The National tribune., 1897-05-27
MUST BE NO DELAY.
Commissioner Evans's Order to
Examining Surgeons.

Certificates to BE Sent Within Seven Days
After Observation-Disclosures to Comply
Regarded as Cause for Reiirement-Ruiing
ms to Fec AgreeNnents-Oid Soldiers fro-
NOTED and Renstated.
Commissioner of Pensions Evans instituted
much needed reform last week when he issued
an order to be sent to Examining Surgeons rela-
tive to the prompt forwarding of their certif-
estes. The order reads:
Paragraph - of Instructions to Examining
Surgeons of the Pension Bureau is amended to
read: Certificates of examination for each
iays work must be at once made out and
properly signed, then forwarded to this Bureau
within seven days from the date of the exami-
nation. Failure to comply with this order will
be regarded as sufficient cause to warrant the
retirement of the Examining Surgeon or Sur
geons to whose neglect the delay is traceable
Each member of Board is alike responsible
for the prompt forwarding of the certificates
and when the Secretary is absent or unable to
promptly prepare them, or when he has not
taken part in the examination, the other MEM
bers of the Board must prepare and forward
them within the specified time"
This, it is expected, will put stop to the
frequent delays in sending certificates, and the
Commissioner is very earnest about its enforce
ment. He remarked to NATIONAL TRIBUNE
representative that often months went by with
ont any return from some of these Boards on
examinations, and complaints began to come to
the Bureau asking why something had not
been done with the writer's claim.
The Commissioner said that the Office came
in for criticism that it did not deserve on this
account. In one case where it had been ordered
that the Examining Surgeons visit the 8ppll-
cant because of his utter inability to go to them
owing to his weak and diseased condition, q
return had not been made for many months.
Col. Evans is determined that the applicants
who have no attorneys to follow up these mat
tiers shall have a show. and this action of his is
calculated TO aid his plans.
The Commissioner is still complaining that
one-tbrd OF his force is obliged TO FORK at
looking up the status of cases of all sorts, in
many of which new evidence has been filed
since last report, and some of which have been
rejected. de wants to adjudicate claims, but
applicants, Congressman and attorneys, he
says keep clerks busy with work that accom-
plishes little valuable service.
The recent action of the Commissioner in
disseminating the practice of examining fee
agreements and powers of attorney filed by
pension attorneys to determine their formality,
has been modified by an order directing the
Record Division to make such an examination
to ascertain if they have been properly executed
before a duly authorized officer. Attorneys
will be advised in it is found that such
papers were executed before officer not re-
CURED 10 use seal whose official character is
not authenticated by proper certificate. or if
officer required to do fails to affx his
seal, both being formal in all other respects. If
otherwise informal, such papers will be filed
without further action.
Changes among those assigned to various
classes of werk are being made every week.
Several reinslstements of veterans have taken
place as well as greater number OF promotions
of the same. One of the high officials said to
NATIONAL TRIBUNE representative that the
old soldiers had strong friends in the Pension
Bureau nowadays, and the policy was one of
liberality without extravaganza.
A glance at the pension table this page
will reveal a marked increase in some instances
over the number of certificates issued the week
ending May Is. The report for that week
showed: Original, L1a3; increase and add-
tional, 529; reissue, II; restoration and re-
newal, 81; supplemental, g.; duplicate, 43;
accrued, 3e2. The total was 2l75 as against
1850 for the week ending May p.