The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-10-11
OUR coRREsPoNDENrs.

| Correspondents should write each question a.
= separate sheet of paper, give full name and I'd,
oress and marSit Correspondents Column" No
attention viii be paid to communications not 40
Companled with name and address Of writer II =
/ requested that a stamp be inclosed for reply b.
letter. Postal cards viii be replied to by mall
/ only. Replies by mail will ordinarily De made
/ within week. and II IN this column within thrSe
weeks.l
| Old ConrGde, Chicago. M-when a soldier served
under an assumed name aud is required by the
| Pension Bureau to furnish the testimony Of two
witnesses a. to his identity and cannot do So 10
| there any other way under the law by which ho
can give satisfaction to the Pension BuresuI An
stDer. We know Of none.
| F. F.. Ripley. O-PIease inform regular sub
scriher u the last Congress passed any law under
which the Commissioner OF Pensions can be COM
| PEELED to inform pensoner of the names of in
formers against him; Anstoer. The only leRislA-
ton on the subject il the OF Dee 81 1898 which
provides that pension shall not be withheld or
suspended without 30 days notice TO the grantee
and such notice to grantee must contain a full
and true statement of any charges or allegations
upon which such decision granting such pension
shall be sought to be In any manner disturbed or
modified" This law must be complied with
y. q. NJ, Hadison. Ind. What is the fec allowed
by law ia claim for straight increase Of pension
under the old law, filed ia April. 1897? Is 10 noa
$40? Anstrsr. Two dollars; as the act of March 8
1891, provides that in claims for straight increase
shall be but s.
2. B. r. Eau RireT. EIs-A soldiers widow. =
pensioner. nils out her voucher for pension due
her up to Feb. 4. 1894; is taken iil and dies: the
check OF the Z. 8 Pension Agent comes 10 the
postofhce and is returned the said gent By the
Postmaster, and the poor relatives of Ihe widow
have to bear the expenses of her last illness and
burial. What could be done toward obtaining the
amount OF the check for such expenses7 Aaslcer
IL the check was actually mailed the widow
prior to her DEATH then such act the part Of the
Agent constituted payment within the intendmenb
OF the law, and upon proper showing of the facts
the legal representative could collect il; II not
mailed until after her DEATH then it is not probable
that any collection could be made We understand
That the question OF reimbursement in such cases =
Interior Department. ma h
settled at an early date.
j. c. g.. Queenstown Ireland-what Is sbs law
regarding Consul of the United States Charging
fees for the execution of pension vouchers1 IN
stOer. He cannot lawfully charge for such service
as the act of June Z 1888 provides that AI United
States officers now authorized to administer oatha
are hereby required and directed to administer any
and All osths required to be made By pensioners
and their witnesses in the execution Of theiT
vouchers free of charge"
J. H. B., Vest Netcton, Pa-Please state the mum.
Der OF pensioners on the rolls, giving the numbsf
OF each class of pensioners some Dension-hater1
are stating that there are 800 900 soldiers on the
rolls: Answer. On July l. 1894. there were on tho
pension rolls 1854 pensioners of all classes OF
these 3oZ.Z4 were invalid pensioners under the
general law, q, 600 widows under the general law
ZbI4 minors, 81, 14S mothers, 46l4 fathers 100
bIoahers and sisters Under the act of June q,
1890, there were said date 469 334 pensouers OF
which S15Os4 were survivors, 84;224 widows and
chlIdren, o,o3o mothers, 3,40l fathers Also 2I1sS
pensioners under the Mexican war act; 3Ss In
dian war act; 4,492, 1872 war; 4I4, Army Nurse
act.
". ". Soldiers Home, Qtsincy M-Does thu
Governments pay pensions 10 soldiers Of foreign
birth who served in the late war, and who have
returned TO their native country? Anstcer. Ifthey
are not citizens of the United States then 81 non.
resident they are not pensOned under the act Of
June n 1880, but can be pensioned under the
general law for disabilities of service origin; II
citizens of the United States then residence abroad
does not affect soldiers title pension under any
law.
H. B. g.. Stanstead, Canada.-I. Did Congress.
prior To adjournment, repeal the act Of March l.
1893 prohibiting the payment OF pension certain
U-TRl mot ,fH.nf 81
that accrued on the certificate up to July l. 1885
when the law became OpeTaIiveI Anstger l. No.
z No; as the law Is so interpreted to preclude
any such payment after July l. 1898. If title
thereto had accrued prior to said date. weex
that this law will be repealed during the next ses-
G. L. C., MoRon, Lld-Has there been law enacted
giving soldiers of the Mexican war Sl2 q month";
regardless Of disability or dependency Some of
tile Democrats here are stating in order TO help
that party. ARS10eT. No; to get the SI2 rate re-
CURES that the survivor widows entitled to
1t; this refers to Mexican widows) should be
not only wholly unable TO perform any manual
labor, but in such destitute circumstances that the
sum OF IS per month IS insufficient to provide him
with the necessaries of life.
j. IT., Pembroke. s. D.-PIease inform me how
long soldier who served four years and eight
months during the late must live on Govern
ment land In order acquire title under the home
stead law? Ans,0er. Two years.
a. r. r. pfckS6urg, Aiss.-A remarked widow
files claim for pension based service of former
husband, having minor children by suoh former
husband; during the tendency OF the claim she
and expense of these children entitled to the PEN
sion that his wife would have drawn had she ivedH
AnSICer. No.
G. f. T., Rockford, IH-I When is the Board OF
Revision going to- cease its operations? z Can
man and his wife both properly draw pension at
the same time? AnsCer l. We do not know. 3. Yes;
she might be pensioned a dependent mother for
son lost in the service and he might be pensoned
upon his own service. Such cases are not very
infrequent and are strictly within the law
d. d., Cincinnati, OIL have been drawing q
pension OF Sl2 month under the act OF June q,
1890 and was ordered TO show cause why should
not be reduced to IS a month. Evidence was fur
geons on the 18th of this month. When shall
know the result and shall l be notified in any
event? AnStCer We cannot say as TO when Won
will be adj vised of the result, these some
lines drag along for months; but when final action
10 taken you will be informed by the Pension Blu
reau.
J. l. T., Port Jsrvis. n. IA widow applies for
pension. 1t 10 granted. She dies the 9Th Of
he month, and on the 18th a check in payment OF
lie pension comes. She has two children suryiy-
ng. Can they collect The check? AnstSer. Motif
over the age of 16 years Had she been a PEN
doner, then If the check actually mailed to
he pensioner prior to her death, it could be col
eeted by her legal representative. This does not
Iold good where the person never really drew any
pension, as In the case you cite.
H. A. H., SdbinSriHe, PG.-Where a soldiers
claim Is sent to the Board of Review. from thence
ioes 1T go, and when will final action be taken on
/? Answer. If allowed it goes to the Certificate
Division, and in the course of a few weeks certi-
icate issues. If disallOwed, the claimant will be
o notified in few weeks.
w. f.. JefersoBVilLe. Iad.-Was q law passed dur.
ng Gen. Harrison's Administration increasing GER
ain pensions to $50 per month where not actually
'edfast? AnSI1er. You refer to the act of July IA
S92 which provides a rating of $50 a month where
y of disabilities shown be of service ORR
,in the pensiOner is not only wholly unable to
,erform any manual labor, but is helpless 10 the
xtent of requiring the frequent and periodical
hOugh not regular and constant, personal aid and
attendance of another person.