New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-28
RELIEF OF THE PENSION OFFICE.

TWO IMPORTANT BILLS INTRODUCED Bf khFh"-
SENTATIVE CoFFRoTH-PRoOF OF CLAIMs-A
COURT OF PENSIONS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON. Feb 27-Two bills of much inter-
est TO pensioners and pension claimants are now
pendnc in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Coflrotb, of Pennsylvania. chairman OF the
Committee on Invalid Pensions, is the author OF
both of these measures, and he told TRIBUNE COR
respondent recently that he hopes to secure favor
able reports from the committees to which the bills
have been referred
The first bill provides that the names of all sur
viyors of the military and naval service of the
limited States during the recent war who were dls-
abled in the service and the widows or other de-
pendent relatives OF those who died in the service
shall be placed on the pension rolls and shall re-
eeye pensions only from the date of the passage or
the law The rate of pension shall be IS month
for death or total disability, and Sc month for
partial disability.
The bill also provides that on making proof the
affidavit of the applicant himself shall be received
but it must be corroborated by the afdavits of two
disinterested witnesses. Persons whose claims are
now pending before the Commissioner of Pensions
NAV withdraw them and take advantage of this
act.
The other bill provides for the establishment of
Court of Pensions. This Court is to consist of a
Chief and four Associate Justices. The Court is to
have Jurisdiction Of all pension cases decided adj
yerse,y by the Commissioner Of Pensions. The de-
cision of the Court is to be final.
In order to Judge what the effect OF these laws
xvould he il is necessary that certain facts should
be taken into consideration. The Pension Office
has been almost showed under during the last three
or four years by claims that have poured IN fve or
six times as fast as they could be disposed Of There
are now on file in that Office nearly 245.OOO cases
which have not been acted upon, and new claims
are pling up at the rate of seven or eight thousand
amonth. Since the 1st of last July nearly 6O,oOO
new CLAIMS have been filed.
The number of cases which can be disposed of by
the Pension Office, under the present organization,
and with the clerical force now allowed, is about
II 900 or - 600 year. At this rate it would take
more than twenty years to clear the docket, even II
no more claims filed
But this is not all. Nearly one-haf of the bills
brought into the House of Representatives are bills
for the relief pensioners TO authorize the pac-
ing of additional names upon the pension rolls
These measures are all for the relief OF individuals
whose claims have been decided adversely by the
Pension Office. They are simply so many appeals TO
Congress from the decision of the Commissioner OIL
Pensions Many of the claimants are undoubtedly
entitled to relief but account of insufficient proof
OF because their cases do not come within the re-
ouirements of the general law, their claims have
been rejected.
The number Of these individual pension bills in
troduced by members of the House since the begin
ming of the XLYth Congress exceeds 1000. VI
this number about 100 have been favoJably coIsld-
cred by the Committee on Pensions, and reported
back for passage Early in the session about ahalf
dozen were passed. and they are now pending Il
the Senate In the last Congress the House passed
about 500 similar bills out of 1000 or 5000
which were brought IN. .
n is not surprising that nnder the circumstances
above described the applicants for pensions have
become dissatisfied and inportunate.
Mr. COfiroth thinks that If his general pension
hill becomes a law, at least One-hat OF the claim
ants whose eases are now pending will withdraw
their application and take advantage OF the law.
If these claims WeTe to be adludlcated unGer the
present law which gives the pension from me datS
of disability or death, each claimant WOuld, Mt
(Oftroth saws receive on the average about pl,oOt
of arrearages. Under the proposed law they Woult
receive nothing. Mr. COtfrOth declares that about
100 OOO applicants would thus rehnqulsh then
claims 10 about 81 900 each, and, OF course save t'
the Treasury the pretty sum Ot SlZZ,OOUOOO.
The effect OF establishing Court of Pensl0n'
will b. Mr. Coffoth believes, to clear the d0cke
of the Pension Office. as well as that OF Congress
OF all Csputed claims in three or four years. It'
advocates the measure the score both OF econ
on.y aud OF Justice to the soldiers.