The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-10
SPECIAL PENSION CASES.
Secretary Noble Says They nuSt Not BE Rushed
Ahead for Congressman.
On Saturday, March 5, Secretary Of the ln-
terror Noble sent the following communication
/ 10 Commissioner Of Pensions Raum:


On Saturday March 5, Secretary Of the In-
terror Noble sent the following communication
20 Commissioner Of Pensions Raum:
DEPARTMENT or THE INTERIOR,
'NAsHISGTON, MARCH 5, lss2.
Commissioner % Pensions:
SIR: Referring TO your letter Of the lst inst &C
knowedginG Department letter Of the p ult., call
lug attention TO the fact that complaints were COM
ing la OF Partially in the examination and hnal
disposition Of claims, you say:
In drawing cases from the files for examination
ia each class OF cases the rule il to draw those which
have been completed. The rule, however, i con-
siSutly broken into through the courtesy which -
extended 10y The Office To members Of Congress who
call for the status Of cases and this has become
matter II such serious concern ~ to require an I'm
mediate remedy. IL has long been "a rule oI me
Office that whenever "A claim was sent 10 an Exami-
ncr's desk, aud upon examination was found To be
complete u was Immediately approved and pfepa-
ration taken TO submit u TO the Board OF Review
for fiual action. This rule no doubt adopted TO
save the work Of handling the case u second time.
Under this practice when case has been called up
10y member OF Congress aud placed ln tie hands
OF an Examiner and found to Toe complete, the ne
oessay action has been taken FOR the admission OF
the claim.
From Dec :, 1891, to the 25th inst. inclusive,
sOlsl calls have been made by members ot Con-
grcss for the status Of pension Chains. These calls
Tor the status of cases by Congressman were made
without reference TO the Time Of filing Of the claims
ana 40 % constantly happens that claims recently
filed are called up upon Congressional slips. taken
from the files and placed upon the Examiner desk,
where they are found TO be complete and are inl-
mediRtely allowed, thus giving them precedence
over claims filed at an early date which have not
been allowed la their order.
have made n careful examination into this sub
lcct and ilud that the claims under the act uf June
~ $780, flied late Oct. 49, lS9l, have been called
up ia this manner. and having been found COM
pete, have been allowed which obviously works
a great injustice To claimants whose applications
were filed at earlier date. and whose claims are
now complete and ready 10 he allowed when taken
up in their turn.
10 III q
earlier filed claims. which thus passed over aud
deferred. and was the very danger feared al the
time the completed files system was adopted, and
against which my order az the 10Th 81 September,
IssO, was aimed. That order was ~ follows:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
MAsHINGTON, sept. &C. 1880.
II is hereby ordered that under the rules already
IN force and those this day approved, Tor the pur
pose 81 securing prompt adjudication Of claims
under former acts 81 Congress aud that 81 June y.
lssO, such action shall he taken by NIL officers and
employees Of the Pension Rurenu ~ will prevent
amy undue preference Of any claim In time 81 either
hearing or adjustment, aud any agent or attorney
who shall have or attempt to have any claim put
upon tie lirt or docket Of or among the completed
files that is obviously clearly not complete. or
otherwise defeat the Just operations Of lhe laws
and regulations shall Toe disbarred from practice
la The Department.
joins W. NOBLE, Secretary.
The evil which you point out docs not arise from
allowing examination ~ the status Of cases but la
permitting the Examiner 10 approve completed
cases out Of their order whom thus called up.
You say that the action Is taken To- save . second
handling Of the papers The given h. utterly
insufficient 10 Justify the wrong done the claimant,
who b being rrlegated 10 the rear 10y this process
aud 1 can but feel that the evil LAS been allowed
without Justification. The information as to the
state ~ the can be given by suCh force can
be reasonably spared for the work But the case
must, even n completed, be returned To its former
place ia line OF those in like condition.
il - not case Of favor To any but 81 Justice 10
OIL aud 81 Obedience 10 n plain order made aud
known 10 have been made against lust such action
am graiiled by lie favorable statement OF the
business 81 your Bureau, and hope that you may
hud that tle enforcement Of this direction viii add
ton.
Very respectfully, JONI w. NOBLE,
Secretary.