The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-04-11
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.


Correspondents should write each question on
8 separate sheet of paper, give full name and adj
dress ana marls IL Correspondents Column" No
atten ton will be paid TO communications not &c
cOmpanied with name and address of writer. IL is
requested that stamp be inclosed for reply by
letter. Postal cards will be replied to by mail
only. Replies by mail will ordinarily be made
within week. and II in this column within three
weeks.I
j. C., National Military Home Kan-A man
retired from the U. S. Army applies for PEN
sion under the act of June 81, 1890, having a
permanent disability and honorable dis
charge from the volunteer service, and his
claim is rejected on the ground that he is al
ready drawing pay from the Government and
is therefore not eligible to pension. Is there
any law for ths2 Ansicer. Yes; the act of
March 3, 1891, provides that ono pension shall
be allowed or paid to any officer, non-commis-
stoned officer, or private in the Army, Navy, or
Marine Corps Of the United States either on
the active or retired list. for any period subse-
quent to the 81 day of March, 1891"
A. X. M, BlaiT's Gap Tsnn.-I have been in
formed that the last Congress changed the law
with respect TO r.. 8. Examining Surgeons.
Did it, and in what way1 AHswer. If you had
carefully read our editorials and had perused
this column. you would have noted that from
and after March q 1895, Examining Surgeons
are TO rate all persons examined, but that the
reports of such Surgeons will not be open to the
inspection of the claimant or his attorney.
L.. Gray Me.-Please inform me whether a
pensiouer who is drawing small pension
under the act OF June 81, 1890, can have his
claim for increase under the old law reopened?
AHSrer. A claim for straight increase of PEN
sion under the old law that has been rejected
on the ground that the pensioner is in receipt
of all 10 which entitled cannot be reopened
after 90 days from date OF rejection, and in
general it cannot be reopened within that pc
riod. Usually q new application is the only
way that the claim can be gotten on its feet
again. The fact of being pensioner under the
act of June "a, 1880, does not njuriously affect
the claim.
j. L., Blunt, s. Did the bill pass to PEN
sion Government employees constructing rail-
ways during the war; especially those SO dis
abled? AHSger. No.
IT. b., Mint, Tenn.-1. Has the law taken
effect obliging u. S. Examining Surgeons to
rate and can the claimant or his attorney see
the reports 2. Is it right or lawful for U. $.
Examining Surgeons to examine claimant
in the presence of q Special Examiner of
the Pension Bureau? AnSUer /. The law has
taken effect, but under it neither the claimant
nor his attorney can see the report of the Sur
geons. 2. 1t has been the custom for many
years. where q claim is under special examina-
tion, for Special Examiner, at whose instance
a claimant is examined, to be present at the
examination.
j. H. A., COran Tenn-A soldier served in the
Mexican war and in the late war, and died in
1873, leaving daughter under the age of is
years; no widow. Is the daughter entitled
to pension, never having applied therefore, AB-
SUer. No; not under present rulings.
Il. w., Br0OkTaie, HdB-ls there a law in
creasing $72- a-mOnth pensioners to SI00
month AHSUer. No; the $100rate is for loss
of both hands only. where of service origin.
ID N L..
that soldiers of the late war who are over the
age of 72 years shall be pensiousi at the rate
of S12 month? hHSlrer. No.
Il. W. s., NeU Hauel Center, Mich-I draw
pension under the act of June 81 1890. at the
rate of $22 month, and my disability is total
loss of one eye and cataract of the other, and
is of permanent character; am l entitled
to o higher rating? ARSlrer. Not under the
act of June 81, 1890, as $l2 per month is the
highest rate that can be paid Hereunder. To
get more than you now receive, you would
have to establish claim under the old law,
which could be done only by connecting your
disability with the service.
d. B. w. Green City Mo-. Has the length
of service of Mexican war soldiers been re-
duced from 60 days to any less number that
entities them to pension? ?. Has there been
any recent legislation that grants pension to
the Missouri Militia? AHsrer. !. TIE act of
Jan. 20. 1887, requiring SO days service or par
ticipatIOn in some battle in said war (AIexican
war;. or personal mention in some resolution
of Congress- has not been modified. 2. There
has been no legislation that entities any organ
izations that were not regarded as pensonable
prior to the present Administration what has
been done is to pass House resolution to
restore the status, under the act of June "a,
1880, of the Missouri State Militia and the III
regiments of the Provisional Enrolled Missouri
Militia; both these organizations nave oeen
pensionable under the old law ever since
March g. 1873, and under the Raum regime
were held to be entitled under the act OF June
27, $780, and were granted pension thereunder
when the necessary conditions OF 80 days
SERVICE honorable discharge, and the requisite
degree of disability existed. The reason for
this new law, which has been exploited good
deal by certain newspapers, is that the Assist
ant Secretary made a decision holding that
title to pension under the act of June "a, 1890.
did not exist where the service upon which
the claim rested was a service not covered by
the first paragraph of Section 4693. Il. S. U. S. 4;
this destroyed the pensionable status under
said act Of those organizations provided for BY