The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-30

PEEsIOE CLAIIEs
Sweeping NsaiArstions lIAsls In Manner
Of Adjudication.

I
WASHINGTON, July ga thorough
revision Of the rules governing the adti-
dIcatlon OF pension claims under the sec
ond section Of the &c, Of June 81, 1880, has
been made by assistant secretary Of thu
interior Webster Davis and sweeping
notifications in the present practices are
the result, The changes are embodied
in instructions to the commissioner Of
pensions, Ia which Il Is stated that repre-
sensations were made that the present
rules render the administration OF the
law difficult and embarrassing, The
new code, It Is said, will furnish safe,
speedy and Uniform system OF adjudlea-
ting this large class of cases, Assistant
Secretary Davis holds that the Very ma
ture Of pension cases forblds the applica-
ton OF the strictness and technically OF
e5sFt proceedings and II was not Con-
gress's intention to hedge the admins
tration OF these laws with the difficulties
and pitfalls OF any system OF special
pleading, whose technlcalltles and re-
hRements may tend 10 a practical defeat
Of the governments benevolent par-
poses. The notifications are made in
six rules and decisions in conflict with
them are set aside. The most important
change Is made In the following rule;
II. Every application for pension un-
der the second section Of the act Of June
n, 1880 should state that the same Is
made under said act, the dates OF enlist
ment and discharge, the name or nature
OF the diseases, wounds or injuries by
which the claimant Is disabled, and that
they are not due to vicious habits; pro-
vided. however. that the omission Of any
OF these averments shall not lnvalldate
the application (the intent to claim PEN
sion being manifest and the declaration
being executed tn accordance with law
but such application shall be subject to
amendment by means OF a supplemental
affidavit, In the particulars wherein II Is
defective; said supplemental affidavit or
afidavits to be read la connection with
and as part of the application Itself;
and, provided further that a declaration
In the terms of the act shall be sutIi-
Client"
Rules ., 8 : and 6, the last two relating
to vicious habits and increase claims, are
largely relteratlonS OF present practices.
Rule makes essential notifications and
Is as follows
4. Should wound, Injury or disease
not specified In the original or amenda-
tory declaration, but discovered on medl-
cal examination. be shown TO have exist
ed at the time when the original declara-
tlon was flled. and II is found not TO be
due to vicious habits. 1t shall be taken
into account, the same as II formally
specified in the original application, In
estimating the degree OF the permanental
or physical disability to which II contrib
utes.
Should II be found. however, not TO
have existed at the time when the origi-
nal application was filed but from sub
sequent date prior to medical examina-
tlon. the degree Of the disability Of the
applicant being below the maximum
rating. may be increased accordingly
from the date when such wound or in
Jury was incurred or disease contracted.
provided the degree of disability from all
contrlbutory causes IL thereby enhanced
to 4 SUFFICIENT extent TO justify higher
rating.
Should II be found impossible to tx
the exact date when such wound or in
jury was received or disease contracted.
the higher rating shall commence from
the date of certificate Of medal examlna-
ton showing Its existence"