The National tribune., 1890-10-23
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies TO Questions on Variety Of Interesting
subjects.

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umn within three weeks.i
H. Dr. A., Fiushing Mich.-I Does increase OF
pension new disabilities when allowed date from
application or from medical examination? 2. A
claimant who was examined four months 20, and
whose claim Il now pending is now ia IA far worse
condition than when formerly examined. II he
furnishes physicians affidavit to this effect, and
asks for a second examination. will the Commits
siOner grant the request? 3. What is the rate for
toiR! inability To perform manual labor? 4nSJUer.
l. IL tho application WAS filed subsequent 10 July
!, 1880 pension on new disability If allowed will
commence from date when application il filed. II
the application first claiming such disability
filed prior TO July /, 1880 pension would date from
discharge. 2. Probably he will. 3. $50 per month.
X. r., San Diego. Cai-We cannot explain the
cause OF delay in any pension claim, nor can we,
without an examination OF the papers, undertake
to say in what condition the claim il. The only
advice we give you is to write 10 the Commits
slOncr Of Pensions and ask him its status.
y. ". r., Gladstone ". il. If First Lieu
tenant OF volunteers has "A claim. which is not com
piete when he dies, in IS7i aud his widow starts
another in 1889, being in Ignorance Of her hus-
bands claim, when her claim is allowed will her
husbands also bs taken into consideration? 2.
What rate OF pension will she get2 3. VIII IL
ulsuce nom sDltlef uCHlH rom
filed? 4 Soldier left a child 10 years Of age.
Will the widow get anything additional for the
support OF said child until he reached IG years OF
age? >. When claim is passed TO the Board Of
Review, how soon may an allowance bs Gxpected2
o. II the Board Of Review does not ask for any
additional evidence, - the claim put into
pieied files. 1HSUeT /. Yes and the amount he
would have received will be paid TO her 2 If it Is
shown that the fatal disability originated while he
was First Lieutenant she will draw sl7 per month
Tor herself 3 From the date Of the soldiers death.
4. She will get S2 per month additional for the
child TO the time OF its arrival at the ge of i6 g.
in afew days q. Yes or it j. passed for al OwHnce.
Some cases are allowed which do not 60 TO the
completed files.
g. ~. s, Washington, d. CT Has the present
Congress. lately adjourned, enacted any laws for
the payment OF bounty, communication aud back
pay allowed claims? =. What laws FOR the benefit
OF Union soldiers sailors, or LheiF heirs, have
been passed by this Congress. AnsiUeT. No new
bounty and back pay bill has passed this Congress
2. Besides theisability pension BILL various other
matters Of interest to soldiers have been passed,
among which may be mentioned the bill inereas-
ing the rate for total hepessness from $50 to S72;
the act 10 grant discharges under their proper
names 10 soldiers who enlisted under assumed
names; tie oilI TO permit atiidavIts and declara-
uons TO be executed before any officer authorized to
administer oatts, thus doing away with the neces-
sity oi having to go 10 the COuntyseat ia each
and various measures relating TO public lands and
SuldicTs Homes.
c. d.. LearenroTilsr Ran-I Soldier enlisted at
the age Of H. but had 10 give his age q ia order
10 get IN. lIputtlng ia claim for pension which
age should be given, his true age or four years
more than his true age when he entered the
scTyIcef z. A soldier enlisted fuE three years and
was discharged by reason Of expiration Of service
He aIteTwaTd enlisted ia another regiment served
part OF enlistment, went on farlough, aud did no.
return. Would this second enlistment have any
bearing against "a claim for pension based upon his
first enlistment 1HstCcT. ]. lie should state his
correct age, without regard To the statement made
when lie enlisted. That viii have nothing 10 do
with his claim. The matter will not even be in-
qulred into noticed. 2 No.
II. 49,, Prohibition, O.--A soldier OF the war Of
hFtfH
claim Is competed he dies Can his heirs prose-
cute the claim 10 final settlement and collect the
sameP 4fsIrer. His widow could complete il, but
if he left no widow the claim is ended
4 L., Ast0 Fork City-I enlisted in 1851 under
assumed name, and am now drawing pension
under such assumed name. Is there any way by
which get the certificate changed 50 as TO
show my proper name instead Of the assumed
na1eE AHsicer, You can only draw pension IN
the name under which the records Of the War De-
paTtnleHb show the service to have been rendered.
Thus, John Smith, who served as Charles Brown
would De pensioned as John smith, alias Charles
Brown.
q j. d., Brighton, " Y-If person has four or
five pensionabe disabilities, which il taken Ia de-
tail would amount 10 more than Sl0O. all recog-
niZed rs due TO the service, viii they be considered
in detail aud pension paid accordingly, or what
would be done? AnStceT. No, they would not be
rated in detail, but the combined disabilities would
be rated as a whole. he would not be rated sep
arntey for each disability.
II. c. w., GaiHSpiis O.-How long after the med
iCal examination before "A claim Is ullOwedP IN
s,usT. That Is impossible To say, because no two
claims alike, and there Is stated time which
can be given that would apply TO every case.
+. w., Et5uTH, III. Is the rate of pensioner
ever changed without medical examination be-
ing first ordered and had =. II So has the pres
ent Commissioner made a practice OF reducing any
rates without Ru examination? 8. Ii rates can De
reduced without "a medical examination, what IL
the nature of circumstances that might or could
cause a reduction OF rate by order OF Iha Commits
siOueTe 4HSreF /. Yes. , No 3. a pension
would not be reduced by any Commissioner with
out an examination. unless the last medical exam
iuaton should clearly demonstrate that an error
was committed IN former rating. We do not
member OF having ever heard OF a where
Commissioner reduced pension without nedi-
cal examination being first had. Pensions
often increased however, without an examination.
4. H. g., Charleston, y. H.-l. II person now
drawing So per month pension for rheumatism con-
trNCcd Ia tlIc service, applies under the Old law
for increase, - he Obliged To have affidavit OF his
family physician, Is 70 only necessary 10 be exam
ined by the Board of surgeons? 2 IL said soldier
applies under the act OF June 2, 1850 Is q Ouly
necessary for him 10 he examined by Board OF SuE-
gcous. 8 In this case which would be the best, to
stick To the old law, or to make application under
the new law. 4. lf he applies under law for IN
crease. does this, II lac succeeds debaF him from
hereafter getting another increase under the old
law? 1ns,psr. l. Ordinarily En examination by
Board OF Surgeons will be all that Is required. ,.
No rules have yet been made regarding the class
of testimony, or whether any will be required IN
claim under Ihc new law where the applicant Is
already pcusioued under the old law. Ordinarily
we should assume the certificate Of che Examining
Surgeons would be sufficient in such case to eslab-
sh the fact that additional disabilities Ia eX-
istence, which would enlitie him To a TAte higher
than that which lac - receiving under his old GER
tihcaie. 3 Whether or not it Is advisable for him
To stick To the old law to make application
der the new law Is "a matter FOR each applicant To
decide. II should be borne ia mind that If he APP
plies under the new law lac get more than
SI2 n any case under that law. 4. Apply ing un-
der the new law does not debar an applicant from
subsequently making another application under
the new law for increase. lie can give up his pen
sion under the Old law, take up under the new
law and apply again under the old law at any
time, should his degree OF disability warrant.
There is nothing Ia either law that conflicts with
tho other.