Huntsville gazette., 1890-07-05
DEPENDENT PENSIONS.

sion LaW-Iest of the Measure as Fin
ally Passed and Made Operative by the
Signature of the President.
WASHINGTON, June 3O.-The old SOL
d1ers who are entitled to pensions under
the Dependent bill just approved by
the President are likely to have their
claims adjudicated promptly. 1t is es-
timated that under this law, fully a
quarter of million persons viii be added
to the pension roll. General Raum,
Commissioner of Pensions, who is maxi
ing every possible effort to meet this
emergency, says: An additional allow
ance of some 44O clerks have
been asked for because the pres
ent force has all It can do now.
The new law, according to the Senate
estimate, put 800, 900 more cases on the
rolls. or course this calculation is
more or less liable to be inaccurate. It
would be impossible for the present
force to handle all this extra work in
addition to what they are doing now,
and so have asked for more clerks"
There are to be ten more principal
examiners, | believe, and the others to
be divided through the various grades
of clerks. No new divisions are to be
created, but the work will be so divided
that cases under the new law will move
right along abreast of the old cases. 1t
would be unjust to make claimants un-
der this latest act wait and take their
turn. So instead of putting the new
cases behind the rest, we will begin
work on them at once and carry them
right through as fast as possible.
Ceases that are we'll presented, in
which there are no unfavorable condi-
tions may be got through and ad-
Indicated in a month, l should think.
The following is the text of the De-
pendent Pension bill as it passed both
Houses and received the signature of
the President: tfst
Copies of the actu and necessary
blanks are being sent out to claimants
and to Grand Army posts.
SECTION /. That in considering the pension
claims OF dependent parents the fact of the
soldiers death by reaso on of any wound, in
jury, casualty or disease which. under the
conditions and limitations of existing laws,
would have entitled him to an invalid pen
sion, and the fact that the soldier left no
widow or minor children having been shown
as required by law, it shall be necessary
only to show by comp etent and sufficient
evidence that such parent or parents are
without other present means of support
than their own manual labor or the contri-
buttons Of others not legally bound for their
support; provided, that all pensions allowed
to dependent parents under this act shall
commence from the date of the filing of the
application hereunder and shall continue
no longer than the existence of the depend
ence.
Sec 2. That all persons who served three
months or more in the military or naval
service of the United States during the late
war of the rebellion, and who have been
honoraby discharged therefrom, and who
are now or who may hereafter be suffer
ing from mental or physical disability OF
a permanent character, not the result of
their own vicious habits, which incapaci
tates them from the performance of manual
labor in such q degree as to render them
unable to earn support, shall, upon max
ing due proof of the fact according to such
rules and regulations as the Secretary of
the Interior may provide, be placed upon
the list of invalid pensioners of the United
States, and be entitled to receive a pension
not exceed Sl2 per month and not less
than S6 per month, proportioned to
their inability to earn support;
and such pensions shall commence
from the date of the filing of the application
in the Pension Office, after the passage of
this act, upon proof that the disability then
existed, and shall continue during the ex.
istence of such disability; provided, that
persons who are now receiving pensions
under existing laws, or whose claims ara
pending In the Pension Office, may, by ap-
plication to the Commiss ioner of Pensions,
in such form as he may prescribe, showing
themselves entitled thereto, receive the
benefits of this act; and nothing herein con-
tanned shall be so construed as to prevent anT
pensioner hereunder from prosecuting
his claim and receiving his pension under
any other general or special act; provided
however, that no person shall receive more
than one pension for the same period; and
provided, further, that rank in the service
shall not be considered in applications filed
under this act.
Sec. g. That if an officer or enlisted man
who served ninety days or more in the army
or navy of the United States during the late
war of the rebellion, and who was honorably
discharged, has died, or shall die, leaving
widow without other means OF support than
her daily labor, or minor children under the
age of sixteen years, such widow shall ,
upon due proof Of her husbands death,
without proving his death to be the result
of his army service. be placed on the pen
sion roll from the date of the application
therefor under this act, at the rate of S. per
month during her widowhood, and shall also
be paid So per month for each child of the
officer enlisted man under sixteen years
of age; and in case of the death or remar-
-.age of the widow, leaving a child or chill
dren of such officer or enlisted man under the
| age of sixteen years, such pension shall be
| paid such child or children until the age OF
sixteen years; provided, that in case a
| minor child is insane, idiotlc or otherwise
| permanently helpless, the pension shall
| continue during the life OF said child, OF
| during the period of such disability; and
this provision shall apply to all pensions
| heretofore granted or hereafter to be
| granted under this or any other statute
and such pensions shall commence
| from the date of the application
| therefor, after the passage of this act; and
| provided, further, that said widow shall
have married said soldier prior to the pas
| sage of this act.
| Sec. 4. That no agent, attorney, or other
| person engaged in preparing, presenting or
prosecuting any claim under the provision
| of this act. shall, directly or Indirectly, con
| tract for, demand, receive or retain for such
| services In preparing, presenting or prose-
| cutting such claim sum greater than $40
| which sum shall be payable only upon the
| order of the Commissioner of Pensions, by
| the pension agent making payment of the
L oil b0 oil