The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-07-19
NEW PENSION BILLS
Good News for All Soldiers

Good News for All Soldiers
Hon. John w. Longley, a Represent
tative in Congress from Kentucky, in
introducing the following bills has a
few words to say, as follows: II feel
that the history of special pension
Legislation emanating from both COM
mittees shows the urgent need of
some reform. l introduce in this Con-
gress two bills which would in my
judgment, if enacted into law accom-
plish that. The first one is designed
to give to all veterans of the Civil
War the rates of pension practically
that they would get under the rules of
the committee if their cases were
made special by it and included in one
of the omnibus pension bills. 1t would
cost a little more money, concede,
but the increase would be only tenn
porary, and it would be a mere bag
atelle compared with what the old
fellows deserve at our hands. All of
them are now so far advanced in
years that they are rapidly becoming
helpless, many of them being so al
ready, and those that do not now will
soon require the personal aid and at
tendance of another person for which
the pension they are now receiving,
and upon which most of them are
solely dependent, is inadequate to pro-
vide. Let us, while we can, enable
them to provide the necessaries of
life and employ some one to look
after their personal comfort, when
needed, during the few remaining
years that they will be with us. The
full text of the bill is as follows:
A bill Oh. r. 17572) to provide for
increasing the rates of pension of
totally disabled, needy, and helpless
soldiers, sailors, and marines of the
Civil and Mexican Wars.
Be it enacted, ETC., That the rate
If pension for every officer or enlist
I'M man in the Army, Navy or Mar
inc Corps of the United States who
served therein 80 days or more dur
ng the Civil War and was honorably
discharged therefrom, and who has
10 means of support aside from his
pension, and no one Is by agreement
5ound for his support, shall be $50
per month, provided he be totally In
capacitated for self-support because
If disability or disabilities not the re-
suit of his onw vicious habits; and re-
Iuires the frequent and periodical
hough not constant, aid and attend
lnce of another person; and shall be
$50 per month, provided he be totally
ncapacitated for self-support because
IF disability or disabilities not the re-
suit of his own vicious habits and re-
quires the constant aid and attendance
If another person. The rate of PEN
zion herein provided shall commence
from the date of filing an application
therefor in the Bureau of Pensions
lfter the passage of this act.
Sec. 2. That the benefits of this act
shall include those who have a PEN
'ionable status under the joint reso-
lution of February Is, 1895, and under
the second section of the joint reso-
ution of July l, 1902, as amended
~ the joint resolution of June 28 1906
Sec. 3. That the $40 and $50 rates of
pension provided by section / of this
!ct shall apply to those survivors of
he Mexican War who are now on the
pension rolls or who may hereafter
be placed thereon.
Sec. 4. That the provisions OF this
act shall not be construed to reduce
he rate of pension to which anyone
IS now entitled under any general
or special law.
The other bill is for the relief of
he veterans of the Spanish-American
War and of the Philippine Insur-
rection. 1t reads as follows:
A bill (H. r. 1879 to pension the
survivors of the War with Spain and
Philippine insurrection.
Be it enacted etc, That the pro-
visions, limitations, and benefits of
section 2, as amended by the act of
May 8, 1900, of an act entitled "An
act granting pensions to soldiers and
sailors who are incapacitated for per-
Torrance of manual labor and pro-
yiding pensions to widows, minor
children, and dependent parents" ap-
proved June, 1890, be, and the same
are hereby extended from the date
OF the passage of this act to the
officers and enlisted men
VINO served in the late War with Spain
md Philippine instruction.
The effect of this bill would be to
give title to pension to veterans of
he Spanish-American War and of the
Philippine insurrection who had a
service of as much as 80 days and re-
eiyed an honorable discharge, and
Who are now shown to be disabled
or the performance of manual labor,
n whole or in part, without requir-
ng them to prove that their disabili-
was contracted in the service and
Inc OIL duty. 1t is now nearly 20 years
go since they rendered this service.
nd it is practically impossible for
nein, IN the absence of hospital rec
re. to establish service origin of their
iSaoilities Most of them were as
ociated with comrades that they had
OF previously known, and most OF