The National tribune., 1895-06-27
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

| Correspondents should write each question on
| q separate sheet of psper give full name and adj
dress andmarlsit Correspondents Column" No
attention will he paid to communication not
| companied with pane aud address of writer. 1t is
| requested that stamp be- iacloscd for reply by
| letter. Postal cards will be replied TO by mail
! only. Replies by mail will ordinarily be made
within week. a.d IL in this column within three
| weeks.l
o. T., Sandy, Mich-Please inform me
whether there is any law allowing attorney
fec of $40 if the claim that he is prosecuting
is rejected. Has the attorney any right to de-
m2nd the fee il the claim is not allowed, and if
the claimant should pay i5 thore any way that
be could recover if the case should be finally
disallowed? AnsCer. Since July 4, 1884, 1t
has been unlawful for an attorney to accept or
demand fee in a pension claim in advance Of
| its allowance, and the fee, which has been con-
| tingent upon success, has been paid only upon
| the order of the Commissioner of Pensions For
the restitution OF fees paid IN any other manner,
and FOR the prosecution OF the offender, CORE
spond direct with the Commissioner From
June 20. 1878. to July q, 1884. an attorney was
permitted by the laws thsn in force, to collect
| from an applicant for pension, in advance of
| allowance of claim and irrespective of final
| success therein, fee not TO exceed So and
| fees so paid between said dates cannot be
covered even though the claim should be re-
! jected.
CE w., East Oakland, CaL-Please inform
empting from the payment of poll tax u. S.
pensioners. AH3Uer There is not nor can
! there be, As this is q matter that is governed
I by the laws of the several States, il being a
subject which the Federal laws have no
| jurisdiction.
| j. s.. JsDer8onuiue, O.-Please answer the fol-
| lowing question A widow applies for pension
under the act of Juno 81, 1890. and upon look
ing up the soldiers record il is found that he
| was enrolled on the Sd day of February, 1863;
| that his company was mustered in April 10.
1865, and that he was discharged by order of
| the War Department on May Is 1865. Is the
| service sufficient TO entite the widow to pen
! sion under this act? hnSTer If the soldier
was regularly enlisted in the service of the
United States, served therein the period of 80
days aud was honorably discharged thereform
! then the service would be sufficient The
service above referred to appears to possess tho
/ necessary requisites.
Mrs L. J. H., CenterciUe Io,ca.-If an old
! soldier who is a pensioner should become in
sane, what would become of his pension? IN
sUer. That would depend upon circu instances
| II he had no guardian, and If he had wife
| and she were woman of good character, the
| Commissioner Of Pensions could direct the pay
! ment of the pension TO her upon her properly
executed voucher If no wife, then to the
guardian of the children, if any upon the
| properiy-cxecuted voucher OF the guardian.
If the pensioner had guardian, then the per-
sion would be paid 10 such guardian, even
! though there were a wife and children.
J.. ", Angola, NJ Please inform mo
| through the Correspondents Column as to
whether Decoration Day is National holt
| day by act Of Congress; it is constantly dis
puted. Insurer. We find but two acts of Con-
| gregs bearing uDon this matter; the act of Feb.
| ~ 1887 provided that employees OF tho Gov
| eminent should be allowed Decoration Day !"
and July 4 Us holidays, and should be paid
therefor; the act Of Aug. /, 1888, made Dec
Grafton Day" a holiday for the District of CO.
| lumbia, and this seems 10 be as far as Congress
| has gone, il not being within the province of
| that body to dictate to the several States what
days should or should not be observed as legal
| holidays. There are but two holidays that are
National in the sense that they are observed in
| all the States and Territories, and those are
Christmas and Fourth Of July. Memorial Day,
| or Decoration Day, is observed a holiday in
q of the States and Territories, viz: Arizona
| California. Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware
| Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mary
| land Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota Mon
tans, Nebraska, Nevada New Hampshire, New
Jersey. New York. North Dakota. Ohio, Okla
homa, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and
| Tennessee.
Al r.. ScottUiHe, Neb.-What is the limit of
! time for filing of evidence to reopen "a rejected
| calm after IL is rejected? AhsUer. In claim
for straight increase of pension chat is, an in
| crease on the pensi0ned disabilities or their
| sequenccsl, the testimony to reopen must be
flied within 80 days from the date of rejection,
or the case will be finally closed. and to secure
further consideration it would DO necessary to
file new application, and the increase if allow
| ed Hereunder would date only from medi-
| cal examination held under the last applica-
ton. In all other claims, original and addi-
| tional. there is no limit of time within which
testimony may be filed TO reopen, as such cases
| are really never closed except by allowance
though, of course, their reopening depends upon
| the relevancy and value Of the testimony sub
| mtted.
GENERAL DEBILITY FROM OVER-woRK.