast, the pension rolls
keep increasing.
: Senator Curtis said that pensions have
not been increasing, they have been
decreasing. The Spanish-American War
VETERANS are being added to the roll.
Senator Curtis pointed out that in 1909
there was SJ64.S36,2 S7.50 disbursed for
pensions, while this year 1t was seonly
Il S1I3, 100000
! Senator Lodge insisted that in spite
of the rapid death rate the appropria-
tons in three years will reach $780,
i 006, 900, the highest ever reached.
Il Senator Curtis denied that these were
correct figures, and said that the high
est estimate of this bill Is an increase
of s40,000,000 next year. This year
only s20.00o,000 will be required.
Senator Scott confirmed this.
Senator Curtis said that by the first
day of July there would be 100000
, 600 surplus, and therefore there was
40 earthly excuse for delaying action.
Senator Lodge denied there would be
a surplus, and said that they were
about to issue bonds now to pay for
the Panama Canal.
Senator Curtis read a statement by
the Secretary of the Treasury, showing
that there will be surplus July / of
nearly s16,000,060; that there was
total balance in the general fund Feb.
8, 1911, of nearly $S5,090,000. IF we
4
Canal, why not, if necessary, issue
bonds to pay just pensions to the SOL
! diers who preserved the Union and up
held this Government of ours?"
Senator McCumber said that he was
anxious to get thru both Houses a PEN
sion bill that would be signed by the
\ President and become a law this seq
| sion. II his amendment did not pre-
l vail he would vote for the bill as re-
] ported by the majority of the commit
Il tee.
Senator Smith tMich) said that he
I should look forward with great deal
of pleasure to the probability of an
opportunity to vote upon the bill re-
i ported by the committee. This is very
1 important legislation, and should chal-
| lenge the patriotism of every Senator.
We never can fully show the depth OF
1 our gratitude for the noble service of
] the veterans"
Senator McCumber hoped that the
Senate would vote as unanimously for
some bin as the House had done.
Senator SCOTS Speech.
Senator Scott CIV. Va said:
"Mr. President, / do not believe there
is a Senator here who will not agree
y that am big enough and broad enough
: IL it were in my power to extend the
). benefits of the pension list 20 the men
who wore the gray as well as to those
8, who wore the blue.
IT II want to call attention, Mr.. Presi-
r. dent, to a time a few years ago when
- we assembled in Arlington. when 342
u dead bodies of brave soldiers were
u brought back from Cuba that they
= might rest in sacred soil, when the
I President OF the United States, the Gen.
a erai of the Army, and the citizens OF
washington and of the country at large