The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-06-28

tion bill.
Mr.. Cogswell Mr.. Chairman, ask to hav
read what now send to the desk.
The Clerk read as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
| WASHINGTON, d. c., June 4, 1894
| MADAM: Relative to the above cited claim, hav
to advise you that 1t IS inadmissible upon the evl
dence now on file, and that it has been deemed ad
| vissbe TO have special examination of the same
Owing, however, to the limited appropriation b!
Congress to cover the expenses of Special Examin
ers for the next fiscal year. and the large humble
OF cases now awaiting special examination II is i'm
possible 10 state definitely when it will be reached
for investigation, but it will be placed in the pend
ing files OF this Bureau and taken up in its regular
| order.
1t is proper to add that unless Congress shall ap
proprate an additional amount for the expenses o
this branch of the service, it is not believed tha
the above cited claim can be disposed of within the
fiscal year ending June 90, 1895.
Very respectfully, VIM LocHREN,
| Commissioner.
Mr.. Cogswell. This is letter which is being
| sent out by the Pension Bureau direct to the
applicants themselves, stating that because o1
| an insufficient appropriation for the pay oil
| special Examiners, cases needing such exami-
nation will have to wait year or two before
| they are reached.
l now send to the desk to be read letter
which is sent to claimants through Congress.
men, in answer TO Congressional calls for in
| formation.
The Clerk read as follows:
| DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, J
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON, ID. c., June Is. 1894
MADAM: Relative 10 the above cited claim,
have TO advise you that it Is inadmssbie upon the
evidence now on file, and that it has been deemed
advisable TO have special examination of the
same.
Owing, however, TO the large number of cases
now awaiting special examination, il is impossible
10 state definitely when IL will be reached for in
vestgaiion, but il viii be placed in the pending
hics Of this Bureau and taken up In its regular
order.
This information is furnished in response to the
request of the Hon. William Cogswell, to be adj
vised as TO the status OF your claim.
Very respectfully, d. /. MURPHY,
Acting Commissioner.
Mr.. Cogswell. Mr.. Chairman, it would seem
that when the Pension Bureau answers the
claimant directly, it sends a letter like the one
first read by the Clerk, intimating dereliction
of duty on the part of Congress in making
appropriation of the necessary funds. But
when it sends letter to the same claimant,
which goes through our hands. it omits the re-
Election which it casts seemingly casts, on
Congress, of making insufficient appropriations
/ would like 10 ask the gentleman from Mis-
souri, Mr.. Dockery]. who had charge of the
legislative bill which carried this appropria-
tion-a gentleman who, l know, would not for
moment advise an appropriation less than
requlred-lf 1t be true that in the legislative
bill appropriating money for these Special Ex-
sminers, totally insufficient amount was
recommended by his sub committee.
Mr.. Dockery. Mr.. Chairman, the Commits
sioner of Pensions submitted an estimate for
the special examination force for the ensuing
fiscal year of 100000.
The appropriations for the current fiscal
year, including the deficiency allowed at this
session, if l am not incorrectly informed,
amounted in the aggregate to 100000. The
subcommittee In charge OF the legislative ap-
preparation bill gave the whole question a very
thorough and exhaustive examination. and
reached the unanimous conclusion as l remem-
Der, that $4,000 would be sufficient for that
service for the ensuing fiscal year.
may say, however in justice to the Bureau,
that the Commissioner insists that the amount
should be 100000. The subcommittee, how
ever, did not concur in that view.
MIR. Cogswell. ] want to ask the gentleman
If am to understand that the committee are of
the opinion that the amount carried in the
legislative bill is sufficient for the purposes of
special examination of pension claims, and il
from that ! can draw the inference that the
Pension Bureau is uujustly rejecting upon Con-
gress and the Committee on Appropriations,
when it writes 10 a claimant that, owing to the
insuiiciency OF the appropriation, his or her
claim cannot be touched or looked into during
the year 1885.
Mr.. Dockery. The question involved is a
difference of opinion between the Committee
OH Appropriations and the Pension Bureau
In 1887 the appropriation for this service
amounted to $4,000; in 1888 1925 900;
in 1889, 225,000; in 1890, 225, 900; in 1891,
225,O00; in 1892. 1900; i'll 1893, 200 900, with
a deficiency of so. 600; for the fiscal year 1894
100000, with = deficiency allowed at this ses-
sion of 100000 or 100000 altogether for the
present fiscal year.
Mr.. SayeTs. As against how much for the
past two years?
Mr.. Dockery. AS against one appropriation
of S2l5,O0O for 1892, and appropriation of
S220. 600 for 1893 OF course, the issue involved
here is simply one of opinion. The Census
Bureau insists that it should have $500, OO0
The committee thought that 100000 would be
sufficient.
Mr.. Holman An increase of 5000 OOOP
Mr.. Dockery. No; 100000 altogether.
That is $50, 600 less than the last fiscal year, in
GLIDING deficiency of $4,000 for the last
fiscal year and $4,000 less than for the fiscal
year 1892.
OF course the matter is now pending in the
other body, aud until action is had there in
connection with the conference or further
action on the part of the House, it cannot be
said what appropriation will be made for this
service for the next year.
Mr.. Cogswell. Mr.. Chairman, it is true that
the bill is pending in the other branch of Con-
gress, and has not become law, and no one
can fairly say what the appropriation for 1895
will be Oh this particular subject. Yet desire
to have it 90 upon record that the Pension
Bureau, since the action Of the House. has been
sending out to the claimants for pensinos in
this country the statement that because of the
insnfflciency OF the appropriation for the year
1885, these claims cannot be handled or reached
or touched during the fiscal year 1895.
Now we have the fact that this information
is being sent out to claimants that this House
has been derelict in its duty, that it has not
provided money enough, when the statement
of the gentleman in charge Of the bill is that
the amount which this House appropriated in
the bill sent over to the Senate is sufficient
desire 1t also 10 go upon record that when
the Pension Bureau answers this same call of
this same widow. through communication
which passes through my hands, it sends
different wording, which am supposed to read
than 1t sends direct to the claimant herself
which is a reflection upon Congress, while the
~ 0uffor:n~