The National tribune., 1885-12-03


| fully indorse:
| As to the matter of compensation of Examining
| Surgeons, / can only express the opinion that the
importance and accuracy of the work required de-
mands the very best professional knowledge and
skill the country can supply, and should be com
pensated at such rate as will attract and retain
the best OF the profession: The amount oil time
respectable practice, and many would be unwilling
to accept the Office upon that ground. This work
rs all other pertaining to the adjudication OF PEN
sons has become progressively more intricate, and
it is of the utmost Importance that the standard OF
| Board examinations should be correspondngly ad-
| vanced, and this only be secured by employ
ment of the very best professional talent and skill
SPECIAL EXAMINATION DIVISION.
Prior to the date of this report. but since
| June 80, the Special Examination Division has
been reorganized. The former system divided
| the territory Of operations into Il supervising
districts, each in charge of Special Examiner
detailed for that purpose and exercising control
over all the Examiners within certain territorial
limits; each Supervision had his "headquar-
ters," where he often required the assistance of
other members of the force, and all reports
from his portion of the field force passed
through his office. In this way 81 different
headquarters" were kept up, with large
| expense of rent, etc.
The only communication with the field force
was by this extended method of circumlocution,
which entailed delay, expense, and waste OF
| force. These supervising offices have been
abolished. In their stead, the territory has
been divided into five districts known as the
| Hudson, Potomac, Ohio, Illinois, and Western.
! All the local offices have been abandoned and
their effects ordered sold, rents and expenses
stopped, Is Supervisors presumably the most
active and efficient of the force) and their aids
returned to field work. Five Supervisors have
been assigned each to the charge of one of the
new districts, with their Offices in the Pension
Building, and in direct communication with
;or Sc t1,n xtc:nr hor
mony of counsel and action.
FRAUDULENT AND ILLEGAL CLAIMS.
At the time of this writing extended inquir-
les are being prosecuted with view to purging
the pension rolls of the various agencies of the
names of those fraudulenty and illegally borne
| thereon, and great success is attending the
work. At the same time greatest care is exer-
Gised not to disturb the rights of any worthy
pensioner. These matters however, relate to
the current year, and are not properly embraced
in the report in detail.
| ARMY AND NAVY SURVIVORS DIVISION
I also call attention to the working of the
Army and Navy Survivors Division, and cite
two letters showing its efficiency in protecting
| the Government as well as in advancing the
interests of worthy CLAIMANTS:
TREASURY DEPT, SECOND AUDITORS OFFICE.
| WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Oct. Is, 1885.
SIR: In compliance with your verbal request of
this date for information in regard to the benefit
derived by this office from information received
| through the Army and Navy Survivors Division OF
your office would state that in a large number of
in this Office, involving erroneous payments
and overpayments to officers of the army and
others, great difficulty has been experienced in
ascertaining the residence or whereabouts OF such
persons, but since the organization of said division
in your office have, i'll nearly all the cases IN
which inquiries have been made been enabled to
obtain definite information, so as to dispose of the
satisfactorily, and frequently to recover quite
large sums of money.
do not know of any other source from which an
equal amount of information could be obtained.
The manifest advantage of such Government rec
ords, If kept up, readily be seen, especially
| when consider the great lapse of time which
often arises since the officers left the service, be-
fore the Indebtedness discovered.
Very respectfully, WIN. A DAY, auditor.
Hon. j. e. BLACK,
Commissioner Of Pensions.
| WAR DEPT, ADJUTANT- GENERALS OFFICE
| WASHINGTON. ID. c., Oct % 1885.
statement as to whether the information received
| from the . Army and Navy survivors Division of
your office has been satisfactory and of any material
benefit TO this office, have to that 1T has often
! been found necessary to ascertain the present
| whereabouts of officers and enlisted men of the
is xoiunteer army IN order either 10 POI az
fcers enlisted men, who were not present at the
time of the occurrence to which they testify. in
applications for amendment of record, removal OF
charge of desertion, etc. and the information re-
ceived from the division named has been found TO
be satisfactory and of material benefit the claim
| ants interests as well rs to the Government.
LAM very respectfully your 26edent ] Sc, servant. ant
| r. {. DRUM, AdJ't Gen.
THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS
| Washington, d. c.
BOARD on RE-REyIEw.
The Board of Re-reyiew is a new feature in
the organization of the Office as at present con-
stituted. 1t is composed of Ia from among the
foremost men in the bureau. They are chosen
as aids to the Commissioner in the great labor
of examining claims They have been of in
10 IaI, rod hxyl lNr,o aofi n
personally advised, By daily intercourse of the
wishes and views OF the Commissioner, they
multiply and extend his personal direction in
definitely, and give harmony and consistency
to the practice Of the office.
THE PAY OF CHIEFS
| have asked in the estimates submitted that
the number of Chiefs of Division be increased
so that the men who are at the heads of these
important branches o, the pension service may
be commensurately rewarded, and have rec
commended that the Chiefs may have slight
addition made to their salaries. For, as they
have increased responsibilities and powers,
they should also receive fit rewards therefor.
1t does not seem good business" that the
men who are so charged with large supervisory
duties should not be paid larger sums than
those who are beneath them in official life.
There should be all incentives to the best dis
charge of the duties of Chiefs.
TEE OFFICE.
Many complaints have been made because of
alleged delays, etc. For answer to these gen.
eral charges the Commissioner can only point
to the actual results far attained, at the same
time acknowledging that just cause has existed.
and still does exist for some OF this complaint.
In large establishment like the Pension Bu-
reau, which has at ore time and another been
used as dumping groHnd" for other offices,
much weak and some very bad material has
accumulated; yet many very good, brilliant,
faithful men and women are here whose serv-
ices are full of honor and fidelity. They re-
deem the office aud make it as whole second
to none in capacity and give promise of what
it will be whom placed on purely business
basis.
BALEFUL EFFECTS OF INFLUENCE"
Many of the former employees had heretofore
held office on the implied trust that they would
serve the person through whose influence"
they were appointed, and widespread practice
had grown up by which they really acted as
the agents and attorneys of those securing their
appointments; and the eradication of this
wrong, whereby for personal ends advantages
were given to a few at the cost of the many, has
compelled the adoption Of stringent rules and
severe disciplinary measures.
1t is now an oGenst, prohibited by orders as
we'll as repugnant to all fairness, for any en-
ployee to act as the agent or attorney of any
outside party. Yet, within recent period, one
clerk has confessed 10 the Commissioner that
he acted as agent for one man in aiding to pre-