New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-14
THE COMPLETED FILES ORDER REVOKED
An IMPORTANT DECISION BY THE NEW CoNNiS-
sIoNER OF PENSIONS

AN IMPORTANT DECISION BY THE NEW CoMMIs-
sIoNER OF PENSIONS.
Washington May 13.-The following important
order revolving the celebrated "competed mes ouer
OF x.Commissoner Raum, has been Issued ny Ooii
missioner Lochren:
So much Of Order No. 149. dated December 81 lss9'
a. pertans 10 the establishment OF the competeo mes
ar >, and also Order No l5l dated January g. 1890,
And or.r No 15 dated July 1890 bearing on the same
cut ject, hereby revoked
Hereafter all pending claims in each class VIII DC then
mn for in order in which the unconsoefeo
evidence is fled, the object aimed at being piae''a'
.,ttu,n 70 the method prior TO 1889.
Whenever any evidence shall be received IN any case
such evidence will be strapped TO the case, ana 'he
file card be at once placed at the TOP OF te e'0
a, ,ho examiner in whose charge the case may be-
whenever any examiner shall have disposed OF all the
cases on his additional cases representa- oy tne me
cards bottom Of such examiners nieooH sn4 Se
useed on his desk for consideration and acuon ana ,he
proper calls for evidence shall be made or penang IN
oures answered the case, ii found 70 De compete
shs At once be submitted TO the Board OF Review ior
anal adjudication
Tho Commissioners reasons for his order Of revo-
cation given as follows
The .compe,ed nles system Objectionable in that IL
entails xta upon ne Bureau force without attendant
compromising benefits that 1t wors injustice 10 other claim
by taking up certain claims out Of their regular order
that claims certified by attorneys complete are usually
found upon examination not TO be complete and the subse
oea, notice 10 claimants their claims have been placed
upon the completed fcs'' raises deusive hopes and
expectations 10 the speedy allowance Of their claims
whh hopes and expectations are In many instances never
realized ard hence they naturally fe that they have
imposed upon BY the bureau anu ueif reasonable
expectations betrayed.
Thousands Of claims have been certified by attorneys
complete when, as matter Of fact evidence what
ever fled in support Of the claims and thousands
Of others certified complete when only part u the
necessary evidence had been furnished Those misleading
certificates have in many instances been made by at
torneys rs many Ave and six times in the claim
Again. this system claims placed on the Com
ple,sd files" ON Of interested parties before
proper Of the papers can be had by an ex
per In such matters. which Is manifestly improper
Again there provision in this system covering tho
great number rejected original claims, which work most
unjust delays touching those claims and unfairly dserm
mates against this class OF cases.
Under this system the leclerk In many instances
{, the service, 10 expected, from hurried examination
n, the evdence to determine whether the Endorsed
requirements Of the examiner This is manestly inn
practicable examiner OF the claim who has charge
OF IL from inception its final allowance or rejection
is alone competent readily to determine when the evidence
IA complete end claim ready for adjudication This
,ystem entails much unnecessary work upon both file
clerks and examiners In II permits attorneys nde
rty 10 sleQe that claims complete thereby necess
tnc the repeated drawing, considering and filing Of
elairns-n other words, taking of and putting on the
completed files" every time the attorney sees bit to
certify that the claim is complete IL also occasions
loss OF valuable In asserting, arranging and ming
l,s nv the nle.clerks who could best be utilized in
the osrbtfon evidence and other work pertaining to
the files and causes loss Of much time and labor In
di.psine Of slips after has gone from the Adj
Indicating Division 10 the Board OF Review In view
Of those and others which might be instaneed ana
I'm the interest Just and systematic adjudication
Of claims the sbrogaon completed hes'' system
and practical u that which prevailed prior TO It's
adoption is deemed advisable