The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-01-26
S25,O0o,OOO FOR
PENSIONS Likely
SENATE COMMITTEE WILL PRO-
cEED WITH GREAT pELieeRA.
TIoN IN REPORTING BILL,
AGAINST SULLAWAY BILL
Will Report Substitute Which Will
Carry An Annual Increase
Only One Third A.
Large.

Washington. Jan. 20.-It is apparent
that the senate committee on pensions
viii not report the Sherwood bill, al
ready passed by the house, but will
report a substitute, drafted, in all
probability, along the lines of the bill
introduced in the senate by Mr.. Nc
Cumber of North Dakota, committee
chairman.
The Sherwood bill, according to fig
ures submitted by the secretary of the
interior, would add s75,651. 54S a year
to the pension roll. making it aggre-
gate about 1926, OOO,Ooo. The support
ers Of the bill deny mat the amount
will be that large, and ii is for the
purpose of permitting Mr.. Sherwood
to present his figures that the senate
committee has invited him to appear
before 1t.
Bill to Carry About $25, 0oo,o 900.
The likelihood is that the senate
committee will ultimately agree on a
bill carrying not to exceed about $685.
100000, maybe less. Such bill would
60 through the senate. and in confer
ence the house would probably yield,
permitting the senate bill to become
law.
Some interesting figures have been
compiled for the senate committee on
pensions. covering the pension opera
tions of the government from the rev.
dictionary war down to date. With
reference to the civil war, these fig
ures show that there were in round
numbers, enlistments in the union
army aggregating 2.70O, 900 men. Eli
minating all reenlistments, 1000, 900
separate persons wore the union col
ors during that four years of stress
and strain. The total sum since paid
them or the dependent members of
their families in the way of pensions
aggregates about 100000 or in
round numbers, $4,000 has gone. out
OF the federal treasury in the way of
pensions, since the close of the civil
war, on behalf of every soldier who
served on the union side in that war.
The average length of service of these
100000 men was one year.
II was estimated that in 1908 there
were 705,195 surviving veterans Of
the civil war, and in 1910, $4,000
| This estimate is to the effect that
there will be 42S.00O survivors in 1915,
PSI 900 in 1920, 1850 in 1925. $1,000
/ in 1890, 5000 in 1885, and 300 in
! 1910. According to these figures. the
number OF survivors will decrease 80
! per cent in the next five years.
| Washinofnn T-SAnafnr 10
Cumber of North Dakota appealed to
the senate to Immediately ratify Presi-
dent Taft's arbitration treaties with
England and France without amend.
ment. He argued that the terms OF
the treaties in no way usurped the
constitutional rights of the senate nor
did they compel the arbitration of any
traditional question of American pol
icy such as the Monroe doctrine or the
control Of immigration.
Ratification of the treaties. Senator
McCumber declared. would give to the
cause of arbitration such an impetus
that like treaties would soon be made
with all civilized nations.
with a treaty OF this kind signed
by all the great nations" said Senator
McCumber. the war with Tripoli would
never have been heard of and the
cries of Persia for justice and mercy
would not now be ringing throughout
the world. The time is coming when
no great nation will be able to borrow
money from other nations to carry on
an unjust war"
Senator McCumber quoted statistics
to show that the governments appro
priations for the army and navy had
increased $50 per cent in 20 years
while the increase of population was
"a per cent.
England's war appropriations had
increased 1l5 per cent in 20 years. he
said. while her population had been in
creasing 20 per cent.
Who can fail to see what the rea
end must be? Which country will
first become bankrupt or paralyzed In
its further efforts? The nations OF the
old world are being pauperized to de
fend themselves against each other
The condition is a crime against civil
ization."
Senator McCumber took the position
that no construction of the language
of the treaties could bind the United
States to arbitrate a question involv
ing the Panama canal.
I'VE must properly say this is an
American question. not an information
al one. and one which could not be
submitted to arbitration" he said.
Washington. ID. c. After Post