New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-12


eight and in widely separated States and Territories
some OF these Investigations in the field have occupied
several years, and any effort the part Of the attorney
TO be present at the various hearings in the Interest OF
his client would have involved an expenditure OF
hundreds of dollars; and yet in of these claims
wheIei the researches Of the Pension Bureau nave
occupied term OF years proper care Of the soldiers
interests would have cost his attorneys hundreds OIL
dollars. The first payment TO the pensoner upon the
allowance of the case, is sometimes as high as @loooo
or thereabouts while the attorneys fee Is stll the
same, only S25. This inevitably leads TO the neglect
of this class of by the ordinary class oil at
tornoys and the refusal of ordinary court practitioners
to handle them. II does not pay.
The writer OF this memoir points out that, to the
unhappy class Of soldiers whose claims are OF this
character, the act of June %, 1890, VIII not give
relief in their struggle of many years Duration against
suffering disease and want; their would never
be completed ard pension allowed. unless some com
pctent and palnstakne attorney patiently ana method
cay unravcls the tangled sSen SITS and anayzes the
evidence, cOrTects the which have crcpt INTO
the and only too often exposes and counteracts
the bias OF PENSION once sub0I9h%lts III ul>cnS,il5
the latter, Mr.. Rogers says: MY knowledge OF lcl
gained from their WORK. shows as RUE lney are ~
competent IL body OF be got together any
where; but nature united some men 10 be examiners
and among many hundreds 1T must follow that there
is a tar sprinhng of men, VINO ld'k me hI>t quailnC
lion OF judicial mind and are plcntlfuliS supplied
methods by when to accomplish they believe is
Their highest duty 10 the GONernment-O minimize NE
they starr out with theory a"allsi 'he cia,ni M
ant and use the evidence 10 Oul,u up lily
mat furnishes three fourths the grounds of com
plant against the Pension Once. ana the worst OF
l., that work cannot be detected unies, one bur
down deep into the roots OF ll1 case ana lo
lows, step 10y step, through the accunlted evidence
of years, often prepared 10y ignorant allied dhus
but honest Notwithstanding. The commissioner can't
see this chief OI division probably cahnot I"oA
through one in a hundred Of these cases that ar
brought to him for his initial; somebody has to b9
trusted and if the man at the foot IS wrong, The
whole business goes wrong.
letters from claimants throughout the country, strongly
supporting his own suggestion That the cNlsung law bV
his at orncy some adequate remuneration for al,
services in claims such as these. the assessment OF
the valnc OF such services and tie amount Oh lcC
to be paid being always subject to the COMMISSIONS
approval. says Mr. Rogers. IN concluding his able
G'nI something of this kind is done. such claim
ants will continue to suffer They have done 80 undr
every Commissioner of Pensions hitherto. ana incS
will continue to do 1t mas be claimed that th'
remedy is appeal the cases to the Assistant seer
tary. but these claimants are dying ia>t ana tho
appeal boards, under General Eus>cy have some
1000 cases already awaiting action, most Of them. !
believe, cases of the class | have described Ih9
secretary of the Interior has already taken steps T.
secure the Interests IN the Pension Bureau oil claimant
NOT represented 10y attorneys Why may not he or the
Commi,,oucr lie empowered To 20 "A step further. and
either. through the law division Of the Pension
Bureau or throulh competent board IL be or at"d.
hand. wedding OFT the incompetent and unworthy Who
bring di,cace upon the whole body. and making pro.
vision for a reasonable remuneration for services
rend red, a. in any other lcs;I proc cdinEN
The suggestions contained IN the memoir quol'd
above aupcar, to be both sound and - Indeed
there seems to be some danger that while measure,
lave been taken protect the Interests oi ms class on
claimants unrcprc-onted hv attorney many oi those
who are represented aud whose cases are volnmnolN
and difficult will stu be permitted To suffer much in
Justice and prolonged delay which in many instances
ends in the death OF tie unhappy claimants while
their cases are stlll unad Indicated. The melhod OF
relief suggested 10y Mr.. Rogers would. moreover. u"
ilto-clrr i'm touch with those reforms which secretary
Noble has already begun. a IL would encourage the
practice before the Pension Bureau OF better class ~
LAWYERS who knowing That in claims wherein a fairy
remunerative fee called for 10y IN" work per
formed such fee would be justly estimated hN me once
aud promptly paid. Tie number of claims IN WlIch
such fees could be- reasonably demanded. Would 70"
relatively to the bulk of the adj udic4tcd 10y the
bureau. a small proportion of the whole number
The adoption OF such plan need not. hv any
means interfere with the proposed lars" reduction
ii the amount pad to ATTORNEYS for prosecuting ~
crease claims. while the soldiers would gladly pay the
Increased fee III intricate claim, 10 secure more
prompt adjudication. In case il feared that III"
assessment OF these fees upon nQuautUm merritt
ba,l bv sub0rdnatcs in the office. might eventually
lead 10 the exercise Of undue influence upon them hy
cert ain attorneys among those whose services they
appraised. sufficient number Of clerks might be-
added 10 the Board Of Appeals for that purpose. ard
the whole matter OF apportOnmcnt would then b"
under the Of the Assistant secretary of the Interior
who is himself lawyer. Both the abuses detailed,
and the measures suggested for their abatement.
would De OF sufficient Importance 10 challenge
the earnest consideration Of the senate Committee
Pensions.