The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-11-11
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on a Variety OF Interesting
Subjects.


Replies to Questions on a Variety OF Interesting
Subjects.
ITO Correspondents.-write questions on n sep-
arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
and mark it Correspondents Column" No atten-
ton will be paid TO communications that are not
accompanied with full name and address of writer
Our readers are requested to inclOse a stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied to by mail only. Replies by mail will ordi-
naTily be made within a week, and if in this col
umn within three weeks.l
Q. H. b., NelCtOR, hGR.-Are persons having home
steaded 80 acres and proved up same under the old
law entitled to so acres additional wherever they
can find it, without residing upon it, whether sol
der not, under the present law? ARSUer. I'm.
der the provision of section 1905, U. ). Revised
Statutes, soldier who served in the army during
the war of the rebeliO IN and " no made homestead
entry OF less than 100 acres prior to June % 1874
the date of the adoption of the Revised Statutes is
entitled to an additional entry of sufficient
TO make up that amount. No residence or cuitiva-
tion il required under such additional entry. I'm
der the act of March 3 1879 persons who under ex-
isting laws were restricted to entry of less than
l60 80 acres by reason of its being double mini
mum value, are entitled to additional entry of
so acres adjoining their original entry if such land
is found; if not they may relinquish their original
entry and make a new one of l6O acres elsewhere.
They cannot make the additional entry wherever
they may find it, but they can take a new one by
Telinquishing their former one If it has not been
forfeited.
r. A. c., Baiaion, Ninn.-why is a widow who
applies for pension after the death of her husband
her husband applied? AnsWer.-Because she can
only be peusiOned a widow for tine period she
was widow. She was not a widow until her hus-
band died, consequently she cannot be pensiOned
for any time prior to his DEATH unless he filed
claim and it was pending when he died. The law
permits her to complete his claim, but if he had
claim pending she cannot file one for that period
because he was the only person entitled to pen
sion for that period. If her own claim filed
after June so 1850 she can be pensioned only from
the date of fling her claim.
s. O. w., Windsor Tt.-If a man who is drawing
pension is sentenced to prison for life his wife
being dead, can the guardian of his minor children
draw his pension without his consent? 2. How
long can they draw il? g. If said man is pardoned
! will il revert to him at once? 4 should Congress
pass bill To eQualize bounty could said guardian
hold the bounty due said prisoner? AllslUer. l. No
2. No person other than the pensiOner draw his
pension except in case of insanity. 3. We presume
so; II he Is entitled to pension he cannot be deprv-
| ed OF it. 4. We will tell you in such bill
should pass. We cannot tell you in advance of the
passage of bill what il is going to provide for nor
who would be entitled TO its benefits.
r. n. H. ~, Care Pump Mol What amount of
| pension should a soldier draw when he can perform
but One-fOurth manual labor? g If asoldier enlisted
in 1862 for three years or during the war; and was
mustered out in 1865, receiving 500 bounty is he
| entitled to another 500? 3. How long does il re-
quire for the allowance of a claim for Communication
Of rations? ARsUer l. SO per month if he is rated
| at that figure. 2. We cannot answer questions re-
garding bounty unless we know all the facts. Send
US the soldiers discharge and we will look up the
/ case. 8. About two years.
/ w. s. 0C., Net0 YORK City-In what branch of the
| military service can an enlisted man learn the
most with view to promotion, and what is re-
/ quired of him? AnSWer. Your question is some
what ambiguous. In every branch of the service
| there are provided opportunities for promotion.
The only requisites for admission into the army
that the person shall be unmarried. of sound bodily
health, proper age, and Of good moral character.
| We should think you would see more active mill
tary life In the cavalry than in any other arm of the
| service.
| L. M, Benton H1rbor Hieh-Your pension was
| allowed from the time when your application was
4 filed IN the Pension Office THE law in reuard IN
pension claims filed after June So $780, is that they
| can only draw from the date when a regularly
executed application Is filed in the Pension Office.
| The date when your pension commenced is the
date when your application was fled and you are
not entitled to pension prior to that date.
