The National tribune., 1883-09-13
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety Of Interestin
Subjects

Subjects.
j. IT. H. National Military Home O-You must
be a very recent subscriber to THE TRIBUNE, else
you must have seen it repeatedly stated in these
columns that we cannot give the cause of delay in
any claim. The rules of the Pension Office forbid
the giving out of information pertaining to any
claim except to the claimant his attorney, or his
Member of Congress.
E. p, Woupaea F9s-1 A claimant for pension
cannot revoke his appointment of attorney and
appoint another one unless he can show good cause
for such action: such neglect the part of the
attorney for year or more, or some other equally
good reason. In regard TO fees. that Is a matter
between the claimant and his attorney to ne deeid
ed by them, not See reply to $ A Subscriber"
in our last issue. g Testimony once furnished In
claim, if satisfactory, need not be duplicated. and
attorney takes upa claim where the other one
left it. g. Unless you were discharged for rounds
you are not entitled to bounty. The law does not
provide bounty for soldiers who were discharged
for disease prior to two years service.
VII c., MdrgriUe Mo-A reissue of certificate is
made to correct error in former certificate, or to
allow additional disability, &c You are entitled
to Si under act of March 3, 1883. Apply by letter
to the Pension Office, inciosing your certificate.
j. Nee Whitinsriue AdSs-For ordinary rupture
of one side the rating is 81 per month for an en-
listed man. See reply to J. III. w" this column
d. s.. Cambria, Cdl-A record of desertion bars
any payment OF bounty to the soldier The fact
that he was pardoned or returned to duty without
trial does not cancel the charge of desertion and
the soldier forfeits ali bounty due The act of Con
gress referred to Is dead letter so far your case
A, refuses to amend the records where the soldier
did actually desert rabsent himself without proper
authority. You cannot recover the bounty with
held from you as such action was in accordance
with law which has never been changed
L. A. P, Grand Crossing. IH.-Write to the Second
Auditor of the Treasury, this city, for your dis
charge, mentioning the date when your claim for
bounty was filed.
claim simply calls attention TO the claim. When it
ready to be passed upon it viii be submitted 10 the
board of review for faai action. If your claim IS
complete, you may expect to hear from 1t at any
time. If it is not complete when called up, you
your attorney viii be duly notified rs TO what is
required.
d. q. G., Leon, Ioica.-There are about 9, 900 pen
soners on the rolls by special acts OF Congress.
Why they not allowed back pension Is because
the law expressly stipulateS that such pensions
shall date only from the passage of the act. tSee
Section APO Revised Statutes.J There IS no con-
templated legislation on this subject.
Ec- -PTiSonsrof Rar-'The rules governing admis-
sion 10 the Union War Prisoners Association pro-
vide that all honorabiy discharged soldiers Of the
Union Army whose record is not tainted by deser-
ton, or other infamous crime, who were confined
in rebel prisons, even for one day, are eligible TO
membership. Prisoners paroed on the field, or
before reaching prison. would hardly be considered
eligible However, that IS question TO be decided
when application for membership Is made We
understand that the ASSOCIATION accepts the appi-
cants statement of his service. Sc, corro6oratcd
by fellow prisoner or eonTadeor any respectable
citizen.
j.. N. NetC LOfhrOr1. Mlch.-The points raised by
you, wherein you deduce that pensioner who has
lost an arm above the elbow comes within the
meaning of the law specifying total, permanent
helplesSneSS" " are somewhat novel Under u recent
decision the Acting Secretary of the Interior de-
| cided that permanent injury requiring regular
and personal attendance and aid OF another per-
| son" came within the meaning Of total. perTaa-
/ nent helplesSnesSf and this reversed former de-
cisons Thus far you correct but, IN describing
| certain kinds of farm labor that one-armed man
| cannot perform, you lose sight of the fact that
there kinds OF farm labor that he per-
! form, and while he may not be able to prepare his
food as handy as n man with two hands ana arms
| yet the dexterity with which One-armed man
''geN 4way' with his ratiOnS is surprising. If you
| had ~ messed game of base ball recently played
/ in this ity between a nine of one-armed men and
! a nine OF one-legged men, you would have arrived
! at the conclusion that they did not require the
| regular and personal attendance and aid of
| other person." We do not agree with you that a
one-aTmed person requires the Teg,slGr aid, &e, of
another person, but that he only requires temporary
assistance, and Il Il so considered BY the Depart
| meut. This answers question l. Thirty dol
lars is all the pension allowed by law for loss CT
arm above the elbow. 3. The examining surgeon,
! in examining a claimant disabled as above men
/ toned would take into consideration nothing but
the fact that the rating for such disability was liked
/ case, would do the same. twill require new legis-
lation by Congress before the rating OF . fer the
| disability mentioned can be Increased T. The De
partment will, upon request OF ci:lInent IN oful-
! ary cases. change the order of examination TO
another board, if any good reason is given.
| FE s., F4orenee, M.sS.-The special exam
IHer' referred 10 Is = clcrR OF GeilSiOu
specialfY detailed TO examine your claim and per-
| haps, others in your neighborhood. he viii visit
you IN person. also your witnesses. and question
you them III regard 10 any iactS that Go nos ap-
pear in the testimony file in your claim or that
may be considered sufficiently explicit, or TO
other facts pertinent to your claim 10 may ne that
the testimony in your claim is not up TO the re-
| uuired standard When the special examiner ap-
pears give him the information he requires of you,
also list of yoGr witnesses, and when he IS ready
to take the testimony, you have the privilege OF
being present in person or by attorney, and hear
inc the witnesses If you desire. The otec. of such
examination is to bring out AL the facts.
G. s. Sscd1stoa Osio.--Dr. Wnl- Lee. of this city,
who is authority nuniisnlatics, informs t.iai