The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-17
THE NEW PENSION BILL.

-.
Under the Sulloway pension bill
which passed the house one day last
week by a vote of aI2 to sixty-two
s.every honorably discharged soldier
who served not less than ninety days
in the civil war or sixty DAYS IN the
Mexican war would be entitled to a
pension on reaching the age of sixty
two. and the rates are graded as fol-
lows. Fifteen dollars a month at
sixty-two years, $21 at sixty-hve years,
$25 al seventy years, and $40 at seven
! ty-fiye years. There need be no proof
of disability. Service for the time
specified is the sole requisite.
The Sulloway bill was unanimously
reported from the committee on in
| valid pensions. In its report the com.
i mttee explains why the passage of
such measure is deemed advisable
Ii says that congress in the last few
wears has become practically q pen
sion bureau. With old age and its at
tendant infrmities creeping upon the
! survivors of both the Civil and Next
! can wars. there is not a member OF
either branch of congress who is not
besieged with hundreds of the most
deserving and pitiable cases where
the beneficiary is pleading for relief
by special act, there being no existing
law 70 cover these cases. The pension
committees of congress. it is stated,
working by night and by day. have
been able to bring relief to a few
thousand soldiers vet in comparison
with the thousands who are still
knocking at its doors for help. it is
but a drop in the bucket In the
present congress alone there have
been referred TO the two pension com.
mittees of the house OF representa-
tives more than 10000 bills for pri-
vate pensions Among this vast num-
Der are thousands of blind. paralyzed
bedridden, and pain-racked soldiers.
with long and honorable records.
whose cases can never be reached
under the present system. and who
will be obliged 10 pass their last days
in misery and want. The committee
said further in support of the meas
ure.
Your committee feels that the time
has come when there should be some
thing done to relieve the pension
committees OF congress from the tre-
mendous amount of work that cou-
fronts them: that instead of taking up
The few cases that the committees can
possibly consider, all soldiers should
be put upon an equal footing, and in
their few remaining years equal JUS
tice should be meted out to all. The
so-called McCumber Act of February
s. 1907 has proven a great blessing TO
the soldiers, but all must admit that
it has not lessened the work OF con-
gress in dealing with private pension
cases. Your committee feels that the
time has come when congress should
enact general legislation that will re-
duce private pension legislation TO
minimum: that specific rates should
be allowed sufficient TO care for the
soldier in his old age, SO that his last
days may be days of peace and con
tentment. that law should be pass
ed with the rates sufficiently equitable
and Just that there will not be de-
mand or need of any general legisla-
ton along these lines for many years
TO come.
If anything is to be done further
in the line of legislation for the sol
diers, it must come soon. The SER
vices they rendered can not be meas
ured by dollars or cents, or by any
pecuniary emolument. and the least
this great nation can do is to see that
they are comfortably cared for in their
q N
of them dying every twenty-four hours,
or at the rate of 5000 month. the
ranks are fast becoming depleted. The
tween sixty-fiye and seventy-two
wears. OF the 10000 on the rolls
under the age act nearly 900, 900 are
estimated 10 be between the ages
mentioned above These men are
practically beyond the years OF man
nal labor, and thousands of them,
as every member knows by personal
contact, are practically hopeless and
inyalids. Il the veterans are
20 be helped at all, they should be |
helped sufficiently so that they will !
not be obliged TO appeal Immediately
20 congress for special legislation in |
order that they NAV secure for them /
selves relief sufficient TO purchase the |
aDsoluie necessities OF life The coun- |
Try can afford to give this increase to /
LIE old Veterans. as it has grown /!
wealthy and powerful on account OF !.
lae services they rendered"
According 10 information furnished !
BIZ the commissioner of pensions the 4
spdloEsy bill il enacted into law will 1
add o1-e0p to the pension roll. /
But il will be necessary to increase
ihs Essnsion appropriation by this I
amount Il the pension of the soldier I
r a-ougnt 10 z point where congress
Mi b relieved of vast amount OF +
special pension legislation. and If an
amount l. given TO the veteran suf- I
scient 10 properly care for him, even
4 lae plainest way, in his old age.
Prophesics Republican Defeat.