Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-22
PENSION Law.

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State Board Explains Its Provisions.
There has been much doubt as to the
exact meaning of the new pension law
among the county boards. Some have
been constituting it one way and some
another. In order to have necessary
uniformity, the State board of pensions
has issued the following circular letter
explaining their Interpretation of the
law.
To County Examining Board of Pen
sions:
GENTLEMEN The varied construc-
tion of the pension laws, as shown by
the action of the different boards re-
porting up to this date, induce the
State board of pensions to address this
circular letter to you hoping to aid in
necessary uniformity of. action and
construction ofthese laws.
By this we hope to save disappoint-
ments to many applicants, much valu-
able time, labor and trouble to the
State and county boards. Some of the
county boards in making up class "a"
the $500 per month) include the help
less, INDECENT Confederate soldiers
whose disabilities arise from causes in
no way connected with wounds re-
ceived while in the service ofthe State
or Confederate States. The helpless
INDECENT soldier, disabled by the in
frmities age, diseases, paralysis, etc.,
under the law, cannot be placed in
class GA" but only those who have
lost sight or hands or feet or are ply
sically helpless from wounds received
while in the service. Accidents to a
soldier since the war, causing physical
disabilities neither from wounds, dis
ease nor other causes, can be consid-
cred application for class GA" as the
State board construes the law. Let US
examine into each class, GA" "B, !"
&C." and see who must constitute them
under the laws. Class GA" or $500
per month, can embrace as above only
the physically disabled soldier by blind
ness, being MANNED or otherwise made
helpless from wounds received while
in the service of the State or Confed-
crate States, and whose gross income
from salary, wages or from other
sources does not exceed $3.50, nor
themselves or wives have property
sufficient to produce an income of $3.50.
There are but few Of this class in the
State. -.
Class "B" must be made from the
one-armed, one-legged or other wounds
equivalent to the loss of one of these
limbs, whose physical disabilities does
not render them helpless entirely and
whose incomes do not exceed $3.50 nor
they or wives are possessed of proper
ty sufficient to produce such income.
Glass "B" like class GA" embraces
only wounded soldiers, not widows or
soldiers not wounded. Class &c" en-
braces soldiers and widows, but SOL
diers only above 60 years of age, whose
gross income from all sources does not
exceed 500. Soldiers with physical
disabilities not tracable by the exam
ining physician directly to wounds, Or
causes produced while in the service of
the State or Confederate States, it
matters not how aged and infirm, can
not be placed in higher class than
&C." and only in this class when above
60 years old and have gross income
of less than 500. There are under
the laws three classes Of widows, viz
First, Those whose husbands died
while in the service, have not remar-
ried and have gross income of less
than $3.50 second, widows of pension
ers; and third, widows over 60 years
old, whose incomes are less than 500
and have insufficient property to pro-
duce it. All widows must be placed
in class &C."
Many applications are not completed
Sometimes the Auditors certificate is
not signed, the examining physician
fails to fully describe wounds or the
board signs application with no recon-
mendations or indications of "appro-
val" or "disapproval." The State
board cannot "approve" when irregu-
larities appear and cannot, for want of
time, return for correction and thus
worthy applicants be rejected.
The State board desires the fullest
possible reasons in each case for zap
proval' or "disapproval." Please do
not merely write "approval," but
plainly state reasons. Auditors some
times mutilate their statements or
make the case doubtful by insertions
and erasuIes in the printed forms.
Give all the facts obtainable that the
law may apply alike to all applicants.
The State board is anxious to execute
the pension law fairly, fully and
promptly, but cannot do so without
the prompt, intelligent and full coop
Grafton of the county boards. We
must have all applications at once
now. The law requires this money
paid by June 15th-an impossibility
unless reports are sent in at once.
Respectfully,
JAMES NORTON,
Compt. Gen. for State Board of Pen.