Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-21
AMOUR PENSIONS.

The Commissioner Of Pensions has
written a letter TO the Albany Argus
which explains fully the position Of the
pension bureau in its efforts 10 purge
the pension list and to make the pen
sion roll a roll OF honor and place on it
a mark of distinction. In this improve
nent the department should be sus-
tained by all good citizens, and espe-
cially by the veterans OF the war and all
men who are entitled to a place on the
pension roll.
Referring 10 the Act Of June %, 1890,
the Commissioner says:
This act permits the psnsioning Of soldiers
f0~ disabilities OF q permanent character
although not of service origin, which lncapA-
cltate them from the performance OF man
ual labor in such q degree as 70 ren0er
them unable 20 earn a support II IS TINS
iucapaCity for manual labor alone Whlcn
entities them 10 be pensioned under this
act. and it is plain that no specific injury
or disability which does not anect the
capacity for manual labor gives any rlguL
TO pension under the act last referred 10.
YET under an order. No. l64, issued on &c
tober Is. 1890, and approved by the Assist
ant Secretary of the Interior, IL was di-
rected in substance that claimants under
the act Of June 81. 1890, should be rated for
specific disabilities the same rs II they
were of service origin, up TO the maximum
rate Of twelve dollars per month, and
where the disability, If of service origin,
would Oe rated higher that twelve dollars
per month. 10 should be rated at twelve
dollars per month.
This rating was mauifestly not author
] lied 0y the terms OF the act OF June q,
1880. and the effect Of the order IS lllustrat-
ed by the Bennett case, which called atteu-
ton Co it. Ia that case claimant Tor
pension under the act Of June u, 1890, was
/ rated for slight deafness at twelve dollars
per month, vet 10 was manifest that sugnJ
deafness would not interfere materially
with the claimants capacity TO perform
manual labor Upon inquiry tue medical
referee reported that, acting under order
1ft referred 10, the capacity OF claimants 70
perform manual labor was not ordinarily
considered Ia aCludicGting claims for PEN
sion under the act Of June p, 1872. twas
therefore deemed necessary that these cases
be re-examiued, and that wnerelt appeared
upon the face OF the papers that the claim
arts were not. upon the evidence sub
d. ted. entitled 70 pensions under the act
OF June %, 1890, such pensions should De
SUSPENDED and notice given to the pension
ers TO present further evidence IN support
OF their claims: and that whenever the
claimant ultimately failed 10 show himself
entitled TO pension under the law Of June
q. 1850 the pension should be dropped ana
the case re! ected.
This is the only class OF cases that Is
being examined and revised by the oureaa,
Con HrHan anFe
think, sufficiently obvious.
Surely no true soldier will object to
that.
The government Of the United States
rewards with increas'lk favor the de-
serving veterans through whose efforts
the union Of tire States was preserved
and cementeG more tightly. The sum
p5.d annually for pensions amounts TO
more than the ordinary expenses Of con-
Quoting the government. This payment,
however j.: may be regarded, is a burden
on the people, amounting annually to
more than a weeks wages to the aver
age workman. This burden will be
borne oheerfully, so long as It is felt
that it is well deserved and honestly
paid. To preserve this feeling Of graft
tude and this cheerful scquiescence in a
heavy burden, the pensions must be
confined to those only who are entitled
20 them under the law. The deserters
and bounty jumpers, the stragRlers and
haagsrs-on have no place on this roll
Pension payments should not be
regarded as payment OF
dsbt for q discharge of financial
obligation, but rather as a willing token
OF the couutry's gratitude.
The Grand Army organization
throughout the country should be glad
Of the opportunity to cooperate with
the bureau Of pensions and purge the
pension roll Of all fraud, so that it will
in reality become 3 roll Of honor, a
record Of the names Of those who have
made sacrifices for their country and
who are now recognized and rewarded
in their age and infrmity.