The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-22
ENORMOUS GROWTH
IN PENSION ROLLS
Measure Passed By House
Carries S1Sl, 100000
SHERWOOD BILL AGAIN
Alabama Has $685. Federal Pensioners
Drawing 1896, ,OOO-Confederate
Pensions Paid BY Alabama
Amount to SS75,0O
SHERWOOD BILL AGAIN
BY G. e. STEWART

Washington, February 21.-(Speclal.) =
Last TUESDAY the House of Representa-
tives passed the largest pension bill in the
history of the country. The measure car
ried $3.50, 100000, and an amendment was
added which will add another million to
the bill, making approximately S1SlO0o,Q00.
A small number of democrats made
every effort possible to add amendments
TO the bill to bar from the pension rolls
veterans having incomes exceeding 1900
per year. and who We're not entitled to
pensions on account Of wounds or disa-
billties sustained in service. All amend
ments of this character were voted down.
The first amendment offered was by Mr..
Reddenbery of Georgia and provided:
THAT no pension shall be paid to any
person out of this appropriation who is
receiving a salary of wage In excess of
1920 per annum, whether paid annually,
monthly or at other periods of time, ex-
cept such persons be on the pension roll
for actual disabilities received in the SER
vice"
Amendment Is Defeated
Points of order were received against the
amendment, and it was in the end defeat
ed. 1t was argued by those who supported
it that the amendment if adopted would
save the government in this bill alone
81, 500 600, and not withdraw a pension
from any soldier now receiving a pension,
provided that soldier saw actual service
and sustained any injury therein.
When this amendment was defeated an
other was offered providing that no per-
son should receive pension out of the
appropriation who is receiving an income
that amounts to $1,000 per annum, except
such person be on the pension roll for
actual disabilities received in action. This
amendment was designed to apply to per-
sons who have fixed incomes of $1,000 or
more per annum, outside of what wages
they might earn, and who were not draw
ing pensions by reasons of wounds or dis
abilities received in the war.
1t was defeated 1t was estimated that
Ii would have saved the government s3,-
1000 out of he present appropriation bill
In other words, this amount of the peo-
pies money is being paid to persons who
have fixed incomes of $1,000 per annum or
more. and who are drawing pensions from
the government under one of the various
pension laws of the country, not because
they were disabled or permanently wound
ed during the war between the states, but
for some other good and sufficient rea-
son.
Alabama Has $685.
During the fiscal year ending June 60
i3lz, tHeIe were III tue Dnlteu states ana
foreign countries $50, 0,294 persons on the
governments pension roll and the amount
paid them was $152, 9S6, 1872 Alabama had
$3.50 OF these pensioners, who received the
aggregate sum of S60S, 1903. SO. The pension
roll for this year will exceed this by
nearly ssOooo,0OO, which increase was
brought about by the Sherwood bill,
passed May II, 1912
Considering the fact that the veterans
of the civil war are passing away annual
~ at the rate of from S0,0oo to 5000 the
steady growth of the pension roll comes
under the head of one of the legislative
marves of the age.
1t may be interesting to contrast the
amount of pensions paid to the survivors
of the Confederate army with the amount
paid TO the survivors of the Union army
now residing in IL southern states, which
provide pensions from the states reve-
nues for Confederate soldiers. The table
follows: