The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-06
EVANS'S NEW MOVES
Commissioner of Pensions Re-
v0keS Two Obstructive
Orders.

Obnoxious Order 229 One OF 1he"-So''
Evans's Action Calculated TO Justly Bene-
fit the Honest Pepsioner. Eacilhate Norh'
and Save Much Maney-Changes OF In
portauce i'm the Pension Burean-Keor-
gxuiEation Practically Complete.
Commissioner of Pensions Evans has been
making some significant and important
changes in the Pension Bureau that not only
aucur well for the veterans, but, 1t is believed,
will expedite work and prove economical. One
notion which is regarded as the best thing that
has been done for the honest pension sppii.
cant for four wears is his adjustment OF Order
229 The revocation of the order is OF interest
mot only to pension claimants but to thousands
of Notaries and Justices who are daily called
upon to prepare afidavts rs evidence In PEN
sion cases. Order 206 was abolished at the
same time.
The order revcking these orders was issued
Aprii 80. Order 229 was issued by Commits
sioner Lochren, dated June l9, 1893, and pro-
vided:
In the preparation of testimony in support
of claims in pension cases all statements affect
ing the particular case aud not merely formal,
must be written, or prepared to be typewriter,
in the presence OF the witness. and from his
oral declarations then made to the person who
then reduces the testimony TO writing or then
prepares the same to be typewriter. And
such testimony must embody q statement by
the witness that such testimony was all written,
prepared for typewriting las the case may
be-. in his presence. and only from has oral
statements then made; stating also the time,
place and person when, where anu TO whom
he made such oral statements, and that In
making the same he did not use, and was cot
aided or prompted by any written or printed
statement or recital. prepared or dictated oy
any other person and not attached rs an ex-
bibit to his testimony. Any needless delay In
the preparation of such testimony after such
oral statement by the Witness or in forwarding
the same 10 this Bureau, and any material
alteration or erasure will be cause for rejecting
sach testimony"
AN ORDER THAT WAS UNFAIR.
This order was part of the general policy OF
the last Administration to delay aud hamper
she prosecution of even the just pension claims
as TO the merits of which there could be no
question. 1t has always been regarded as not
only annoying to pension claimants, bnt not
calculated to correct any possible wrongdoing.
Order 206 was issued April 90, 1893, by Mr..
Murphy as Acting Commissioner. 1t read:
The Secretary's order of April ~. 1892,
touching Congressional calls for status. having
been revoked, il is ordered that hereafter ali
Congressional calls for status in cases where
the claimant is bons-fde resident in the Dis
trict in which the Representative resides, or, if
Senator resident Of the State represeute by
him, shall be promptly answered:
Provided. That status shall not be furnished
pftener than once in every 80 days. These
answers shalt be. as far rs practicable by letter.
and not by card circular, and in all cases
duplicate of the answer shall be filed in the
case, with proper Endorsement on said dupli.
cate, showing the name OF the Congressman to
whom status is given and the date of the same
THE Senator or Representative. in order to
receive the benefits of this privilege, will DE re-
quired to state in the call slip that the claim
ant is bona-fde resident of his Congressionl
District Tor Stete, if Senator). and that the
call is not made at the iustigation or request Of
any pension attorney or claim agent"
Order 206 was supposed TO restrict Congress
men from too frequent calls for the status of
pension claims but really had no such effect,
and entailed Q deal more time and clerical work
that should have been devoted elsewhere.
Commissioner Evans proposes to inaugurste .
system that will result in the giving of the de-
sired information more quickly, viii save thou.
sands of dollars annually, and will simplify the
work greatly. Heretofore the special personal
replies rendered necessary by this system have
entailed work BY half the force, and in three.
fourths of the cases the replies have been that
no new evidence was fled in the case, and the
Bureau could do nothing without it. Printed
circulars will take the place of these special re-
plies adapted to the various cases
Commissioner Evans. in speaking of the
revocation of these orders said both changes
were made for the better administration of the
pension laws. The Commissioner also ndorsed
the stand The NATIONAL TRIBUNE took last
week in regard 20 Order 229. Said he: +" The
order has been the cause OF much complaint
IL encouraged inscriptions pension attorneys
60 present claims that were not what they ought
10 be. and it often prevented very deserving
applicants from getting q just consideration of
their claims"
NEW ASSISTANT CHIEFS APPOINTED.
There are other interesting changes taking
place at the Pension Bureau.
During the past week the reorganization of
the Bureau has been practically completed BY
the appointment Of new Assistant Chiefs of the
various Divisions. . new Assistant Chief of the
Board of Review. a new Assistant Medical
Referee, new Law Clerk. and q new Assistant
Law Clerk. The Bureau is now indeed in the
hands of the friends of the old soldier The new
Deputy Commissioners, James I. Davenport and
Leyerette NJ. Kelley, are both experienced men,
the former having been ia various important
positions in the Bureau for many years past,
and the latter having been ia the Bureau dur
1Hg President HRrrisop's Administration. The
new Medical Referee, the new Chief Clerk, the
new Assistant Chief Clerk. the new Appoint.
fnent Clerk, the new Chief of the Board of
Review. and the new Chiefs Of Divisions, all
appointed earlier in the week are with two or
three exceptions, old soldiers, and all have
many years expei fence in pension practice, and
hfc thoroU2usy ln sympathy Win S0mnlle.
Eioner Evans's policy of fairness and justice.
Many members of Boards of Examin ing Sur
geons WHO served during President Harrison's
Administration are being reinstated, and it is
believed that there will be Q general re-
organization Of the Boards throu ghout the
country. There is considerable doubt as to
whether the Examining Surgeons are properly
within the Civil Service law, notwithstanding
President Cievciand's order of last January
All Governments employees within the Civil
Service are required TO work eight hours day:
and, inasmuch as Examining Surgeons for the
most part perform duties for only few hours
once or twice week, and paid by fees and
not by fixed salaries it seems probable that
when the matter is officially considered it will
be held that President Cleveland's order was a
misapplication OF the law. In any event. a
Government officer, within or without the
Civil Service law. may b. removed for cause
sno II ali accounts TO true there is ample cause
IA many instances for the removal Of Egamin.
ing Surgeons for unfairnese aud injustice to
pension applicants
CLERKS Must DO FULL DUTY.
Commissioner Evans, too. means to have the
clerks and other employees of the Pension Blu.
reao observe the sane rules are customary
IN large business Offices outside the Govern.
ment Service. This is evidenced by his Order
No. 1872, dated April %. 1897, mention OF which
was made In last ISSUE. aud which is as follows.
All employees of the Bureau, including
Chieis and Assistant Chiefs Of Divisions. will
be required to be at their respective desks
promptly at 8 a. m. and thereafter during the
working hours of the day. unless otherwise em.
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