The Arrears Of Pensions Bill

It is estimated by competent judges that the Arrears of Pensions bil] passed by Congress will take froin 820,000,000 to $30,000,000 from tlie treasury, and some estímate the drain as high as $50,000,000. It is elaimed that the act will seriously embarrasa the resumption operations. The Secretary of the Treasury was opposed to the passage of the bill upon the ground that the Government is not in a position to stand the enormous drain on the treasury that will be inflicted. The text of the bill is ns f ollows : AV L enactrd, etc, that all pensions which have been granted tinder the general lawa refiilating pensions, or wfaich muy hereaftet bo grauted in consequonce of death from a cause whieh originated in tbe United States service during tbe continuance of tbe lato War of tbe Rcbellion orin eonsequeuceof wounds, injuries, ov cunease roceived or contracted in aaid Bervioe during eaid War of tbe Iïebellion, sball commeueo from the dato of discharge from said service of the person on whoae account the claim ha boon or boroafter may bo granted, or from tbe determination of tlie riffht of the party iaving prior title to such poneion; Providm, that the rato of pension for the ictervening ! time for wliioh arrears of pension are herebv ;rantod Bhall bo tbe same per month for whieu ïhe pension was originally granted. Sec. 2. That the Ooinmissionor of Pensions s liereby authorizod and directed to adopt such rulos and regulations for the payment of the ! arrears of pensiona hereby granted as will be : ncceesary to eaupe to be paid to such ! er, or, if the pensionors nhall have died, to the ierson or persons entitled to tho eame, all inch arrears of jension aa the ppnsioner may be or I vould have been pntitled to under thiB act Sec. 8. Thafc toction 4,717 of the Iïevised ! Jtatntes, which próvidos that no claim for j Rion not pro=ccutcd to a eucceesful isene wfthin : ive vears frora the date of filing the same ahall be aiimitted without recorded evidence from the 5;ar or Navy Department of the injury or dia:iho which resultcd in the inability or deatb of ho yorton on wiioac account tbe cmim is mado; rnvtdi'ft, that in any oane on wbich the limitition presoribed bv thia sectioH bars the furhor prnsoention of tho riaim the claimant inay present through the pension oftice to the Adjutaut Genoral of the army orthe öurgoon Geueral of the navy, eviderce that the diseaee or injury which resultod in tbe disability or death of the peraon on whoso account the claim is male originated in the service, and in tbe line of duty, and if such evidenco s deomed satiafactory by the offiqer to whom it may be submitted, be hall cause a record of the fact so proved to be made anda copy of tho same transmutad to the Commissioncr of Pensions, and the bar to tbe proseention of the claim shall tbereby be removed, and the mimo is hereby repealed. Sec 4. No claim agent or other person shall be ntitlod to reccive anj; compensation for sorvices in n aking applicátion for arrears of pension. 8ec. 5. That all acts or parta of acts ao far aa tbty conflict wiih the provisions of this act be and tho same are horeby repealed. Virginia is preparing to present a claim of $120,001), and Maryland a claim of L70,000, with eighty years' interest, for money advwiced to nid in the original building of the Federal Capítol.