The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-10
Questions Answered.

Y. E. T., BRoCKTON, MAss.-A
widow pensioned as a dependent mother
of soldier is not entitled to the So a
month additional pension on account of
children under sixteen years of age.
Her pension is only s12 month.
G. p, BARRE.-The commissioner
is overhauling many of the claims that
were rejected by the former commits
sioner of pensions, General Black, and
is granting pensions to many claimants
who have been unsuccessful heretofore.
Such claims can be called up by writ
ing letter TO the commissioner of pen
sions or by taking an appeal to the
secretary of the interior.
7. S., MoRRIsvILLE.-The commits
sioner of pensions has recently made
ruling that physicians who are men,
bers of examining boards may give af-
fidavits in pension claims the same as
they could do if not members of board.
Surgeons will be notified of the ruling
soon. 1t will, therefore, be unnecessary
for you to correspond with the pension
Office for permission for the surgeon to
give testimony in your claim.
A. G. b., LUDLow.-This correspond
ent writes: =" am an old lady, and
when L see others around me living
luxuriously on their pensions, with
plenty besides, | think, What is the
reason that, as many sons as l had
serve their country, their old mother,
now that she needs assistance, can not
have some help from the government?
What is the matter in Washington"
There are two reasons why you are not
entitled to pension. Your four sons,
as you say, were only step-sons. You
are not their mother. Then they are
still living, so far as you know, some
where in the great West. A dependent
mother is sometimes granted pension
by special act of congress on account
of step-son who died in the United
States service, or of disease contracted
in such service, but she could not eX-
pect pension while the soldier lives.
G.. w. K, WATERBURY.-The board
of rereview in the pension office was
created by General Black, in 1886, to re-
review some l 800 claims that had been
returned to the pension office from the
secretary of the interior. These cases
had been railroaded through the pen
sion office, and when they came before
the secretary on appeals he sent them
back for further consideration. The
board of rereview, composed of the
most capable men in the pension office.
has done much good work in adiudi-
eating pension claims. We think
| however, that Commissioner Tanner is
| right in alb, fishing the board. The
services of lis members will no doubt
be of greater value in dispatching the
pension business in other positions tC
which they can he assigned than tC
continue thep as board. The in
crease claims that were adiudicateC
within three months from the time o.
filing applications prior to the estab
fishing of the board have since tina
time required from six months to two
years for adjudication.
H. L., WHITE RIVER JUNCTION.
The soldiers made no mistake in voting
the republican ticket last fall. NJ
doubt their votes elected General Har
rison president. The demo Gratis, as /
party, are controlled by the South, ano
naturally enough oppose the liberia
granting OF pensions to soldiers anC
lutlL uCcuy WluOWS duu OIpuduS
There are, of course, great many
northern democrats who are in favor o
liberal pensions, but nearly all thu
democratic newspapers are opposing
Commissioner Tanner in his efforts tt
remove the obstacles interposed by the
democratic administration toprevent tn,
granting of pensions to Union soldiers
They say, "Tanner will knock out tn,
props, and goodbye surplus" that thu
president is already heartily sick o
Tanner" that the secretary of the in
terror is in continual apprehension les
some fresh performance of the cor
poral's shall render the interior depart
ment ridiculous" The facts are tina
the president and the secretary of tn,
interior are pleased with the genera
course pursued by Tanner in adjudi
eating pensions. His rulings, will
possibly one exception, have been NJ
more liberal to claimants for pension
than those in existence under Secretar,
Teller and Commissioner Dudley whel
the democratic party came into power