Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-19

pensioners. There were added to the rolls dur
ing the year the names Of 81, 92l new pensioners,
and the names Of l754' whose pensions had
rolls, making an aggregate Of $3.50 pensioners
added during the year, while 10 5O pensioners
were dropped from the rolls for various causes,
leaving net increase to she rolls Of dl68
names.
The average annual value Of each pension at
the close OF the year Is shown to have been
io sons IS 81 The so amount s' paid a for
pensions during the year was S88, ,H5.113 2. The
total amount disbursed by the agents for all
purposes was $50, 13l 1858 "A.
QUITE AN ITEM.
Amount paid as fees to attorneys, G,Is3-
583 AZ. There was q disbursement Of Sl45l5 "a
for the payment OF arrears of pensions in cases
where the original pension was granted prior
to January 25 1879 and the date of commence
ment OF pension was subsequent TO discharge
or death
In the aggregate, I.24s I46 pension claims
have been zee If fiied since 1851 and IN the same
disbursed on account of pensions since 1861 has
been 81, ,052, ,2l8 4l3 II. The issue of certificates
during the year shows grand total of las. .298
The report shows that at the close Of the year
there were pending and unallowed $4,000
claims of all classes
gress be asked to amend the act Of June 9,
1874, SO as to extend the benefit of all pension
laws, as to rates to all pensioners whose PEN
s s,Tns nave been R granted BY special acts passed
OF pension be granted to the widows Of soldiers
who died from causes originating in the service
prior 70 March 5, 1851. during the time Of peace
ANOTHER FEATURE.
The Commissioner calls attention to many
Irregularities in the rates of pensions. Eight
cen dollars per month, it appears is the high
est rate of pension, which may be proportion
ately divided for different degrees Of disability
il such disability or disabilities are not equiva-
lent to the loss Of q hand or foot. II, how
ever. pensioner has lost . hand. for which
existing law now provides the rate Of $50 per
month, and has received in the service in
line of duty an injury to the back, for example,
which would alone entitle him to pension Of
ga per month. he can receive no rate in excess
of $50 month for the combined disability re-
sulting from the loss Of his hand and his SAID
INJURIES unless, BY reason OF them, he is totally
helpless or SO nearly SO as to require the con-
slant aid and attendance of another person. for
which degree Of disability the rate of $50 q
month can now be granted.
1t will be seen that the pensioner In such .
case actually receives nothing for his said in
TO the rate (ssO), which is the highest allowable
rate under the law for both disabilities.
Numerous other instances, he says, could be
dsa citea 70 snow me sne IN I'm " rates now pTp
be amended SO as to permit the rate OF S72 per
month to be proportionately divided for all dis
abilities which are shown to have been incident
to the service and line of duty. The
INJUSTICE AND UNFAIRNEss
caused by the act of Congress approved June
16, 1880, should be corrected. This act limits
the right Of pensioners to receive 81 per month
to those who were receiving $50 per month at
the date of said act. No provision is made
therein for granting said rate 70 those who were
totally helpless on said date. but were not re-
ceivlng $50 at said time. and none for those who
1..r al F,o1r. Lose 6n<
The anomaly is presented of two men equally
disabled, possibly living side by side, the one
receiving s72 per month and the other $50 per
month. To state this case is to make all the
argument necessary to show the absolute neces-
sity for an amendment to this act.
He further recommends that the act August
4 1886. so far as 1t provides the rate Of $50 for
the loss of a hand or q foot and for total disa-
cases Of those who are pensioned not for disa-
bilities to the extremitles, but for diseases in
other parts of the body and for causes which
this bureau has already conceived to be equal
to the loss of a hand or foot for purposes Of
manual labor.
The Commissioner is Of the opinion that
man sufficiently disabled By a disease Of the
lungs, or Of the heart. or the head, to entitle
HIM to SA per month, Is as badly disa abled (H
he is not more greatly disabled) as man who
has either lost q hand or foot or has q disa-
bility in the hand or foot which totally dis
ables him for manual labor.
A QUESTION OF DISABILITY
The Commissioner is also OF opinion that the
act of Congress approved February IL 1889,
providing a rate Of 500 for the loss of both
hands unjustly diseriminates against those
pensioners who have lost both feet or the sight
Of both ewes. No oprevious legislation has ever
assumed that greater disability resulted from :.
the loss of both hands than from either Of the
other disabilities stated
The Commissioner further recommends that
the pension due dependent father should be
made to commence from the date Of the SOL
dier's death, though the mother survived the,
soldier, but died without receiving pension, In
the same manner as the law now provides that,
minor children shall be pensloned from the
date of the soldiers death, ana provided the
widow dies with0utreceiving pension, and even
though she had made an application in herlife-
time.
that whenever an invalid pensioner dies the
usual pension be granted TO his widow, or IL he
leaves no widow then to his minor children.
without regard to whether or not his death was
due to any cause incident to the service and
line of duty. He IS Of opinion that the pro.
EXISTING LAW
which terminate pension to, or on account Of
minor children at the age Of 16 should be
amended SO as to continue such pension after
the said child shall have reached that age. In
cases where the child Is afflicted and Is, in
consequence, uuduic W c2Lu cup1oIh- nc
asks attention also to what he believes to be
manifestly insufficient sum (s2) per month
granted by the act Of July 2. 1865 to widows
for the care and support of such Of the minor
children Of their deceased husband a. are
under 10 years of age.
The Commissioner favors granting pensions
to all soldiers who are disabled. As the war
period recedes from us and age and its attendant
fnfrmities affiiet the veteran who served his
country faithfully and well quarter Of .
century ago. it is a very serious question
whether tile Government does him
1ustice In limiting the application
Of the pension laws to those
disabilities only which were contracted in the
service and in line OF duty. earnestly recon-
mend that pension be granted to every honor
ably discharged soldier and sailor who Is now or
whv may hereafter become disabled, without
regard to whether such disability Is chargeable,
to the service Of the United States or has been
contracted since discharged therefrom. The
also favors pension for army
nurses, and makes An earnest appeal in their
behalf