People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-12-23
FOR SERVICE PENSIONS.
Congressman Botkin Criticses Pres
ent System Of Handling Pension
Claims.

Washington, Dec. 7.-COngressman
J. D. BOtkin has beer in the city since
early in November. Much Of his
time has been employed in dJting up
a home at sos East Capital street,
where he is pleasantly located for the
rest Of this term. Although busy
with household affairs be has not
neglected his department work. Es-
pecially is this true of pension work.
His books show vast deal of this
work begun and successfully closed,
and vast deal yet 10 process Of
adjustment. The subject Of pensions
is a favOrite one with him and he is
always willing TO talk about it.
81 believe" he said today, "that
every man who wore the blue has
earned the right to freedom of thought
and speech, and should be rendered a
pension by the government as a crate
full recognition of his services, and
that in addition to this service pen
sion those who are specially disabled
should be cared for as at present."
"What other changes do you think
ought to be made in the present pen
sion laws?" was asked.
swell, | think that the laws relat-
ing to evidence, as well as many of
the rules Of the department on that
subject, are entirely too rigid and
should De amended 1t Is practically
imposs bic for many disabled veterans
to procure pensions because of the
death Of many of their comrades and
the falling memory of others. 1t
seems almost nOnSenSiCal, after the
lapse of more than 30 years, to expect
an old soldier to prove exactly at what
time, place and the circumstances un-
der which he contracted catarrh or
rheumatism or some disability which.
though not noticed at the time, may
have led to some serious disease.
There are thousands of men whose
present disabilities resulted from
army service who were never in a
hospital and whose comrades are
either dead or Canuot remember when
the disease was contracted. TO these
deserving men the present laws and
rulings on evidence are manifest in
justice.
"The ruling which cOmpels a soldier
to prove that he was in good physical
condition prior to enlistment is also
unjust, The fact that Uncle Sam
accepted him for duty ought to be
prima facie evidence of the fact that
he was in good physical condition at
the time.
II am firmly of the opinion that
when a soldiers name has been placed
upon the pension rolls by any admin
stratiOn, no subsequent adminiStra-
ition ought to have the power to drop
him from the rolls or to reduce his
pension, The decision granting a man
a pension OughG tC be as sacred as the
decision of any court of Justice"
Asked if he had any further Sugges
tions to make of interest to the old
soldiers, Mr.. Botkin said:
"Yes, have. There is a horde of
so.called pension attorneys who are
working the old soldiers for fees with.
out rendering an equivalent in service.
They are chiefly located in Washing.
ton. Their first act in case is to
forward necessary blanks to the
soldier which the pension depart
ment issalways ready to do upon re-
quest from the soldier or a member
OF congress. When the application
for pension is filed, the attorney
notifies the soldier what evidence is
required. This instruction is always
promptly given by the department on
the call Of senator or Congressman.
After the evidence has been gathered
and sent in by the soldier. the attorney
writes him and suggests that if he
will get his senator or member OF
congress to call up the case it will
hasten its final adjustment. The next
duty of the attorney is to collect his
fee. In fact, the soldier and the con.
gresham do the work and the attorney
gets the fee. There are worthy ex-
ceptions to this rule among the pen.
sion attorneys of this city. In my iudg-
ment the proper way to correct these
abuses is for the soldier to send
directly to the department for blanks
and either prepare them himself mr.
employ a home attorney to do it,
When prepared he should send them
direct to the department and put