Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-07-27
WIDOWS
PENSIONS
Extension of Remarks of Hon. Ed
ward E Browne, of Wisconsin. in
the House of Representatives on
Wednesday, July 5, 1916.

was the lawful wife of a soldier dur
ing the period of his service in the
Civil War from $12 to $40 per month
This cares for the so-called war wild
ows. The surviving widows of this
class is comparatively small
This bill will also give pension of
$40 per month to all Civil War widows
who have now reached, or may hereaf-
ter reach, the age of 70 years who are
now on the pension rolls or who may
hereafter be placed thereon, and the
fact that widow of a soldier married
a civilian who has died or from whom
she has been divorced will not, under
this bill, prevent her drawing a pen
sion.
Under the act of June 27, 1890. no
widow who married a soldier after
that date is entitled to a pension.
This bill raises the marriage limit Is
years or until June 27. 1905.
No woman who married a soldier
during the past II years or who may
hereafter marry soldier will be en-
titled TO a pension under this bill.
No woman who has married a SOL
der during the past &c years-since
1890-can be charged with having
married the soldier with the expect
ancy of receiving a pension, there
fore the committee thought it was
fully warranted in leaving this re-
striction for period of Is years.
I indorse this bill, Mr.. Speaker, and
hope it will become law at the earl
lest possible time.
Widows Of the Civil War did not
receive a pension until 1890, or near
ly 25 years after the close Of the war,
and then only So per month, which
was increased to SIP per month in
1908.
A pension Of $12 per month for a
person three score and ten is abso-
lutely inadequate at this time.
Only small percentage of widows
live beyond the age of 70 years, and
none are able to earn their own sup
port who live beyond this age, and a
pension of $40 per month is small
enough to provide for their wants.
All honor to the brave men who en-
listed in that war, that meant more
for free government and civilization
than any war in history. Every man
that served his country in that ter
rible struggle made sacrifice that
entities him to the everlasting graf
itude of all mankind.
I have voted for every pension bill
that has come before this body, and
no act incident to my service in Con-
gress has given me greater satisfac-
ton than supporting and voting for
bills making provisions for the SOL
der, his widow and orphans; and I
now reiterate what / said upon this
floor on one occasion in supporting a
pension bill, that | believe every SOL
der who had served his country in
time Of war was entitled to a sufficient
pension from the Government to pro-
vide him with a decent, comfortable
living in his declining years, and that
his widow and orphans were entitled
70 oo11a1 consideration
When men enlisted back in the
sixties this Government made a sol
emn pledge that the widows and de-
| pendents of soldiers should be treated
as the honored wards of the people
and that this Government would stand
| between them and want. This legis-
| lation is but a fulfllment of that sac
red promise.
Wisconsin at the time of the Civil
War was out young State, it having
been admitted to statehood less than
dozen years. With a population of
only a trife over 100000, she sent
to the front an army of between nine
ty and one hundred thousand of as
brave men as ever shouldered a mus
| ket.
The sacrifices that the people of this
young State made at that time can
be seen today, over so years after the
war and by reason of those sacrifices
there is hardly pioneer home in the
State of Wisconsin that has not vac
ant chairs about its freside.
The men who returned to civil life
after the terrible conflict were rare
exceptions that did not come out OF
the struggle with wounds or other
disabilities that handicapped them il
business and in their future life
These disabilities grew heavier with
the years and often caused even {
valiant soldier to lose out in the un
equal competition of business anC
many times hurried him to an I'm.
timely grave.
The soldiers widow, who perhap:
waited in vain at the cottage door fol
a husband that never came; the wife
who stood by her husbands side IL
the hour of adversely, who helped he1
husband fight the battles of life a