The Red Cloud chief., 1878-11-21
The New Pension Law.


was passed nj the last session Of Con.
gress, which. u not repealed. may prove
very Injurious Ia the interests ~ many
thousands of soldiers aud their heirs.
This country respects and honors its
soldiers. No nation on the globe ever
| did so we'll by it, defenders a- ours has
done. II IL Ia be regretted. then, all
the more. that any steps should bc taken
tending la deprive this class 81 our citi.
zcns OF any 81 their rights under the
laws. True the law In question l.
aimed at claim agents and Is profcssodly
In the interest ~ claiments for pension
but u it, effect II Ia discourage honest
claim agents from pursuing their legiti-
mate calling. so far u must ~unfayorably
effect those who have claims Ia bo
prosecuted.
Before the close Of the war and whilst
officers and other witnesses were acc.s.
siblc n fco of ten dollars WAS sufficient
compensation Ia nm attorney for the
preparation II the papers Ia enable a
claimant for pension Ia receive his dues.
After the armies had been discharged
and witnesses dispersed to their re-.
spcctivc homes. u seems reasonable
that more fec should be- paid. for the
very apparent rcason that additional
work was necessary. Congress. We un-
dcrstnnd. did recognize the business
and fairness 81 the demand for u larger
compensation Ia attorneys. aud did. hy
"a law enacted July. A. ID. 1870. author
izc the pay Of n Zoe Of twenty-five
dollars. There were some checks tn
the practical operation III this law favor.
| nht.. o.. ,..,at.. al.,..u. III. g..
must bo agreed upon In writing and be-
payable only In the event Of ucccss.
This agreement was rendered inopcra-
tive II the Commissioner III Pensions OBJ
iectodto T. In any given ease, u very
wise provision, aud u which enabled
the officers At the Government Ia adjust
the attorney compensation upon n fair
and reasonable scale. thus preventing
cNtortion In very many eases ten dol
lars WAS u sufficient fee, In other
cases fifteen dollars. or twenty dollars.
or twenty live dollars WAS though, Ia be
proper aud wa allowed. Under this
law claims have been prosecuted with
satisfaction Ia all parties Although
10y the lapse at time the difficulties In
pi recurring the testimony have increased.
yet there has been little or uo complaint
that attorneys were demanding a larger
toc. Certainly mn complaint with refer.
enco ta the comparatively Few claim
firms into whose hands the principal
business had conferred and who were
able la perform the increased labor
without a corresponding increase III
compensation by reason vi the we'll
known fact that n large business can bc
done more chcaply tran u small bust
ness. But now comes the act of June
10, 1873, not only reducing the Zee oi
attorneys In all classes ~ eases a. ton
dollars, hut repeating the provision oi
tho former law which gave the Zee only
In the event ~ success aud provided
that II be deducted nj the pay offices
that have been doing the business So
satisfactorily. are hesitating about filing
claims At all. Many Of them ARE do.
manding the fee ia advance. rs I ,ey
clearly have u legal right Ia 10. Thi.
works n hardship to claimants. rs many
of them arr poor and unable Ia rails,
the money, On the other hand the ~
duction 81 the leo below n fair and Just
allowance in certain classes of ease.
/. practically prevents the prosecution nj
such CLAIMS. No attorney IA be CON
+. PEELED To do u piece of work for lest
than II Is fairly worth. lie Is privilege,
Ia and will decline all cases in which
+. the labor involved Is worth more thar
, the legal allowance. This works |,
A positive hardship Ia all whose claim
a arr thus refused So far rs such per
! sons arr concerned the pension law
might rs we'll bc repealed. II Is yer,
poor satisfaction to the dependcn, fathcl
or mother to be told that they are On
titled to a pension. on 81 Oh,
service and death II their boy, whilst
law Is In force preventing them from 81
curing the skilled labor necessary 10 tn
A procurement III their just dues, W,
/, csnno, believe this objectionable las
viii long remain upon the statute book
q Il must b. stricken uf and replaced b.
o u law that will do exact Justice to ali
a VIVA, We have said Is IN the in,crcs, q
M party. II Is @ a party question
IL Is a question u public faith the jus
and fair administration of the pensioi
a laws. -- Cleveland Io,oe aRd Past
m a. a.. 1890 "A $500