The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-07-27
THE SUBJECT OF PENSIONS.
Commissioner Lochrcn Outlines the Adj
minist ratinn's Policy.

minist ratiun's Policy.
Pension Commissioner Lochrcn lras
outlined the pension policy of the add
ministration in a letter sent to Il prom
inent politician of Albany. The letter
is AS follows:
l can best answer your question by
reading To yOu the following exit act Of
letter have just written to the editor
of tho Albany Argus on this subject:
Under the pension laws enacted prior to
June. 1890. pensions were granted based upon
disabilities incurred In the military or naval
service, and in many cases specific ratings for
particular disabilities were DESIGNATED in tho
RCtA OF Congress. and 1t was provided generally
that for inferior disabilities an amount pro-
pOrtionate TO that for total disability should
cific ratings for srch inferior disabilities were
fixed by rules and orders Of this bureau. with
the approval OF the Sc, rotary Of the Interior.
Pensions granted for such disabilities OF serv-
ice origin are presumed to have been properly
granted and there will be no interference with
respect to such pensions.
Section Of the &C: Of June -. 1890, provided
that all persons who served ninety days
more In the military or naval service OF the
bellion, and who have been honorably dis
charged there:rom. and who are now. or who
may hereafter be. suffering from menta! or
physical disability Of a permanent character
not the result Of their own vicious habits,
which incapacitated them from the perform
ance of manual labor in such a degree to
render them unable to support shall upon
making due proof of the fact according to such
rules and regulations az the Secretary Of tho
Interior may provide be placed upon the list
OF invalid pensioners OF the United States, and
he entitled to receive a pension not exceeding
s12 per month and ESt less than 81 per month.
proportioned to the disability to earn a sup
port
This act permits the pensionfny OF soldiers
for disabilities of permanent character, al
though not Of rvicc origin. which tncapaci-
tates them from the yerformance OF manual
labor in such degree rs 20 render them nable
a ty<. .i% 90.
manual labor alone which entities them to he
pensioned under this act. and it is plain that
no specific injury or disability which does not
affect the capacity for manual labor gives any
right to pension under the act last referred TO.
Yet under an order. No. lt4. issued on October
i. 1890. and approved by the Assistant Secre-
tary of the Interior. it was directed in SUBJ
stance, that claimants under the act OF June 81.
1e9p, should be rated for specific disabilities.
to the maximum rating of 81 per month. and
where the DISABILITY, If Of service orisin, would
be ra ed higher than sll per month It should
be rated at fl2 per month
This rating was nanifestly by TIE act q
June -. l-So, and the effect OF the ORDER il IL
Illustrated by the bennett case. which called at
tention 20 it. In that case a claimant for pen
sion under the act of June -, ls@o, rated
Tor slight deafness AT So I or month: yet IL was
manifest that slight deafness would no. inter
fere materially with the claimants capacity 20
perform manu- al labor Upon inquiry the med
zeal referee reported oack acting under order
la referred 70. the capacity OF claimant TO per-
form manual labor was not ordinarily consid-
cred in adludicatinc claims Tor pensions under
! the act Of June -, lsat It was therefore
deemed necessary that these cases be re-exan-
iDed. and that where IL appeared upon the face
Of the papers that the Claimants were not. up
the evidence submitted. entitled to pen.
slons der the act OF June 21 Is.si such pen
stons should he usIended, and notice given TO
the pensioners 70 present further evidence in
support of their claims, and that where the
! claimant ultimately failed to show himself
entitled to pension under the law of June -
l,go, the pension should be dropped and the
case rejected. This is the only class OF cases
that Is being examined anu revised by this bu-
TcaU, and the necessity for such act ion is, l
think, sufficiently obvious