The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-09-27
ourLotter from washington.

WASHINGTON, j. o.. September 20 !
The following is one of the many novel cases I
which has arisen since the passage Of the Ar $
rears Pension act: A soldier whose pension !
claim was not filed until more than five years {
had elapsed from the date of his discharge,
died while the case WAS still pending and
while proof to establish It was still incomplete.
After the arrears act was passed this soldiers
widow completed the proof which would
have established her husbands claim, If pre-
sented before his death. and sought under the
provisions of the Arrears bill, to secure the
full arrears of pensions. Under the law, as it
stood at the time of his death, no pension had
occurred, and none were due. The widow
was, therefore, entitled at best only to wild.
ows pension, dating from the passage OF the
claim. Two or three cases Of this kind were
decided adversely by the Commissioner of
Pensions, bnt on further consideration, al
though strict legal construction of the Ar
rears act seemed to sustain him, he thought
that the spirit of the act might warrant n
more liberal Interpretation, and referred the |
matter to the Secretary Of the Interior, by
whom It was decided in favor of the claimant.
This decision will perhaps involve an expen-
diture of from 100000 to $500, 000 Later.
case similar in some respects, but much more
important, involving, as 1t probably does,
several millions Of expenditure, is now pend
ing before the Secretary of the Interior upon
an appeal from decision ofthe Commission
ers of Pensions. The widow of a soldier who
died before the passage of the Arrears act,
and who had never asked for q pension, ap-
piled for and secured widows pension. She
/ 4 n =
sion from the date of his discharge until his
death. This case is n type of thousands which
have been or will be presented, and, lift is de.
cided favorably to the claimant an additional
appropriation for pension arrears Will become
necessary.
For some time past it has been generally
charged that the provisions of sections of the
Revised Statutes relative te the transporta.
ton of steeragc passengers on European
steamship lines to this country have been
grossly violated. A few days ago letter on
the subject was addressed to the Secretary of
the Treasury by prominent Germans of this
city. This letter called attention to the al
legged ill-treitment of immigrants to the I'm
tied States principally on the lircs touching
at New York, and asked for an investis cation.
~ 10 SH" SVu 'h"V ViiS i'ili lhhV9 ulO su'JoCI
to cruel treatment, and are provided with
unwholesome and insufficient food. The let
ter OF complaint has been forwarded to the
collector of the port of New York, with in.
structions to investigate into the truth of the
allegations contained therein and report upon
the same.
The letter ofSecretary Evarts to American
dplOmatists abroad regarding the immigra.
tion of Morn on recruits to this country was
on Thursday given out in full for publication
, though dat ed August g. 1t tcites the statistics
tf immigration to show the existence of the
evil. The polygamy prevalent in Utah /;
! stated to be largely based upon acccssions
from Europe drawn from class easily in
huenccd by the appeals to their passions and
poverty made by tho agents of Mormon i'm
! migration. The law against polygnmy IL
the tcrrtors which is quoted, makes the ac
f a penitentiary ofTense. The bands of recruits
", organized out of reach of the law cannot bt
= regarded herwise than as deliberate at,
tempts to bring persons here to com nit crime
" 1t is not doubted that when properly repres
Il ented to friendly powers they will not ALLOW
= = this to 20 on, and the representatives are di
u rected to urge earnest attention to the suffice
, | supported ny suCn liClS us tue cOnSulS cal
furnish of the prevalence of the practice il
% each particular country The diplomat
y are instructed to request the prevention
II as far as possible under the laws Ofthe Organi
= cation of other parties, and to protest agans
T. any particular Instances. Reports are to b
n made of the success of the movem ent and dis
position shown by the different powers on tn
's subject.
Prof. Collier, of the Agricultural Depart
10 ment, has for several days been engaged in
T. series of interesting experiments in makini
sugar out of corn and sorghum, the result {
which has demonstrated the feasibility
n making this successful and profitable intei
Is est. The experiments were based on obsel
IL vations of small quantities of corn grown o
'u the Agricultural grounds which has bee
III found at certain stage of development
nc yield nearly as much per centage of sugar a
he the sugar cane The product used in the tes
by were cornstollks ohtoinod from an Arlin,,,o