The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-19
our CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety or Interesting
Subjects.


ITO Corrssp0ndsnts.-Wris questions on a sem
arate sheet Of paper, give fall name and address
sudmgris It Corresponding Column" EOattcn
ton viii be- paid % communications that are not
accompanied with tuli name aud address Of writer
our readers are requested to inclose a stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied 10 by mail OHiY. Replies by mail viii 0rdi =
uurIiy be made within week, and II in this coll
unn within three weezs.i
A. j. c. Sle,ggrfsUjJe No-Please explain that
part Of the homestead law which relates % ex-
soldiers and their widows making entries. AHstcer
soldier or the widow Of soldier can file declar-
HtOry statement for any vacant unaDprOpriuted
land, aud will thcn have six months within which
to commence residence and improvements as re-
qured by law. In addition 70 tins the period OF
the soldiers service during the war Of the rebe on
not exceeding four years. will be deducted from
the live years residence ordinarily required. This
- All the advantage a soldier or soldiers widow
has over any other eutTymIn.
j. d. B., Hon, r. Us the Grand Army button
adopted by the National Encampment, and worn
in lieu Of the regulation badge, protected by the
law % the same extent that the badge is? In other
words. II u a mI-dcmeanOr for person not IA mem
Der Of The Grand Army OF the Republic TO wear the
button? Il WAS recently held by justice ia this
State that the button is not protected by law. An
The matter is, Of course, governed by State
laws. In most Of the States which have laws pro-
hibiting the use of the badge of the Grand Army
of the Republic by uon-members the word but
ton " IS distinctly mentioned We have not a copy
of the law Ia New York State on the subject but
many event we must sag that we consderthe button
% be included in the term badge" You can look
the matter up In the statute laws of New York
which you can borrow from any lawyer.
IS. H. C. Eu0rUiile Art.-I. Has any Senator or
Representative died since 1869 who was buried at
the public expense at a cost of more than 50 900?
2 How much money has Congress appropriated
since the war for mOnumcuts2 3. Can "a soldier
receives Mexican war pension and pension under
the Act Of June q, 1890. aL the same time? A. What
pension should soldier receive whose physicians
report that he endangered his life by performing
any manual labor he having heart disease tine
result Of rheumatism contracted In the service?
NNHaa at anu In
raj of Representative OF Senator costs several
thousand dollars, but cannot give the exact
amounts. 2. We have statistics on the question
but many thousands Of dollars have been apprO-
priatcd for such purposes. 8 No. 4. If the Pension
Bureau finds this statement to be correct the soldier
will probably be rated at $50 per month.
s. w., NslU York CHy.-A soldier Is now drawing
a pension Of s. per month under the general law
for disability contracted in the line of duty In the
military service between 1861 and 1865. He has
applied for pension under the act Of june 81 1890
III he Is allowed "a pension of So per month there
under would he be compelled to accept the same
ia lieu Of his present peuslOnf AHSrer Certainly
not; he could not be compelled to accept any pen
sion. You seem To forget, however that he could
not be allowed pension Of So under the new law
as the rates between S. and 81 are the under
both laws and therefore, rs he is now receiving S.
Der month, he will be allowed at least that rate
under the new law. The advantage Of the new
law -, that under 10 a soldier can DO rated on
all his disabilities, providing, Of course that they
are not due 20 vicious habits
w. h., Gallup, " Ill. Can a soldier take out
homestead on land marked coal land? There Is
no coal whatever in the land referred to. 2 Cana
take possession Of school lands in this Terri
tory to water to irrigate his land? AnslUer.
I. No person can homestead on lands which are
cllssed in the records of the General Land Office
as mineral lands. IL the soldier referred To can
establish to the satisfaction of the Land Office that
the land he desires To enter is IN fact mineral
land, he may succeed In getting the records changed
To class the land as On-mneral, and In that event
he could file n homestead on ID. 2. That depends
upon the laws of your Territory. Inasmuoh as
there is vast amount of desert land in New
Mexico, we should think the laws on this subject
would be very liberal; but this Is "a mere couieot-
ure, we are not familiar with the laws of your
Territory.
A. j. MorehOuse.-YOu forgot 10 give the name OF
your town in your letter, aud the same is not on
the envelope. IL you will write as another letter,
giving your full address, we will cheerfully reply
TO your inquiries by mail.
l.. Il. O., Vest Sumter, Mel A veteran of the
late war who was pensioner has recently died In
destitute circumstances The town paid the ex-
peuses Of his last sickness and burial amounting to
about Sl2J. As there was due the pensOner at the
time Of his death about $50 accrued pension, can
not the town authorities he reimbursed to this
tent for the expenses Of his sickness aud burial?
.. IL so, to whom should they apply? AuStUcr. /.
If the soldier left widow child entitled TO
Cetve the accrued pension, the town authorities
may collect the same IN aecOrdanCe with the pro-