The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-23
THE COMMITTEE
ON PENSIONS
Report to 31st National En-
campment.
CONTINUED from last tseek.l

Continued from last weekly
This inssallmens of the Committee on Pen
sions report comprises the reply Of tho Com
mittee to the observations of the Pension Off
cials TO whom Commander Evans submitted
the recommendations of the Committee.
Yonr Committee is under deep obligations to
She Commissioner personally, through whose
kindness we have been furnished with copies
OF the above papers, thus enabling the Com.
mittee TO report in detail, and in considering
tho same we cannot refrain from differing
| some of the points raised by the Board of Re-
view and submit tho Endorsement of your Com
mittse's Interpretation for the action of this
Encampment.
We submit that in passing upon Section 3
of the Committee memoranda, both the Deputy
Commissioner well as the members Of The
Board of Review In their reports seem TO fail
To understand that in the pernicious habit of
stripping" the cases of papers which are class
ed AS confidential" but which in most cases
are merely the result of spite or enmity, the
pensIoncr or his attorney are prevented from
learning the causes for which claim Is being
held up or rejected. and therefore power
less to recure their rights or furnish the needed
Tefufntlon. he clause referring TO the abuse
OF tic records of the War or Navy Department
by Inscriptions attorneys for the purpose Of
ming Claims appears as utterly foreign to the
re erred TO tie files in the Pension Office only,
and there only, of cases in process OF sdjudica-
ton or that have been passed upon.
WIDOWS INCOME.
Regarding the report on Section IL, we respect
fully submit that the demand OF your COM
mltee Tor $500 rs the maximum income OF
widow, allowing her TO secure a pension under
the act of 1880. is not too high and should be
granted. The recommendation of the Board
OF Review fixing that maximum at $3.50 is
while II IS an Improvement on the ruling of
tho last Administration on this point, which
allowed only $50, yes is entirely too low and
an injustice TO the widows of comrades whose
Income OF $3.50 or $500 Is utterly inadequate 10
keep them and their children without the aid
OF the pension to which they are justly
titled.
PRIOR SERVICE.
Again, we su bmt that the suggestion OF YOUR
Committee, a. stated in Section b. should be
made the rule of the Department, since the in-
formation needed by the Pension Office OF any
prior service than the one for which appliea-
ton for pension is made is entirely in possess
Sion or within reach of the Department.. and
the proof of such prior service whether honor
able or otherwise, should not be required of the
claimant. since she In mary is utterly
ignorant Of IL and not in position TO obtain
any knowledge oft.
PROOF OF MARRIAGE.
Equally harsh is the opinion given by the
Board of Review upon Section ii of the Com
mittes's suggestions. To demand of widow
proof positive and absolute that her dead hus-
band had never been married or divorced prior
10 his marriage with her is In hundre reds OF cases
needless hardship placed upon the claimant,
and should be removed. The presumptive
evidence should be all that can be reqired in
such case, and where doubts arise it should
be the duty of the Department to hunt up and
furnish the proofs of such former marriage
without expense or trouble to the claimant.
WITH these exceptions as quoted. your Com
mittee feel that they have every reason to con-
gratnlate the EDcampmeDt upon the results OBJ |
tanned, showing as they do that q more liberal
and justcr spirit has taken possession of the
Pension Bureau than has prevailed therein for
some time past.
ENLIsTMENTs AND SURVIVORS.
We present the following calculation of en-.
listments, dishonorabe discharges, deaths and |
survivors, resulting from the war of the rebel |
lIon formulated with great care and research |
by Comrade w. W. Dudley, formerly Commits
of Pensions and \ member of this Com |
mittee which we feel assured will be Of sutii- |
cient interest to warrant an insertion in this |
report:
Ens,ments of all kinds IN the Federal
Army ESQ 7s
More than once enlisted and thus counted
more than once 7I67S7
Total number of individuals enlisted --. 2O63 sal I
discharged or deserled...-. 10000 |
Active and useful enlistmepts........... 954 S9I
Killed and died of disease In service and
since the eO4 s64
Total survivorship honorably discharged
1885, ............... 1350027
Died from 1888 to laS0... I500T
Total number of survivors July !. $780,. 100000
Deaths i'll five years To July /, 1895 go go
Survivors July l. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. III0O0o
Eliminated deaths from July l. 1895, 10
$780, .............. ...................... 10000
survivors July /, 1898 To 19O0.. $4,000 |
deaths from July / 1900 10
1905. Is6500
75s5OO |