The National tribune., 1896-04-30
THE NEW PENSION BILE

| the House Committee on Invalid Pen
sions-Col J. a. Picker, of South Da-
kota, Chairman-has been industriously
at work upon a bill which would cure
the evils in the administration of the
pension system, as to which there has
been such loud complaint all over the
country. This was a work of extraordi-
nary difficulty, for not only were there
to be found WAYS and means of COM
polling the Executive authority TO do
that which il is strongly disinclined to
do. but the divergent views of some 300
Congressman as to the best ways to do
this had TO be reconciled. Each of these
came to Congress filled with anger at the
course of the Pension Bureau, and
equally full of ideas as to the best man.
ner of correcting the wrongs and Unjust
ices.
The results of the labors of the COM
mittee came before the House last week
in voluminous bill, the main features
of which have already been given in our
columns. Col. Picker opened the dis
cussion and supported the bill in an cx
ceedingly able speech, in which he took
up the sections, one by one, and eX-
planned in detail the reasons for each,
and gave incontrovertible considerations
legal, patriotic and equitable-why
they should be incorporated into the
pension system.
Section / gives relief TO the loyal peo-
pie of the South who were forced into
the rebel army, but managed to make.
their escape and serve at least 80 days
in the Union army. This merely re-
stores the rule of the Pension Bureau
UP to the incoming of the present Ad-
ministration.
Sec 2 is far reaching in its sweep,
and, it is hoped, will right many wrongs
of the present management of the Pen
sion Bureau. 1t provides:
SEC. . That from and after the passage
of this act no pension heretofore granted. or
which may hereafter lie granted, under the
pension laws shall be reduced or discon-
tnued except for fraud, clerical error, mis-
take Of fact, or recovery from disabil ty:
Progided hoaUeuer, That nothing heIein con-
tanned shall be construed 10 eniiile any
person 10 more than pension, or as
allowing more than one pension for the
same service, nor TO affect or enlarge the
pension rights of widows aud others under
ssciiuns 1902, 47O6. and 470S of the Revised
Statutes of the United States and acts sup
Elemental TO and amendat0Ty thereof
This is intended to have all the merits
of the "vested rights" principle, and
give every man ard woman entire Sc
curity in the possession Of bis or her
pension.
Sec. 3 provides that the pensioners
dropped or suspended by the interpreta-
ton given the law of 1890 by the present
Commissioner shall be restored to the
rolls.
Sec. 4 does away with the present
practice of the Bureau in Investigations
into alleged frauds, and provides that
examinations shall be by question and
answer, instead Of having the Special
Examiner report The testimony in his
own language, which gives him an OPP
portunity TO color it TO suit his own
views. The examination must be con-
Quoted at the seat of the County in
which the pensioner resides, and he must
be given every opportunity to defend
himself, according TO the laws and Gus
tom Of the land in other actions.
Gee 5 provides that the oath Of an
enlisted man shall be of equal weight
with that Of a commissioned officer, ard
that no claim shall be rejected because
Of claimants inability to furnish the
testimony Of more than one witness to
any material fact.
Sec. 6 revokes the odious Order No.
800, which ordered that statements
should be typewriter in the presence of
the witness, and provides that all testi-
mony shall be prepared according to
forms customary in the courts throughout
the land.
Sec. Z provides that all notifications
/ from the Bureau as TO the status of a
case must SET forth every fact upon which
additional evidence is required.
Sec. s abolishes the hateful conf
dental communications" and pro-