Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1884 — PENSIONS. [ARTICLE]

PENSIONS.

Proposed Legislation at Washington. A Washington correspondent telegraphs as follows: The temper of the Pensions Committee of the House of Representatives on the subject of swelling the lists of persons entitled to draw pensions from the National Treasury is illustrated by a report it has made recommending that twenty general measures referred to it bo laid upon the table. Included in the list are bills granting pensions to persons who served fourteen, days in the war of 1812, and to those whoserved in the Mexican war, or the Creek, Florida, Black Hawk, or any other Indian war. Among the pension bills introduced in the House, that of Mr. Henderson, of Illinois, has attracted the most attention. With slight modifications it will receive the, indorsement and approval of the Pension Office, and is likely to form the basis of any peiision legislation contemplating an extension of the present pension list. The bill proposes to grant pensions to all persons who, having enlisted in the regular or volunteer army or navy in any wars waged by the United States, served three months, were honorably discharged, and who are tinable, by reason of physical disability, to earn their subsistence, or who are 65 years of age, and are dependent upon their labor for support. This will cover all the veterans of tho,war of 1812 and the Mexican war, as well as those of the rebellion, and is in this respect a most comprehensive bill It does not propose to pension everybody that served the Government, only those who are in actual want, or who, by reason of age or physical disability not resulting from bad or vicious habits, are unable to earn a living. The requirement of three months’ service is criticised by some as being too short, and a recommendation of an extension to six luonths has been made to meet this.