Telegram-herald., 1890-07-16
THE NEW PENSION LAW.
Here is a Full Explanation of the Meas

| ure.
The Detroit Ncrs' Washington CORES
pondent writes his paper as follows.
"Don'thire Washington claim agent"
That is one of Congressman Belknsp's
"don't" which he has got together in
response to the multitute of questions
which are pouring in from widows and
old soldiers who are benefited by the
new pension law. At least thousand
inquiries a day come from Michigan to
the various Congressman, indicating
that people are much III the dark as to
what to do and what not to do. AS
Capt. Belknap is member of the in
valid pension committee, which drafted
the law, he has prepared some general
hints on what to do and what not to do,
which will aid pensioners and in a
measure dam up the flood of inquiries,
many of them on the same point.
The "Dont's" can best be summarized
thus: Don't employ pension claim
agent here, but get one in your own
locality, II one can be employed at all.
Don't pay the agent in advance. Don't
send postage or money for postage TO
the pension department, as Il is so
much thrown away. The department
has its mail franked. This does not
apply to pension inquiries to congress
men, rs their private letters are not
franked, and postage should be inclosed
to them. Don't send discharge papers
to the department unless called for, as
they have all the discharge records be-
fore them here. Don't give discharge
papers to agents unless they are known
| TO be responsible men. Don't throw
away SO by employing an agent when
the law is so simple that any child Of
ordinary understanding can make out
the necessary papers and secure the
pension for any one entitled to it. And
particularly don't pay claim agent for
attending to the matter and then ask
the Congressman to do all the work of
filing the claim and getting il through.
These "don'ts" explain themselves,
and their relevancy is shown by the hun
dreds of questions relating to them
One widow asks: as il best to hire an
agent% Another writes: "My dis
charge papers are with Agent Blank;
Will you please go and get them?'
AS TO what to do to secure pension,
Capt. Belknap says to write to the Pen
sion Office for the necessary blanks or
else send for them to n Congressman.
-Four things arc essential in securing a
pension: /. The soldier must have
served at least ninety DAYS in the War
of the Rebellion and have been honor
ably discharged. ,. There must he
direct proof of the soldiers death. in
case the application is by widow and
orphan. The cause of death need not
have been due to any service. 3. A
widow must show that she is without
means of support other than her daily
labor. 4. The widow must have been
married to the soldier prior to June 81,
1890.
The latter provision is intended to
cut off young women from marrying
old soldiers with one foot in the grave,
and after the soldiers demise getting n
pension. and thus indefinitely prolong-
ing the pension list. Last January
there were "a. 223 widows claims pend
ing, and IS, $50 widows claims rejected.
All. or nearly, all, of those 80 $50 re-
iected claims. can now be allowed. says
Capt. Belknap, and the previous disal
lowance should not deter another aD-
pllcaJOn- Nnen claimant IS IN doubt
rs TO ms pension being allowed under
the old law. Capt. Belknap advises that
the application be made under the new
law. Under the old law the allowance
is graded according IN the rank Of the
soldier. but the new law puts privates
and officers on tho same level There
are also 80, 900 widows who have never
asked for pensions, and at least 81 900
Of these can be reached by the new
law. Altogether IL is fair to suppose
that fully l3s, 900 widows will be put on
the rolls within a short time.
Many persons have claims pending in
the pension Office, and about 30 per |
cent. Of these are now hung no await |
ing additional proofs Of disabilities re-
celved IN the service. Captain Belknsp /
advises that these claimants can cor I
tinue their old claim and also make ap-
pIIcatlon under the new law. ShoEid I
the old claim be allowed the new one /
would be suspended. and vice versa, as /
no person can receive two pensions.
These hints cover most Of the ones 1
tons asked IN the hundreds of letters /
which are flowing IN 10 Captain Belknap 4
from al parts Of Michigan