National Republican., 1875-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
rContinued from Third Page. }


(C0MtiaEed from Third Ps9s)
in force. Attention is invited to the reconmenda-
1IIl ofItbe Revised Statutes. Under that section
bounty-land warrants are MADE personal ehattelsi
and assignable by legal representatives: BeiSre ore
sustom OF the Department, in accordance with the
oninion Of several Attorneys General of tho
Ttnited States, to treat such warrants as realty,
Secause they were inehoatc title to real estate.
The change thus wrought in their status has
opened up wide field for fraud, and improperly
appointed administrators have sold and assigned
such warrants without the knowledge or con-
sent of the heirs and without the latter knowing
even Of the issue of the warrants DE the Penslon
ted and widows deprived of their property under
cover Of the section referred to. Its repeal will
render such transactions impossible in the future.
Section 2445 of said statutes should also be re-
pealed,, because administrators, as such, should
have no control over real property; the widows
and heirs Of deceased claimants being, through
their attorneys fully competent to prosecute
their claims and to protect their own interests be-
Jore the Pension Otlce.
The COmmissOner estimates that by the 4th of
December next Il 500 applications for increased
pension, based upon the biennial examinations
made on the 4th of September last, will haye
been filed. A total estimated cost Of SIS 900 for
denominations by surgeons is involved in the
adjudication of these claims, as, under existing
laws, an increase of pension must, unless the dls-
ability be permanent and specific, commence from
the date Of the examining surgeons eortlhcate
made under the pending claim. The Commis-
alaims are unnecessary, for the reason that they
Sculd be properly adJudicated upon the reports
Of the recent biennial examinations, and that the
gum Of SIS 600 could be thus saved TO the Govern
ment. ]. therefore, recommend such an amend
nent to the law as will authorize the acceptance
Of such reports within six months after their
date in the adjudication of claims for increased
pension, so that the increase, If allowed, VIII
sommenee from the date of the biennial exam
nation in each case.
The Commissioner also suggests the proprie ETY.
Of further legislation to more fuily define what
shall be accepted as evidence OF the remarriage OF
Pensioned widows mothers and sisters. SPecitaI
Investigation by agents of the office discloses the
Act that many pensioners OF this Class are living
IN a state of cohabitation with men 10 whom, no
doubt, they would be legally married were IL not
fhat by SO doing they would forfeit under existing
laws, their right to pension. Under liberal in
1erpretatiOn of the pension laws proof OF sueh CO.
Aabitaton or Of general recognition Of the parties
as husband and wife, is accepted, in the adludica-
zion Of clams of this description, as sufficient evil
denee of marriage, where no better can DC iur-
pished, and it seems only proper that such proof
should be accepted as sufficient to establish the
bame relation in the case Of a pensioner. A due
regard for the interests Of the Government and
toT the conservation of public morals appears 10
require such modification of the law as Will au-
pendent mother or sister upon the discovery OF
proof of such cOhabitatiOn, and therefore recon-
mend suitable IL gislatiOn to that end.
In the adjudication Of claims OF WIDOWS OF
SOlOred soldiers he provisions Of section 47O5 OF
the Revised Statutes are found to discriminate
Hniustly between white and eolored claimants
N those States wherein, prior TO the late require
Kents OF the general pension law, in regard 10
evidence Of marriage OF white claimants SI th.s
class are much more rigid than those OF the sec;
tion referred to. and, believing that white and
eolored claimants residing in the States referred
10 should be placed upon the same footing before
the law with regard to proof of marriage, the
Commissioner recommends such an amendment
10 said section as will cOntine its provisions TO
those widows of cOlOred soldiers who, at the time
Of their alleged marriage residedfn the late slave
States.
The efforts of the medical division to secure just
and equitable rates Of pension have been unre-
laxed With each succeeding year 1t becomes
more and moro apparent that the amount OF an
zual expenditures for pensions depends m ,
pensioners. In the adjudication Of claims Tor IN
valid pension. and for increase Of the same, the
medical questions involved are OF the iIrst import
auce and. as their determination depends materi-
aIly upon the reports Of examining surgeons, as
revised by the medical division i Is obvious that
men of the highest professional standing and OF
Nndoubted integrity should always be selected to
hlI such positions Numerous changes have been
made during the year in the roster OF examining
surgeons numbering 49l on the 3Oth Of June last;
futthe Commissioner states that, notwithstanding
his efforts to secure the best medical talent, II is
impossible. under the present system, 70 secure
such medical examinations and reports as are ne
eessary to intelligent adjudication OF claims oil
inyalids OF those for increased pension. The FOL
lowing facts. hereinbefOre referred to, have an
important bearingin this connection:
During the last fiscal year the invaltd-pensiOn
rSlI was augmented by S,lO6 names. whereas all
number Notwithstanding the fact that the
losses to the entire roll during said year exceeded
the additions thereto by l,i2u names, the annual
PIpenditure, as before stated, was increased by
1he sum of S44, 1916. which is mainly due TO the
aDpreciatiOn in the average annual amount paid
10 each invalid Pensioner. The increase IN such
average during the three years Immediately pre-
peding June 80, 1915 amounted to Sl3o5 per an
NUN to each invalid pensiOncT, involving an ae- 1
erection, during those three years, Of nearly one
and half million dollars to the total annual rate
Of the roll. independently of any additions to its
Number 1t is apparent, therefore, that II the roll
Of invalid pensioners continues TO increase IN
eOual proportion to the number added thereto
during The last fiscal year, with proportional ad-
vance in the average yearly pension, there Will be
no immediate reduction in the annual expenditure
for pensions for. as have before stated, the gain
to said roll during the last fiscal year exceeded
the losses to the other rolls
regard q partial departure from the existing
Eystem of making medical examinations of pen
siOners. or claimants for pension. as fully war
Tanted by the facts and considerations herein pre-
Seuted and as necessary to the public service.
