The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-12-28
THE SHERWOOD PENSION BILL
Congressman McGillicuddy Makes
Clear the Meaning of This Bill to
the Old Soldiers.


the Old Soldiers.
There has been much misapprehen-
sion among the old soldiers of the
Civil war regarding the provisions of
the Sherwood pension bill that has
just passed the lower house of congress
The original bill contained clause
denying pensions TO all veterans
whose income exceeded $1,000 The
dispatches to the daily press made no
distinction between the beneficiaries
under the Sherwood bill and those
who were receiving pensions for in
juries received in the service Many
supposed that this bill would take
away all such pensions as were being
received by those whose income ex-
coded the $1,000 mark. This was not
the case as il affected only those who
applied under that particular act
Even had it applied to those already
in receipt of pensions it would have
made no difference as the provision
was promptly knocked out by an
amendment before the final vote was
taken.
The veterans in this vicinity will be
interested in the following message
written by Congressman MeGillieuddy.
Among other thangs he says:
Il am in receipt of your letter OF the
10th instant concerning the Sherwood
pension bill. Replying to your inquiry,
will say that you are in error in
thinking that the Sherwood bill pro-
poses to take all previous pensions
granted for injuries in service away
from those who have an income of
$1,000, or more. This provision in the
bill did not apply at all to previous
pensions in cases of injuries received
in the service. In any event. this
$1,000 income provision was knocked
out by amendment. | was strongly
opposed to the thousand dollar in
come provision and voted against it,
and think it impr yes the bill to take
it out, although it did not have the
effect which you supposed. voted
against the income provision because
| believe that such a provision is con-
trary. to the plan and spirit of the
Sherwood bill II is distinctiIely a
service bill, not a dependent pension
bill. To my mind a man who rendered
entitled to the reward of that SER
vice now in the service pension bill.
whether he has an income of thous-
and dollars or not. Again, think
that a man who was industrious,
frugal and thrifty enough to save his
property and have an income of a
thousand dollars a year, should not
be Disseminated against on that ac-
count To do SO it would seem to me
would place premium upon idleness
and thriftlessness. Another provision
of the bill that was knocked out by
amendment is the Soldiers Home pro
vision You are doubtless familiar
with it. also voted for this amend
ment and think the mill is the better
for the amendment. There were some
other amendments of minor i'm
portance which did not affect the bill
materially one way or the other. As
it now stands | think it is a most eX-
cellent as we'll as liberal pension bill.
We shall watch closely the develop
ment of events in regard to this bill
and its future and if we can pin the
opposition, you can rest assured ii will
be done. The friends of the bill are
alert and will spare no pains to fully
unreasonable, SO that the public may
know who and just what it is. A
strong effort was made in the house
to load the bill down with innumer-
able amendments. | have learned in
the short time that | have been here
that one of the fayorite devices for
killing good legislation is to present
amendments to it that upon their face
appear friendly, the real purpose of
which, however, is TO so load the
original bill that it cannot possibly
pass with the amendments. | believe
that there were as many as 80 or 40
amendments presented last night, and
could not possibly see any object in
presenting them, except it was TO load
the bill down SO that in the end it
would not be able to carry"
A decrease in the number of pupils
In BANGOR High school is shown for