The National tribune., 1882-12-14

the original certificate for the purpose of pro-
curing a duplicate, which being done, he
evades the broker, often hypOtheCates with an
other broker the duplicate, and repeats the
same transaction at the next quarterly payment.
1t Is believed that the amendment suggested
will speedily cure the evils spoken of and bring
about better condition of things.
The Commissioner urges the necessity of
taking additional measures to establish the
identity of the pensOner, and gives it as his
opinion that the bill now pending before Con-
gresS-conferring upon the Commissioner the
power in certain cases to require the payment
by the pension agent to the pensioner in cash,
where the interests of the Government and the
pensiOner seem to require twill relieve his
office from the necessity of seeing pensioners at
remote places swindled by persons selling their
endorsement, and enable it to do justice in
many cases where now it cannot be done.
AN UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.
Referring to the act of June 16, 1880, the
Commissioner recommends that such legisla-
ton be had as will admit those who are utterly
helpless to the benefits of the provisions of this
act, to date from the time when they became
utterly helpless; and its benefits should also
extend to those who were entitled, by reason
OF their helplessness, to the rate of $50, at a
date later than the passage of the act, or who,
for some other cause, were not actually upon
the rolls at that grade on that exact day, but
afterwards showed themselves to be entitled
from a date anterior thereto.
PAY OF PENSION AGENTS.
The Commissioner is of the opinion that the
present fee system should be abolished. and
each of the eighteen pension agents be allowed
an annual salary of $1,000, with a reasonable
allowance for clerical assistance, and the right
to use the penalty envelope, as in other
branches of the service. Such change" saws
the Commissioner, would result in saving TO
the Government at least, there would be no
increase in the amount annually appropriated
for the payment of their services and would
greatly simplify the business at their Offices
The size of the bond required, the tremendous
amount of money disbursed by them, and the
high character Of the men now employed, and
the further fact that it will not materially in
crease the amount required to be appropriated
annually for this service, Justify the statement
and l therefore make this recommendation"
SPECIAL EXAMINATIONS.
The Commissioner thinks the system of spe-
cial examinations, where abundant opportunity
for the cross examination of witnesses is afford
ed both the claimant and the Government has
been conducive to the establishment of a good
feeling ON both sides, and he announces his in
tenti0n, as soon as it can be conveniently done,
to divide the country into about two hundred
districts within each of which a special ex-
aminer will be placed, to whom all cases from
his district, in which there is absence of record.
or where an adverse record is found and where
the claim is sought to be established by parol
evidence only, will be referred for special ex-
animation. \ short, sensible, and careful ex-
animation of witnesses at claimants home a
contact with the claimant or pensioner him
SELF and the knowledge acquired as to the esti-
nation in which he is held by his comrades
and the community in which he resides, will
l think, put the Office in possession of the one
thing lacking in order to Justly settle claims"
The Commissioner recommends the passage
of a law making the false personation of
pension examiner a felony, and the enact
ment of the following touching the dropping
of pensioners from the rolls or the reduction
of rate of pensiOner
That sections All, 4772 and Alb of the
Revised Statutes of the United States, pro-
viding for the biennial examinations of
pensioners, are hereby repealed: Prorided.
That the Commissioner of Pensions shall
have the same power as heretofore to order
special examinations whenever, in his judg-
ment the same may be necessary, and to in
crease or reduce the pension according to right
and Justice; but in no case shall a pension be /
withdrawn or reduced except upon notice of /
not less than sixty days to the pcnSiOner, and a
hearing upon sworn testimony, except when
the reduction or dropping of an invalid pension /
is made upon the certificate of board Of ex- /
aiming surgeons.
DESERTION.
1t is the opinion of the Commissioner that /
the question of desertiOn, SO far as it affects
the title to pension should be definitely settled
BY law. He very sensibly says:
A pension is in no sense a reward for faithful
and merltorious service, but a payment for
loss OF physical ability to earn a livelihood |
Therefore, deSertion subsequent TO the incur
renee OF a disability and refusal of the War
Department to change the record should not /
AIRY with 1t a forfeiture of right to pension.
The law should provide that pension, in any
'ase in which Il charge of desertion stands un-
'emOved, shall commence on the date from
which the contract for service in which disabled
egally terminated, to be ascertained from the
late to which last paid for service; provided
lOwever, that the date Of discharge from a
service entered into before the legal
ermlnatlOn of the service in which disabled
hall be the date TO commence the pension.
CLERICAL FORCE.
Abiding to the increase of the force of the
tlice to 1,559 clerks, involving an annual ex-
enditure Of Sl,957, 100 for their payment the
Commissioner characterizes the new appointees
5 for the most part able and worthy men,
hose who have been soldiers predominating,"
ut expresses his regret that the office could
Ot have had the benefit of the generous
and the force thereby authorized
)r the whole fiscal year, instead of only about
wo-thirds thereof, for the sake of the results
xpected from it. As it is, he says:
Although all the appointments have been
lade yet there are many who have refrained
rom reporting, and ii was not until October 1st
hat we were able to largely increase the vari-
us adjudicating divisions, and not until No
embcr lst that the bulk of the force was
worn in and put at work. This however NAV y
e remedied To some extent, il Congress will
uthOrlZe the employment of the lapScd fund 7
reated by our inability to use the entire pro- :
ortion OF the whole appropriation for July. y
uguSt September, and October The paw ,
)il for those months will have consumed
lJ4, ,00O.l9, while the four months proportion
the whole years appropriation is 500, 1888. !
avlng an uneXpcnded balance, i'll the first
narter, Of S1Y1, SSH. l would recommend 7
iat you request Congress to place this fund at s