The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-01-20
abe Suloiers' 8uoset.
Letter from Washington.
by II. j. D..

congress is running Wllu on pension
ills. OF the three thousand bills al
eady introduced, more than two-thirds
# them relate to
WAR CLAIMS AND PENSIONS.
MANY of the pension bills are what
Ire known as private bills, granting
tension to parties who have failed to
establish their right to it at the pension
ffice. The rule of the committee on
tensions, not to consider claim of this
lind until it has been acted upon at the
pension office, is not understood by all
Members, and the committees are un-
oading many of the bills, for the reason
hat the cases are still pending in the
pension office. They do not give pen
ions by special acts where the appli-
ant is one of class, all equally worthy,
Who, if pensioned at all, should be by a
general law. Several members of the
house have introduced such bills. One
representative said he had refused to
introduce private pension bills unless
he applicant would submit his case to
lawyer and ascertain whether it was
proper case for special legislation. If
lll the representatives would follow
ibis example of Massachusetts, men,
Der, not over one-half the number of
pills would be offered that are now lum-
bering up the dockets of the committees
md impeding the business that ought
10 be early considered by the new house.
THE COMMITTEE ON WAR CLAIMS
met and organized on Saturday. At
hat time wagon-load of bills, in half
dozen large canvas sacks, was piled on
he floor of the committees room.
That is not one-tenth part of the bills
hat will come to this committee" re-
remarked one Of them. Probably more
han twenty bills have been introduced
N the house to pay
ARREARS OF PENSIONS
bn applications fled since July LIST,
1880. Some of the bills are so unskil-
fully drawn that they would not ac-
tomplish the object intended if they
became laws. Several bills have been
introduced to reimburse the several
states for
INTEREST ON WAR LOANS,
hnd for the tax collected under the act
pf August 5, 1861. Such bills are popu-
ar with the representatives, and law
pf some kind will probably be passed
on this subject.
THE PENSION OFFICE
IS to be investigated by congress.
What caused this investigation to be
made was the statement of General
John G. Black, the commissioner of
pensions, in his annual report. He
said: " AT one time the pension bureau
was all but avowedly political ma
chine, filed from border to border with
lncompromising adherents of single
organization, who had for the claimants
other tests than those of the law, and
who often required, in addition to serv-
ice in the field, that applicants for pen
sion should submit to and support said
party as a consideration, in addition to
the considerations required by law, be.
fore said pensions should issue" We
are sure that those charges are untrue
so far as Vermont claimants are con
cerned, under the republican admins.
tration, and are unjust to Colonel bud
ley, the late commissioner of pensions
We never heard of an applicant for 8
pension being asked what his politica
or his religious belief was prior to
March, 1885. There are
TwENTY-THREE HUNDRED PEN
SION CLAIMS
that appear to be between the pension
Office and the department of the in
terror. They are cases that have beer
rejected in the pension office and APP
pealed to the secretary of the interior
We were told by the acting commits
sioner of pensions that these cases hal
been called back for more liberal con
sideration. We were told at the in
terror department that the secretar
ordered them back to the pension ofiic
for better grounds Of rejection. The com
missioner of pensions has organize
what he terms
"BOARD OF RE-REvIEw"
to consider these cases. There ar
still large number of appeal cases re
naming on file in the interior depar
ment that are being considered in thei
order. The cases appealed in Decen
Der, 1884, are now receiving attentio
in that department, or such of them a
have not been returned to the pensio
office.
REPRESENTATIVE CIRCUIT
OF VERMONT
has introduced bill in the hous
granting a pension to all invalid so
diers who are dependent upon the
daily labor for their support: also or
giving arrears of pension. Also bill
granting pensions to Lucinda Gould {