therefore recommend such new legislation as will
authorize the employment Of number of sur
geOns not exceeding sixty, at liberal annual
Salary. who shall be selected from the most emil
nent medical men in the United States, and as
signed TO certain defined districts, into which the
country shall be divided, subject to such changes
as the interests of the service may demand. In
making such recommendation, II II not proposed
that the present system of appointment and pay
ment Of examining surgeons should be entirely
superseded by the appointment Of district sur
yeons but that, so far as possible, all examna-
lions should be made by the latter. The number
Of examining surgeons could thus be largely re-
duccd their services being required in those cases
where for want Of time, the district surgeons may
be unable TO make examinations without sub
ieeting claimants for pension to long delay.
During the fiscal year J, $50 cases were investi-
gated by special agents of the ONCE. OF these
:Jo9 all Of which were admitted claims were found
10 be fraudulent, and 243 pending claims were
recommended for rejection. 1t is estimated that
the sum of 552.4 was saved to the Govern
nent during the year by the exertions Of the
oSolca These ipn
were made by clerks Of the Office, detailed for the
purpose under existing laws, but the entire cler-
cal force of the Pension Oflce being inadequate
to prompt disposition Of its current business, it
is obvious that no considerable detail therefrOm
can be made for special service. The number Of
claims requiring sueh Investigation is accordingly
greater than the limited force of the division can
dispose Of and thus action in many cases is sus-
pended FOR months, involving much complaint
more or less lust. on the part Of the claimants
The Commissioner, therefore, recOmmends the
entire Reorganization Of the division, upon basis
similar to the special service of the Post Ofee and
Treasury Departments, and that authority be
given by law for the appointment Of a regular
corps Of special agents at least thirty In number
who shall receive fixed annual salary, and,
a per diem allowance for subsistence and their
actual travelling expenses.
Almost the entire clerical force Of the Pension
OfRce is employed in the Seaton House building,
and all the records and files relating to claims for
pension and bounty-land are stored therein. The
unsuitableness of this building for the purpose
and its insecurity place Of deposit for valuable
records and files have been commented upon at
length in the annual reports of my immediate pre-
Seeessor. The building WAS rented four years ago
for the use of the Pension Office, under contract
which expired on the 10th of August last, and its
oecupation is continued under condition Of the
lease which allows the Government to occupy It
from wear TO year. may be required, at the same
rent viz: $4,000 per annum. UnaYailng efforts
were made 10 find more suitable building before
the expiration of said lease and il has been found
necessary 10 rent two additional buildings adlOin-
ing the SeatOn House at an annual cost Of $500.
for Of buildings used by the Office is Sl3,O
The Commissioner invites attenton,tO the neces-
sity for an addition TO the present force of his
office and TO the prOpTiety of reorganization of
such force. whereby d. CHER rates than arc now
paid would be provided for those clerks who arc
employed in the more responsible positions there
in At the close Of the last fiscal year, the num-
ber of original pension claims on file, unadJudi-
Gated. was &C. .167; an increase Of 4,4IT pending
claims during the year. The whole number of
original claims filed during said year was 1sTOl,
and of claims for increased pension Is, ,563 total
of 81 26T claims: while during that period q, lis
claims Of all classes were allowed, and 9,OIS re-
leJted: making q total number Of 3.195 claims
disposed Of or I,U1l less than the whole number
received during The year.
The foregoing figures show the necessity for
additional clerical force in the Office if fit Is de-
Eired by Congress that said force shall be suni-
eent 60 not only dispose Of the current business of
the office, but also the aecumulasions Of past
years represented by the %, ,l0T pending claims
above referred to- in addition TO which there were
T,T7s pending claims for increased pension. Many
Of these claims are doubtless TneritoTiQus and u
is only Just TO those who wIr3 disabled in the
cause Of our country hduring the late rebellion,
and TO their widows and dependentr clatiyes, that
such provision should be made as will insure