/ ID. J. b., National Home. Mel. Under the pro-
visions of the bill approved June 8. 1884 how much
is the full pay of First Lieutenant of infantry per
month? 2 How much the full pay of First Lien
i tenant and Adjutant per month? 3. What is the
/ forage Of horse committed at per day? AASter.
| !. The amount varied from time to time from
SlO55O to sll7.5O. 2 As above, with $40 additional
\ per month for duties of Adiutant g. Forage was
not committed; it was issued ia kind.
| w. ID. f., Sharon, VISA pensioner has a per-
| sonal enemy who is anxious to do him an injury,
and he writes to the Pension Office intending to
throw some obstacle in the way to prevent the al
lowanee of his claim. What action would that Office
/ take in such a case, and would the testimony of
one OF two men eounteract the effect of this malic-
/ Gus interference and the report of the Examining
Board? Ans,csr. We cannot answer such hypo-
WB1 w. g. Spring Brook " "a soldier enlisted
/ in 1861 and served three years He received 500
/ bounty when discharged and 500 about two years
/ later. Is he entitled to more bounty? Insurer.
The soldier has received all the bounty to which he
| is entitled under existing laws.
j. w. H., Harrington Neb.-NO. The mother is
not entitled to pension, because the soldier died
/ leaving minor children. Only dependent parents
\ of soldiers leaving no widow children are en-
/ titled to pension such children under Is
years of age ut the date of the fathers death would
/ be entitled to pension, provided he died of dis
ability contracted in service and in line of duty
1 GtsTr h9srC Chr n H..
whose certificate reads :" disability equivalent To
loss of hand foot" entitled to $50 per month ?
2 What is the meaning of total disability? Ans1oer.
1. To entitle him to $50 per month. he would have
to prove that he was totally unable to perform any
manual labor whatever, totally disabled in a
hand or foot Whether he is entitled To such rating
not depends upon the degree of disability which
we have no means of knowing. Total disability
means what its name implies. Total disability in
the case of enlisted men is rated at 50 per month
but there are several degrees above total namely.
that of third grade. which Is equivalent to loss of
hand foot, and entities the pensioner S2i see
ond grade, which provides $50 per month to those
incapaCitated to perform any manual labor wi hat
ever and first grade which gives $50 for total he D.
lessness. Besides, pensioner can be rated at any
sum under Ga Tor a degree of disability exceeding
| total
L. P. L., Lafayette, Iad-Congress passed an act
| providing for the amendment of the records of
commissioned officers that they might be entitled
to receive in certain cases. rank and pay from date
/ of commission To date of actual muster The Sec
ond Controller reports his inability to pay these
II
/ for this purpose. In what manner is such appro-
/ priation to be made, and when? AnS1Csr We
/ have answered this question many times before
/ The Second Controller does not pay anu claims
/ Claims under the act mentioned have been allowed
/ and paid, and being taken up aud allowed
every day, but there Is standing approximation
to pay such claims any other claims the Seere-
| tary of the Treasury. during each session of Con-
gress transmits to that body list of all the claims
which have been allowed and which are payable
| out of the Treasury fund, and Congress makes
/ appropriation to pay the claims embraced in that
i list. This includes all claims which have been
settled by the Auditor and the settlements con-
frmed by the Controller prior to the adjournment
/ of Congress. All claims which have been allowed
since Congress adjourned will be reported in list
/ to the next Congress, which will make an appro-
priatiOn to pay the claims embraced in that list
/ etc. The claims that being paid are
/ claims which had been ground through the mill
prior to June, 1856, and appropriated for by Con-
/ gress.
/ Conlrade Ege,er ~ IA Chinaman cannot be-
/ come u citizen of the United States; only free
| whites, negroes and persons of African descent ;"
may be naturalized. A Chinaman is neither one /:
| besides, he il forbidden naturalization by a special
statute.
HILL IT,, Schenectady ~ Y-The word cousin
means any degree OF collateral relationship beyond
brother and sister. Cousins german are those having
/ n common grandfather All others are cousins
| To attempt to speak of them as second or third
cousins is to get into u fog 50 to speak.
Consumption Cured.
An old physician, retired from practice, hav-
| ing had placed in his hands by an East India
II -