National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-14
COLONEL DUDLEY,s VIEWS
Expressed Before the House Invalid
Pensions Committee.

The House Committee on Invalid Pensions met
yesterday and authorized q favorable report to be
made to the House on the resolution introduced
by Mr. Browne, orIndiana, calling on the Secretary
of the Interior for an estimate of what appropria-
ton will be necessary, annually, under certain
conditions heretofore published, to pay pensions
during the next FIVE years.
Commissioner Dudley addressed the committee
on the subject of Indian pensions. He thought
tho payment of pensions to Indians should be
made in silver dollars These pensions are paid
to the Cherokees Creeks, and Seminoles at the
Knoxville, Tenn, agency. The custom hereto.
fore has been to make the payment by
means OF checks, which have been
very heavily discounted. 1t was suggested that
the agent at Topeka Kan. be directed to pay these
pensions instead of the agent at Knoxville Tenn.
Topeka being q much more convenient point
Colonel Dudley was authorized by the committee
to prepare bill embodying his suggestions.
The Commissioner also spoke of the present sys.
TEN of Payment to inmates of soldiers homes. lie
referred to the abuse of the rules which permit in
mates leaving the homes, after contracting large
debts, return and demand from the government
the payment of their pensions, The members of
the committee discussed this subject briefly, and
were all of opinion that the defect in the law
should be remedied without delay.
Colonel Dudley then called attention TO the mat
ter of insane and invalid pensionsers and recon-
mended the enactment Ofa provision which would
admit of the payment of such pensions to widows
or orphans. On this subject the committee will
recommend legislation providing that when the
children have resided with and been sup.
ported by the widow of the soldier the pension to
the children shall commence from the date of the
last payment to the widow. 1t was resolved that
legal marriage must be proved in order to esab-
fish widows right TO pension, and that adult
erous cohabiion shall terminate pension from
the date of commencement and continuance
thereof. The question MS to what shall constitute
marriage being raised, it was decided that proof of
cohabiaton as man and wife shall be sufficient to
secure payment OF an estoppcd pension.
Colonel Dudley Informed the committee that he
had issued instructions for the establishment of
medical boards at places about forty miles apart
throughout the country, where pensioners will he
| required to appear and exhibit their claims and
undergo examination.
On the subject of reducing the examination fee
from s. TO 81 Colonel Dudley said that, in his
opinion, 1t was not advisable, MS the fee was al.
| ready too small to make it an iuducement to any
reputable physician to be u member of all exam.
lining board.
lie recommended that pension agents be fur
nished official envelopes, which will permit them
to conduct their official correspondence free Of
postage,
Before Ndjourning the committee determined L
ask the House to discharge the Committee on Ac-
counts from further consideration OF the subjeC
| OF additional clcTkships to this committee.