The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-07
RAUM'S. REPORT.
Work Of the Pension Bureau
for the Year.
The Completed Files System Shown to
Operate Most Satisfactorily.
4 Rush Of Claimants for Government lid
Under the Disability Act Which Was
Passed Last June.
Special to The MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, UcJ b.-1ne annual report
of Pension Commissioner Raum shows there
were at the end of the last fiscal year 537,9i4
pensioners upon the rolls. classified as fol-
lows: Army invalid pensioners 392, 500;
army widows. minor children and dependent
relatives, 104. .456; navy invalid pensioners,
5274; navy widows, minor children and de-
pendent relatives, 1850; survivors of the
War of 1872, 413; widows CT soldiers of the
War of 1872, S610; survivors of the Mexi-
can War, 17,15S; widows of soldiers OF the
NJ exican War. 67G4. There were 66,637
original claims allowed during the year, be-
ing 14,7l6 more original claims than were
allowed during the fiscal year of 1889. and
6385 more than allowed during the fiscal
year Of 1888. The amount of the first pay
ment in these &c. 637 original cases amounted
to $50, 47S, OIL, being S11, ,036. .492 more than
the first payments on original claims al
lowed during the fiscal year Of 1889, and
S10,179,225 more than in 1888.
OF the system of completed files organized
by him, the Commissioner says in part: Un-
der the system of completed files, the claim
ant has right, upon proper certification
that his claim is complete, to have it imme-
diatey placed upon the completed flies and
taken in order for adjudication. The claims
placed upon the completed files are taken up
Within a week for action, ard if found COM
plete are Immediately allowed. If proofs
are lacking, the call is Immediately made
upon the claimant 10 supply the deficiency,
and upon receipt OF the required evidence
the claim is again taken up for consjdera-
ton.
To the last day Of June. 1890, 761 claims
were placed upon the completed files upon
requests made upon behalf of claimants.
This system has had the effect of enabling
many thousand claimants, whose claims
have been pending from five TO twenty
years, to bring their claims TO the attention
of the bureau for adjudication and allow
ance, and comp laint OF delay has been re-
duced to a minimum. This system throws
the responsibility upon the claimant and
his attorney of having his claim adj
Indicated, and has proven much more
satisfactory than the Old system
of leaving the selection of claims for adjudi-
cation TO the discretion of the file clerks.
AS result of these changes in the busl-
ness methods of the Office, more work is ac-
complshed in 4 given time than was ever
performed before.
On the 25th of October. 1889, when 1 took
charge of the office. the work Of adjudicating
claims and issuing certificates had, during
the period from July /, 1889, fallen far be-
hind the same period for the previous fiscal
year; while from Octuber 20, 1882 TO June
80, 1880, there was an increase in the adJudl-
cation of claims and issuing of certificates
greatly IN excess OF the same period for the
preceding fiscal year. This is shown by the
following statement of the work done:
Total lumber of certificates issued during
the year ended June 80 1890, l51, ,65S; total
number of certificates isSuei during the
year ended June 80, 1889, 145 292 an increase
in 1890 over 1889 Of 6366. Total original
certificates issued during the year ended
June so, 1880. G6,637 total original certif-
Gates issued during the year ended June so,
1889, 81 ,S96; increase IA, I41
This great amount OF work was ac-
complished by the distributing clerks, who
composed the Board of Re-review among
other divisions, and calling in forty special
examiners from tile field, thus adding eighty
persons to the force engaged in the adjudra-
ton Of claims, and particularly by concel-
tratiDg the work Of the office for five days
in q week upon the adjudication of CLAIMS
as provided for in Order 149, creating a Sys-
TEN of complete files.
In June last L detailed 116 persons as
an additional force for special examination,
making in all S33 on duty in the field. As
result of these efforts the number of cases
now in the hands of the special examination
division has ben reduced from 1925 to
1924; of these only about 5000 are in the
hands of special examiners, the others being
in transit to and from the office.
The Commissioner invites attention to the
difference in amount between the rate of
$50 per month granted by an act of March
3, 1SS3 10 pensioners so disabled as to be in
capacitated for manual labo and the $72
per month granted by an act of March 4,
1890, to pensioners who require the regular
AID and attention OF an other person, There
are many claimants entirely incapacitated
formanual labor and who periodically require
the aid and,attentionof other persons, but who
are unable to establish the fact of the rp-
qulrement of constant aid and attendance.
lie recommends that rate of $50 per month
be created for them.
There have been received AGO, 2S2 claims to
September 30th, under the Disability Pen
sion Act Of June 9th. The care of such an
enormous number of claims received in so
short time has necessarily taxed the re-
sources of the office to the fullest extent.
The work Of the mail division ran up 10
more than 30, 600 pieces of mail per day to
be opened, classified and properly disposed
of. At this writing (0c ober 1st) the division
IS handling 10000 claims a day. 1t is be-
lieved there are probably 100000 claims in
the office which can be properly allowed
under the provisions Of the regulations ap-
proved September l6, 1890.
In conclusion the Commissioner says the
act OF June 27, $780, is the first disability
pension law i'll the history of the world
which grants to soldiers and sailors pen
sionS for disabilities not proved to have
been incurred in the service and line of
duty. This law recognizes higher obligu-
tion OF the people to their disabled veterans
than was ever formulated into law before.
Nothing shall be left undone by this bureau
to give effect to this latest expression uf the
gratitude of the American people to the sol