The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-03-21
MUST AWAIT THEIR ORDER,

Commissioner Raum VIII not Make
Statements Of the Conditions OF
Pension Claims out of Their Regu-
lar Order.
WASHINGTON, Special.-The pension Of
ice has recently taken q new departure in
the treatment of cases which members of
congress ask to have especially considered.
The commissioner believes that the general
pension business will be facilitated and
that Justice will be done all claims by con-
sidering each in its Jurn and for this reason
does not make statements OF the condition
of claims out of their regular order on the
requests of congressman. Representative
Hall of Minnesota was one of the first to
get one Of the commissioners circulars an
nouncing this ruling. He asked for state
ment of the condition of the claim of
Charles Shea of Lexington, Mimi. in re-
Spouse to a request from Mr.. Shea. The
commissioner replied:
There is no sufficient reason shown why the
claim should be taken out OF its turn for settle
ment. 1t is found to be impracticable to give
immediate attention to this inquiry and Others
like it, without seriously interfering with the set
tlement OF claims.
The commissioner says that in the single
week ending May 1, the number of calls
from congressman was 1896. and the num-
Der of similar calls from claimants and at
torneys during the same week was Is, GOA.
This gives an idea of the magnitude of the
business done at the pension bureau-of the
vast amount of work that is donein single
department of the governments pension
building. To make proper reply to these
congressional calls alone would require the
time OF one hundred examiners, and to give
the status to claim agents and to claimants
themselves would require at least five hun
dred clerks. 1t would so interfere with the
business OF the bureau as to almost suspend
the regular work.
An order has been issued that claimants
are authorized to have their claims placed
on the list of completed files for immediate
action on compliance with certain condi-
tions. it. must be shown that the declara-
ton has been made in due form, stating the
proper service OF the soldier and the facts
as to the incurrence of disability in, and
his discharge from the service; also that the
proof establishes that the disability Was in
CURED in the service in line of duty; that
the proof connects the present disability
with wounds or diseases incurred in the
SERVICE that the claimant has had regular
medical examination as to disability. and
that the claimant believes the claim to be
fully made out and complete.
Ifclaimants certify to the above condi-
tions the claim will be considered in a few
days. Commissioner Ranm says that the
bureau is now adjudicating more than 49,
coo cases a month, and calls are now being
made in so, 600 cases q month for evidence
to complete the claim. There are about
$4,000 original cases now pending in the
bureau, so that at the present rate all cases
will be reached in about three months.
The calls lot evidence. are now made in the
order in which the claims were filed with
the bureau, and this the commissioners re-
CARDS as fair'to every claimant. and he does
uot want to disturb the regular order except
in extraordinary cases. l.. B. L.