The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-12-26
Questions Answered.

r. N, BRooKFIELD.-lf the pension Office
were in the habit of trihing with applicants
we should think it was doing this in requir.
ing you to show that you have suffered from
" disease of chest ever since your discharge
from the service. Disease of chest" is
too indefinite a complaint to warrant the
granting of a pension, if proved. You had
better make your own AFFIDAVIT. stating that
You are unable to furnish the testimony re-
qured and request that your claim be adj jul
dictated on the testimony already furnished
Your disability from rheumatism alone
ought to more than double your present
rate of pension.
w. j., NoRTHFIELD.-We do not agree
with you that Ex-Governor Proctor would
make a good secretary of the interior. He
lacks the habit of industry and experience
that is required of that official. The patent
office, pension Office land Office and the
care of the Indians are all in the interior
department, and difficult questions of law
are constantly coming up for the decision
of the secretary For such work Governor
Proctor has no special fitness. He was "A
soldier, to be sure, but he was the greatest
obstacle that the friends of the Soldiers
Home in Vermont had to contend with and
it was not until after he was retired from
the presidency of the trustees that the
Home was established. He feels kindly
toward the soldier, no doubt He is men
| tally clumsy and does not keep up with
lHt PROCESSION III IHe INTEREST OF lie SOL
diers. Frank Plumey, Esq, would make
worthy commissioner of pensions.
b. F. NJ, ELMoRE.-This correspondent
prosecuted, as attorney, a claim for a pen
sion and was allowed aud paid by the pen
sion office, through its agent at Concord, a
fee of only 81. The reason given for
the smallneSS of the fee was the small
amount of pension granted. He wishes to
know if he is entitled to "A greater sum that
wOnld be allowed him on an appeal to the
secretary of the interior. We think you
were entitled to a fee of SO We would
not advise You to take an appeal, however,
until new secretary of the interior is APP
| pointed. The treatment of appeals under
the present administration is a mockery
of justice. During the past year 1925 re-
| jections of pension claims by the pension
Office were affirmed, while only II were re-
versed on appeals to the secretary of the
interior. When such appeals are fairly
treated the decisions of the commissioner of
| pensions are reversed in nearly one-half tn e
cases. The appeals are generally taken by
attorneys who are posted in the law and do
not take them unless there is fair chance
of reversing the action of the pension office.
| In our higher courts about one-half of the
decisions of the lower courts are reversed
when carried up on exceptions or appeal,
without casting any reflections on the lower
courts for want of ability or faithfulness in
the discharge of official duty, and yet the
commissioner of pensions in his last annual
report states that the very small percent
| age of reversals by the department is the
highest test of the efficiency of the whole
office in the matter of the adjudication OF
claims" That report was sent out as a cam
paign document to aid the democratic ticket,
but it was like "a dance over their own
| grave"