New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-01

blame upon the committees stenographer and as he
had no defenders upon the floor of the Senate il
REORGANIZING THE PENSION SYSTEM.
| REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS
| AN ABLE REVIEW OF THE PENSION SYSTEM
| UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COM
| MlTTEE-A NEW SYSTEM FOR PROVING CLAIMS
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNR.l
| WASHINGTON, March 31.-Senator Withers. chair
man of the Committee on Pensions, has finished his
report to accompany the bill for the reorganization
of tho pension system, and presented it
| in tie Senate to-day. No stronger or more con-
| vincing document ever emanated from that COM
mittee. The report has the unanimous assent of the
members OF the committee, and the bill which it ac-
| companies will have their enthusiastic support.
The following are the most important portions of
the report
THE SYSTEM OF PROVING PENSION CLAIMS
Under the system now III force the evidence upon
which the Commissioner of Pensions pension and
bounty land claims consists of records in the War and
Navy Departments, relating TO the military and naval
service OF the soldier sailor and to medical treat
ment while In such service civil records IL any, which
pertinent, partc afdavts privately prepared BY
the claimant his attorney anG the certificates OF sur
geons designated by the Government the most part
in the claimants immediate neighborhood and who arc
paid the fee OF one dollar only for each examination In
dence Is all that be expected desired. but pa
role evidence prepared and submitted in the manner
above stated, especially II 1t is offered establish the
e to pension. L. TO say the leas very unsatIsfac
tory while the medical and the surgical opinion of the
examining surgeons Is greatly weakened BY reason OF
their know social and businsss relations Ia the
aons has discussed this subject in his annual reports
tansd by the SECRETARY Of the Interior Accompsnyng
his criticisms OF the present System. the Commissioner
has pointed out what he regards as an efficient remedy
for Its principal defects to wit: Public proceedings
prosecution
the officers of the Government 10 ana question The
claimants by surgeons who are removed as far AS as
may he, from the influences which, under the present
system. prejudice their Judgments for against the
claimants
VAST SUNS PAID FOR PENSIONS
Exclusive Of the 100000 appropriated by the net
of March g. 1873, for the payment the arrears Of
pensions In the which were already borne upon
the rolls nearly the whole Of which has already been
extended, 1t will require to pay the pensions for the
current year S35816000 and IT Ia opinion OF the
Commissioner that for the year ending June 3O 1851
lt will require for the payment Of tho pensions
$40 600 900, aud the for the payment OF pen
sions will continue 10 for several years there
after. The first payments upon newly allowed pensions
during the current year will alone aggregate 100000
&1O0O0000 ard the first payments will OF uoccssity
continue 10 increase unt he great body Of the claims
With the facts presented In thase tables before the
Senate ard considered in connection with the fact that
css than t%s Committed ne nead
not attempt to emphasize tic importance OF the subject
IL IL, |
thousands Of pension claims shall continue to be ad-
Sader ese or G e S 1 eSenc % DC
support Of claims upon the fund which has, for CEN
Of IN Wc The
rnment is Interested as well as IN the settlement Of
IL the opinion Of the Committee that proper regard
the rights OF the people at large as well for the in
eress Of all persons who under tic provisions OF the
Pension laws are eetitled to pensions requires recoI
pan such basis as will furnish reasonable security
o the Goverment against fraud and deception, and
ccunulated, as well as those which viii hereafter be
HOW PENSION FRAUDS CAN BIZ REDUCED ,,
The original bill had four principal objects in view
irst to secure public proceedings In the preparation
nd prosecution OF pension claims: second to submit
he claimants evidence to reasonable scrutiny by .
Ulcers of the Government; third. to obt"n for pen i
oEers and pension claimants. when necessary. in.
.gcnt, careful aud exhaustive medical examination q q
nd fourth, an early settlement OF the mertorous +
aims committee believe that If the parole cvl.
ance offered by claimants In support OF =
lcir claims can be taken in simple s.
i'd convenient form Of public proceedings, 81
the vicinity where the claimants and witnesses re. G.
de- and in the presence OF authorized officers OF the u
oyernmcnt who may question them IN relation to their
ID the medical sxannations be made under similar
'nditions, the frauds upon the Government through
eritorious claims greatly hastencd and the same
me the claimants be relieved from many Of the obsa-
which they encounter and the expenses or OBJ ~ ~
in,ng their evidence considerably lesseed and that "
ch proceedings will render unnecessary tne longer
ntnunnce OF the present method OF investigating ss nj
ctcd frauds. :,
MANY obi sctons have presented TO the commit I'D
aud Individual members thereof by rcmODstrance 81
ID private letters. and in written argument, hy gentle
EN- engaged In prosecuting pension claims. Without
Dsnmnr time in the discussion OF these objections Sa
sufficient hero TO state that the committee has pre-
red the substitute for the original bill with the view b
eliminating the features which most sireousy Dir
iecied to- and believe that IN the Substitute M
presented which Will accomplish the objects sought ~
the original bill. without subjectin0 the claimants 10
c inconvenience and expenses which. II alleged,
~ would DO subjected " under the bill as originally
rOdlccd
Bnt one further need be offered by tho com.
ttee In submitting the substitute bill TO the Senate.
t OF settling the claims between the system sh
q the Que proposed.
THE COMPARATIVE COST OF SETTLING CLAIMS. !
rhe committee is. informed by the Commissioner m,
Pcnsions that. under the system nov In force, ON
average number OF witnesses upon oil points VI
an invalid claim does not exceed SIX and |
claims OF widows. minors and dependent rea- Fl
es does not exceed eight Upon this basis the ex- %
use to pension examiners aud surgeons an invalid he
im would De for the declaration, so cents six wit
sses, IS; one medical examiner, $2 90; total, SO;
for che contingency OF additional medical exam mo mo
lions at the rate Of about in every three raj
es, making q total average expense for pen an'
n examiners and surgeons In each invalid ,
im s9 80; and e: G si claim of n the widows en-.
total, 81 80 In addition 20 this 1t may be safely tell
that the cost OF settling the claims when the M
dence shall have beeU forwarded to the Office will 90
exceed the average cost OF settling the claims which
Aetted during the year 1868, which was 10 o. per
would give total average Gust for settling invalid