Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-09
Important Amendments Provided
in Major Pioklers Bill.
CONFEDERATE SERVICE NOT 4 BAR
Reduced Rates, Except for Fraud,
to Be Restored.
RIGHT TO INSPECT PAPERS

The chairman of the committee on inva-
lid pensions, Maj. Pickler. has introduced
a bill in the House. which will be urged
at this session, proposing some import
ant amendments to the pension laws.
Among the new provisions are the follow
ing:
That no person otherwise entitled by vir-
tue Of any law of the United States shall
be disqualified from receiving pension by
reason of the soldiers prior service in the
confederate army or navy, that widows
generally may prove their marriage and
birth Of children in the same manner as
now provided by section 4705 of the Re-
vised Statutes in the case Of widows Of In
dams and colored soldiers: that no pen
sions shall hereafter be reduced or discon-
tinued except for fraud
Reduced Rates to BE Restored.
That all pensions reduced since March 4,
1893, except for fraud, shall be restored at
the rate the pensioner was receiving at the
time of reduction or discontihuance, and in
case of death the accrued pension shall be
paid to the widow or heirs; tina. the COM
mon law presumption of death. after the
lapse Of seven years without ddingS of the
missing person, shall obtain in the admin
istration of the pension laws; that the
presumption shall be that the injury al
legged was received in line of duty" when
the soldier was with his command at the
time the injury was incurred; that in no
tifications from the pension bureau the
claimant shall be informed as to every fact
upon which further evidence is required.
and Of the character of the evidence neces-
sary to establish the same.
Right to Inspect Papers.
Every claimant or his attorney shall have
the right to inspect every paper or writing
in any department or office that may bear
upon his claim. The oath Of a person who
served as a private or non-commissoned
officer shall not have less weight than the
oath Of commissioned officer. That under
the act of June %, 1890, a service of ninety
days and an honorable discharge shall be
sufficient to give title to pension under
said act, Notwithstanding a prior sub
sequent service from which said soldier
was not honorably discharged, and the
service as shown in the discharge Ger
tificate shall be conclusive: provided, that
the death of soldier while in the service
of the United States shall be equivalent to
an honorable discharge.
As to Disability.
That an application under said act shall
be sufficient If the applicant alleges a dis
ability, which renders him unable to earn
a support, and every disability found to exist
which Is recognized as pensionable under
rfie general pension laws snail be taken IN to
consideration and the ratings shall be the
same. not to exceed So. as under the gen.
eral laws, providing that pensions hereto
fore allowed at less than such rate shall be
rerated and the difference paid the pen
sioner. That in all claims for pensions I'M
der said act the presumption shall be that
the disabilities alleged are not The result
of vicious habits, but this presumption
may be rebutted, and providing that the
pension shall be allowed unless 1t conclu-
sively appears that the disabilities proved
are the result of the vicious habits estab-
lished by the evidence
Rejected Claims.
That on the rejection of claim under
said act on the ground Of no pensiona BILE
disability, the applicant shall not be re-
qrired to file a new application, but on
the sworn statement of a reputable physi-
clan that such disability does exist, an or
der shall issue for the applicants re-exam-
nation, and in case of a favorable report
the pension when allowed shall date from
the filing of the rejected application. The
term without other means of support"
ETC., In regard to widows, shall be held to
mean without an income of 500 per an
num- The acceptance of a soldier into the
military or naval service shall be con-
elusive of soundness. except where 1t an
pears of record that the disability claimed
for existed at the time of acceptance.
That in the administration Of the Zen
sion laws, in cases of doubt, the presimp-
ton shall be in favor Of the claimant.