The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-06
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sug.
gestions Made.

l
companied will, name and address of writer. II is
| requested that a stamp be Enclosed for reply by
| letter. Postal cards will be replied to by mail
| only. Replies by mail Will ordinarily be made
| witiiina week. and II iii uiis column within three
weeks.l
! L. p. Wales. Mich.-The pension Of Justice
Charles d. Long, of the Supreme Court oil
| Michigan, still stands at $50 per month, to
! which rate it was reduced from $72 by the late
Commissioner of Pensions William Lochren
| Judge Longs court proceedings against Mr.,
Lochren failed through Mr.. Lochren's retire.
| ment from the Pension Bureau before the q. s.
| Supreme Court had reached the case. It is
| believed that Commissioner Evans has the
case under consideration, and that Judge
! Long will be given his former rate of $72
| to which he is evidently justly entitled.
| L. M, Homestead, Pa.-The mother of SOL
| der whose death was due to his military serv-
! ice is entitled to pension If now in dependent
| circumstances, or without sufficient means OF
| support other than the proceeds of her own
labor. An invalid pensoner drawing $12 per
| month under the act of June 81, 1890, may OBJ
tain higher rate of pension under the general
| law if he has disabilities of service origin en-
titling him to higher rating than $I2.
| c. M., Valparaiso Lnd.-A pension allowed by
special act of Congress commences only from
the date of the special act becoming a law.
| II. L. s., LeechviNe, NJ Decentralization oil
| deceased soldiers of the war of 1912 are not
entitled to bounty land.
| III. d., Dmrand, Wis-Pensions for the Revo-
| lntionary war soldiers were instituted on Aug.
| 26, 1776, when the Continental Congress, by
resolution, recommended to the several Assem-.
blies, or legislative bodies, of the States that
| provision be made for putting on half pay or
less those persons of the military or naval forces
who lost limbs or became otherwise disabled
| in service. the amounts 80 paid to be charged
to the United States.
S. a. W.. Peabody, Mass-A widows rate OF
pension under the general pension law is $12
per month if married to the soldier before
March 10, 1886. or before or during the soldiers
service; otherwise it is So.
j. j. c., Fayetteville. Ark.-The only act of
Feb. "a, 1897, of concern to survivors of the
late war is that re-enacting substantially the
acts Of June 3. 1884, and Feb g. 1887, provid-
ing for the correction of muster of certain vol
unteer officers in the late war. All three-years
volunteers who enlisted into the military serv.
ice in the late war before July %, 1861 and
were discharged to accept promotion to the
grade Of commissioned officer, are entitled to
Sl00 bounty, no matter how short their terms
Of service as enlisted men. This is in accord
ance with ruling of the Second Comptroller
Of the Treasury Department., rendered some
years ago, under the act of April 90, 1872
CJ, Conway, ArE.-The ex.slave pension bill
is the fancifnl creation of one Capt. w. r.
Vaughn, formerly of Virginia. Nebraska, Iowa.
and most recently of Kentucky. He served in
the Confederate army, and reasons that, as the
wealthy North" freed the slaves, it ought to
take care of them. We believe he is the only
person in the United States that thinks that
there is any possibility of such bill receiving
favorable consideration by Congress. Ex-slaves
have been provided for under the pension laws
to the extent that white persons are. Those
who served in the army or navy, and the wild
ows, orphans, and dependents of such, are en-.
titled to pension upon the same terms and con-
ditions as white persons.
J. N. K, Macon, Mott is true that Exam
lining Surgeons whose foes for the official medi-
cal examination of pension claimants amount
to $500 per annum are held by the Civil Serv.
ice Commission to be under Civil Service rules,
in accordance with the Executive order of the
late President, Mr.. Cleveland, and it is equally
true that Examining Surgeons friendly to the
old soldiers arc being substituted for those in
accord with the unfriendly expressions and &C
tions Of the late Administration.
j. e. d., Latch, Mo.-Ths per diem pension
bill has not become law. The act of June q,
1890, is the latest pension law, of general
character, of interest to survivors Of the late
war.
II. 4. M, Charleston, ". Va.-The rating under
the general pension law for total disability of
the arm is $36. There is no fixed rating for
loss of use of shoulder" but if the rheums-
tism in the shoulder renders the arm practi-
cally useless. We should think the rating for
total disability of the right arm might be OBJ
tanned; but this useless condition of the arm
must be permanent. and not merely periodical.
c. r., Williamson, N. Y.-When an applicant
for pension fails to appear for medical exami-
nation in accordance with an order issued from
the Pension Bureau, a now order will be issued
upon his signifying to the Commissioner of
Pensions his willingness to appear for medical
examination. If physically unable to appear
for medical examination at the place desig-
mated. an examination at the applicants home
will be ordered upon proper showing of the
facts. The accrued pension Of dependent
father can, in the event of his DEATH be col.
lected only by the person bearing the expenses
of his last illness and burial, and then only in
case he left insufficient assets to cover such
expenses, and only to the amount of such ex-
penses il less than the amount Of the accrued
pension.
H. c. H., Rutstoun, Pd.-The act of Feb. "a,
1897. re-enacts substantially the former law
providing for the correction of muster of VOL
unteer officers Of the late war, removes all limi-
tation az to the time of filing of claims for the
remuster and resultant difference of pay, and
confers new benefits on officers who, previous
to the dates of their commissions, entered upon
duties of the rank to which they were subse-
quently commissioned.
4. b., Salem Mass.-The rating for double
inguinal hernia, retanable by truss, is $I2
The rate may be higher if there are complica-
tions, or If the hernia is not retainable by
truss In some instances as much as $50 per
month is allowed.
j. G. F.. Jersey Shore, Pd.-The widow of a
soldier is entitled to pension without regard to
whether she was his first or second wife, pro.
vided she was his legal wife at the date of his
DEATH If his death was due to his service, she
Is entitled to pension at $12 per month under
the general law from the date of his death. If
his death was not due to his service, aud she
is without other adequate means of support
than the proceeds of her own labor or the con.
trbutions of others not legally bound for her
support. and was married to him before June
"a. 1890, she is entitled to So per month from
the date of filing application, under the pension
act of June 81 1890.
d. ii. C.. Greig, N. Y.-Whon physical con-
dition emitting the pension applicant to a
certain rate has been clearly shown by evidence
filed in the case. and on the allowance of the
case such evidence is apparently ignored or
overlooked. we should think that there is good
ground for asking for q re-rating of the pen.
sion.
+. ". NJ, Sheridan, Wyo.-The general PEN
sion law, usually referred to as the act of July
a. 1862 applies to all cases of disability in
Cured in tho military and naval service of
the United States after March 4, 1861, whether
the soldier or sailor enlisted before March a.
1861, or not. The pension act of June q,
1890, does not exclude those soldiers who en-
listed before March 4, 1861 it is only essential
that they served 80 days during the war and |
were honorably discharged. None Of the |
l.. f.