New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-03
ARUSH OF PENSION CLAIMS.

A RUSH OF PENSION CLAIMS
THE PENSION OFFICE OVERWHELMED BY THE
WORK CREATED BY THE NEW ARREARS OF PEN
sIONs ACT-A FEW FIGURES AND SUGGESTIONS
WORTHY OF REFLECTION.
WASHINGTON, April 21.-The great increase
IN the number OF original or new pension claims hled
since January % has a suspicious significance.
The temptation has always been great to attribute all
the ailments by which ex-sOlders have suffered ana OF
which they have died the to their exposure
in the field; and no safeguard to which Congress has
given its assent been sufficient to deter tle claim
agents from hunting MP and ding doubtful claims in
great numbers On the ooh of last jane an act was
passed this business much ssprotable than
had before. Up to that date the agent had been
by law entitled receive sos for each claim successfully
prosecuted and this money paid 10 him by me GOV
eminent By the act Of June 90 the fee Of the claim
agent was reduced to &c. and that was not paid by the
Government, but the agent compelled to look
90 the pensOner for it. In consequence OF this
change in the law the number OF claims filed
In u given time was less by nearly one
half than before the passage OF the act; but II was
noticed that this decrease entirely from the number
OF general disability decease eases while the applica-
tons in consequence OF gun-shot wounds. about which,
Of course there could be doubt continued In average
numbers a. Ithad previously been.
TIE following figures, showing the number OF appcs
tons filed since the arrears passed no t. aud
incluing last Saturdays transactions, are taken from
the official records:
Original invalid claims. 1922
Original widows claims. 3m9t
Original navy claims On s9a
Applications or arrears alone 02Of2
The number of original invalid applications IA still on
the increase the daily record or last week being
folows: Monday, $40; Tuesday. 1874; Wednesday,
ga Thursday, 1913; Friday, Az; saturday, 3l3
Total for the week. 1.slO. The applications for arrears
BY persons whose names already on the rolls Is de-
creasng and probable that they will soon all be H.
The number of claims filed In the corresponding period
OF last year as follows;
Original invalid claims ITO
Mi19" c,a G1,s'nS - ITO
The new invalid claims fled since the act
passed have examined, and IL cannot therefore
be stated what proportion Of them based upon gun
shot wounds The inference fair one, however, that
the majority aren consequence of disease ana disabilities
general character about the origin Of which there
always room for doubt NJdOubt ofconrse exists
with regard TO the widows claims, which have more
than doubled in number since the arrears act passed
The only Interpretation of which this fact susceD
tbs is that under the impetus given by the act
it has been concluded TO take advantage Of all the
doubts which previously surrounded many OF the cases
which now coming in.
lis always az mgraclous and an unpopular task for
an official or a CONGRESSMAN 70 resist any scheme
which has for s apparent object the pay
meut Of more liberal pensions 70 invalid SOL
der. or the widows Of those who haye died, and
as consequence Of the hberali,y which all classes feel
toward them the appropriations to be distributed
during the present year reach the OF moro
tran nny millions of dollars Whle. however, the
amounts to be given to deserving pensioners
have hcen Increasing annually, tho legislation
with regard to the administration Of the Pension Office
t..f niu Il
10 say hat no other kind Of legislation involving any
where nearly equal amounts Of public money
has been conducted without an attempt to gain
some definite knowledge Of the business to
which such legislation was to apply 1t has been
shown IN dispatches 70 THE TRIBUNE that no attempt
was made during the pendency of the arrears bill TO
get any information from the Pension ONCE as to the
prOJabis ehsct and operation or mo Dill On the con-
rAry en1re debate the measure in one branch
Of Congress Was based on supposed practice Of the
Pension Once vheh never had existence Again, let
ter road from the Commissioned OF Pensions pur-
porting be estimate OF the 'unt to be required
under the act, when letler was wrltten years
before. and had reference 10 an entirely different
sehems When the b passed II was iOund SO detective
tha' the werk OF gtah9hs pensions was stopped unt
10 eeuld no interpreted. and Congress was compelled 70
rrenaet portion of ID before 1t could be PUT In opera
ton, waile the TACT tndI IL only required an
appropriation OF 25 100000 Instead OF two or three
In,s much due to Information sent to Congress
after Ihs BIN Iassed and upon which the supplementary
legislation was based.
One recommendation made by the Commissioner OF
Pensions in regard to arrears was not adopted by Con
xress and Its failure TO become a part Of the law
in regard TO tho class 10 which n applies
adjusted which had been pending since the
date of discharge soon after bat bad been passed for
want sufficient. evidence. Tho applicants had, how
ever bsen within roach OF the Pension Office, and
their physical condition had been known and
placed upon record from time to time. In this way
ther whom finally passed upon were adj
iusted with regard to their degree OF disability
from time TO time. An average Of the sums
paid to these made, showing that
Il WAS considerably less than One-halt the amount
allowed according to rank for full disability during tho
same period. The commissioner, taking this basis
recommend d that tie act be 80 amended "a
20 prohibit tho payment OF more than 0De-half the
amount allowed according 10 rank Tor fun disability
unless the disability "a matter or Official record
This plan would doubtless work hardship TO some
deserving claimants; but the number who have been
who never Jet applied for pension must be very small
indeed
Congress did not adopt the suggestion, and the
duty devOves upon the Pension ONCE OF ascertain
ing what been the exact physical
dition OF the thousands OF new applicants
persons whom the officials never before heard
Of during all the years which have elapsed since
approximate the truth must be a task OF much diff
Guilty and requiring considerable time IL IA hard 10
now the duty going 70 be performed without risk
ing the payment Of IN or those due 10
the applicant, and Congress could not do a better
thing now that legislation Is u be considered. than To
perfect and put into immediate operation system for
adjustment OF pension claims, which Will protect the
government and at the same time promptly dispose OF
pending claims.
PLAIN PREACHING.-A clergyman In Wiltshire