The National tribune., 1896-04-16
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

ICsrrespondenss should write each question
8 separate sheet OF paper. give full name and adj
dress sndmaTSit Corresponding Column" NO
attention will be paid 10 communications not ne
COMMANDED with AMI address of writer. Ii is
requested that stamp be inciosed for reply by
letter. Postal cards will he fepiIed TO by mail
only Replies by mail viii ordinarily be made
within week. and II III this column within three
weeils.l
C. II. McC., Helena. Okla-Please state how
much pension a month under the act OF June
81 1880. the minors of deceased soldier would
draw, the widow being dead2 Insurer. Ques-
tions similar to this have been frequently an
swered in this column. If there were but one
minor entitled it would draw $40 month (S3
and 81; iftwo minors, they would each draw SO
month Tone half of s. and 81: ii there were
four minors entitled, they would each draw 81
a month tone-fourth of SO and 81. The So IS
drawn jointly by those entitled aud each Is, IN
addition. entitled to - month. In case OF Jour
children entitled, rs soon as Que Of them had at
tanned the age of I6 years its 81 would lapse.
and the IS would then be divided among the
remaining three minors, that then each
would draw one-third of 50 and its 81 addi-
tional; when three oi the minors had attained
the age OF 10 years. the remaining one would
draw the whole of the 50 anu its additional 81
month, or SO III the aggregate, terminating
when IL reached he age OF III years. (See our
reply 10 w. T. G.. in issue of March ), 1867
j. r., LeareRu0rth, KaH.-I understand that
under a recent law pensioners under the act OF
June q, 1880. whose pension did not date from
time of list application how get IL from
date of first filing. Is this so? AHsuer. Under
the act of March 6, 1896, All original pension
nnGer the act of june "a, 1880, Will date from
filing Of first application, providing the tcst-
mony shall show pensionable disability to
have then existed but as III those where
pension has dated from second, third,
fourth application filed after the first was
jcctcd. the testimony on file has not shown to
the satisfaction OF the Commissioner that a
pensouabie degree of disability existed at date
of first filing, or, In fact, for any aeriod prior to
date pension began. In alf<sHcl cases 10 is
reasonable TO suppose that there will be great
difficulty in convincing the Commissioner that
pensionabe disability existed for any period
prior to that covered by present allowance.
NJ. w. H., Mem HGCen Conn.,. Is there n
Government hospital at Hot Springs, Ark?
2. Can an old veteran be admitted to it? IN
slcer. /. les. 2. No. 1t is not for volun teers,
but for the sick of the Regular Army and Navy.
X. y. L., Petersburg. ~ f.-Is it necessary
for Notary Public, using no seal, to file GER
tificate of his official character in United
States Pension Agency when he has such GER
tifcate filed in the Pension Bureau? AEsWeF.
Yes.
T.. j. r., Bradley, Mch.-On what day did the
birth of the 5ith Congress occur? Some say the
nrSt mOnuity III DeceulOeT anu OtHeES liic 4in
Of March, 1895. daSUer The 9th Congress
dates from the 4th of March. 1895. although not
convened until Monday, Dec. =, 1895. It's men,
bers will be paid from March 4, 1895, to March
4, 1897.
r. u. s., Cambridge, o.. Please state the
ruling as to age that entities soldier to
rating for total disability both under the old
law and under the act of June u, 1890. 2.
How many witnesses does it take to establish
n disability cnu RAJ al in the eprVipp2 IUyIrPr
l. Age is not factor in considering any claim
under the general law, as it is not i'll any way
connected with the military service. One can
not lie rated for disability due to age in claim
filed under the provisions of the old or general
law. As to claims filed under the act of June
81 $780, there is ruling of the Comm ssoner
OF Pensions that if the applicant has reached
the age of 20 years he shall be held by reason
of such age TO be disabled by senile debility to
a degree emitting him to the maximum rate
Hereunder, So. p A question like this can
not DO satisfactorily answered. Any fact in
issue in q pension claim must be established by
what is to the Commissioner of Pensions due
proof of the fact. The circumstances in each
case will materially govern, and therefore
what wonld be due proof of the fact in one
case might wholly fail in another In
considering such a question the crcdlbllity
of the witnesses, their means of observa-
ton and their ability to arrive at the con-
illusions reached aud the reasonableuess of
such conclusion. il any, are all factors. Our
observation is that there are some cases where,
in the absence of record Of treatment in the
service or 1T date of discharge. amount of
evidence as to existence of the alleged disability
in the service will be accepted to prove the fact
of incurrence therein. 1t depends upon the
nature of the disability and the history of the
case.
d. s., Cardington, GA soldier is receiving
pension for one disability and applies for adj
ditional pension another of services origin
and established his claim therefor. Is there
any ruling of the Department that allows the
Commissioner of Pensions to add that disability
to the certificate of pension aud not allow an
increase of rate thereon? Ansmer. Yes. 1t is
not unusual for reissue to be so made and the
additional disability added to the certificate
without any increased rating therefoE.