Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-03-21

CorfcSpOnuenceO OF Tile hEfuBLiOANs
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10. Gen.
Raum. the Commissioner Of Pensions, has
undertaken the greatest official task ever
undertaken BY any Of his predecessors.
lie proposes 10 adjudicAte every pension
claim pending within the next eight
m0nths. He has determined that no
Partially shall be shown; that no case
shall be made special unless an AFFIDAVIT
Of . reputable citizen Is produced show.
ing that the applicant Is either pauper
and maintained either by public or pri-
vste charity or is In . critical physical
condition. This released large clerical
force engaged In answering correspond
ence In regard to making cases special.
This week members Of Congress began
to receiye circular from the office 10
answer to q request from them for tho
status Of pension cases given for the in
formation OF claimants.
II has been customary for almost every
claimant 10 request bis Congressman to
Use his influence to obtain the status Of
bis claim. This correspondence has
grown to be enormous, as during the last
week In February nearly 5000 calls Of
this character were received from claim
ants through their member Of Congress;
and attorneys during the same period
asked for tho status OF 20, 900 claims, and
TO answer the calls alone Of Congress-
men would require the entire time OF 100
examiners, and to answer:the attorneys,
calls 400 examiners. making 300 In all.
He announces that Ia the future the
Office will refuse to answer the calls OF
status OF either Congressman, attorneys
or claimants. He thinks II 10 time
thrown away TO answer these letters be-
CO use the claimant will be duly Informed
of any testimony needed to make his
claim perfect Of the time It Is taken up
for adjudication and then plenty Of time
to furnish the testimony wilt be given.
TIE commissioner requests claimants
to apply to him 10 have their claims
placed on the list OF completed files"
for immediate consideration. Such ap.
plications may be made by the claim
anita or their attorney OF record, aud
should set forth:
l. That the declaration has been made
In due form stating the service of the
soldier, and the fact a. TO the incurrence
Of the disability and his discharge from
the service.
2. That the proof shows that the disa-
bility named IN the declaration was In
CURED In the service and In the line Of
duty.
8. That the proof connects the present
disability Tor which the pension Is claimed
with wound or disease incurred In the
service and establishes the fact OF disa-
bility.
4. That the claimant has, with the au-
thority Of the bureau Of pensions, had .
regular medical examination in respect
to the disability described and claimed In
the declaration.
5. That in the opinion of the c'aimant
the claim 10 fully made out and COM
pleted.
In the claims OF widows 1t must be
alleged and proof made showing that the
soldier died OF an injury or disease con-
tracted IN the service and that the claim
ant is the soldiers widow. In the case
OF dependent relatives II must be stated
that the proper proof OF dependency has
been filed and that the soldier left nc
widow or minor children. Ii the appli-
cation 10 made by the attorney Of record,
he shall certify that after a careful inves.
tigat.on Of the cas-, he is OF the opinion
1t is completed. Claims placed on the
completed ties will be considered In tn,
order of date. This order does not ap
ply to adJudicated cases. When claim
ant or his attorney will certify 1t 10 com
plete It will he considered within FEY
days.
This does not apply to adjudicated o
increase cases. The Bureau is now I'D
Indicating more than $1,000 cases
month from the completed lles. whicl
will be much increased when the thirt.
additional surgeons which Congress
about to authorize. Calls are now bein
made ON 80, 600 cases monthly in tn
order Of date which they atand filed.
Claimants, In fling evidence, SHOULD
write plainly their service and the mum
Der given the claim by the Bureau, as al
error In tho number will often throv
back the adjudication for months. Trust
Ing your veteran readers may preserv
this article as future guide, as 1t viii
be invaluable to them In prosecuting
their claims. LOCKER On.