The National tribune., 1897-07-15
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sug.
gestions Made.

berform any manual labor is $50 per month
invalid pension under the general law is pay
sble from date of discharge from the service
only In cases where the application was hlet
In she Pension Bureau before July /, 1sS0.
O. e. Fort Tdune Ind.-1t is not necessary Il
make an application for an increase of pension
on peusioned disabilities at the same time viii
M application for re-rating OF pension by
filing an application for increase the pensionel
might obtain a higher rate from date OF medi
cal examination, even though the Pension
Bureau held that he was not entitled to re
rating.
C. N. Granton, Tis.-Members of Boards o.
Examining Surgeons may not properly furnish
pension claimant with copy of their official
report, or indeed with any information relative
thereto. What you refer 10 is probably the
following clause in the pension appropriation
act approved July is. 1894: Provided, That
the report Of such Examining Surgeons, when
FLED in the Pension Office, shall be open TO the
examination and inspection of the claimant OF
his attorney, under such reasonable rules and
regulations as the Secretary OF the Interior
may provide"
J. T. p, Rleys5urg, Mo.-If a person applied
for pension under the act of June q, 1890,
when he already had on file claim under the
general pension law, and pension WAS after
wards granted under act of $780, the fact that
the pension was granted on the disabilities on
which his claim under the general law was based,
is not necessarily an ind ication that the pension
should have been granted under the general
law instead of under the act of 1890. He may
not have established his general law claim
to the satisfaction of the Pension Bureau. But
the granting of the pension under the act of
1890 does not debar claimant from prosecu-
ting and securing settlement of his general law
claim. BE cannot, however, have both of two
pensions for the same period of time. 1t is
confidently believed that pensioners under the
act of 1890 who have been reduced by the last
Administration will be able to get their former
rate restored under the present Administrator.
j. s., Morgan. Mich.-The $500 bounty for
volunteer recruits for three years docs not ap-
ply to enlistments before Oct. "a. 1863. cave in
some exceptional organizations of Indiana,
Ohio Illinois, Vermont. Massachusetts, Mary
land. Maine. and New York volunteers.
C. ". c., N E-Whelas claimant for invalid
pension under the general law wishes to obtain
the benefit of disability resulting from another
disability of service origin. he should distinctly
claim such resulting disability. The rate
Of pension under the general law for double
hernia may be as high az S14 and even higher
IN some cases.
W. ". L., Santa Cruz, Cal.-Inssmuch as the
mail addressed to Commissioner Evans per
sonally" is necessarily very large, it is hardly
possible for him to do more in the great major
ity OF cases than to refer the communication to
the proper Division officer in the Pension
Bureau having immediate charge of the mat
tiers TO which the communication relates. 1t
is impossible to say within what time an order
for medical examination may be looked for in
claim for increase of pension on pensioned
disabilities. For several years past not much
attention has been paid to that class of claims
in the Pension Bureau.
d. Il. Hichito, Eaa.-When a pension case
is seut to the Special Examination Division of
the Pension Bureau all the papers in the case
go to the Special Examiner who is to make the
invest igaiion. record of the case remains in
the Pension Bureau, but no record or copies of
the evidence or other papers. a Special Ex
sminer Is hardly likely TO lose any papers
material TO the case because they are part of
the Government records. and not merely papers
OF interest 10 the pension claimant. A pension
claimant has the right 10 be present in person
or by attorney at the taking of any and all tes
tlmony by the Special Examiner, and IL en-
titled 10 notice from the Special Examiner as to
tie time and place OF taking OF testimony. If
a claimant can satisfy the Commissioner of
Pensions that the Special Examiner has acted
improperly in the conduct of the examination,
probably the case would be placed in charge of
some other examiner and a re-examinaiion
had. Ahdavits, rather than mere unsworn
statements, should be the means to direct
attention TO the conduct of Special Exam
liner.
J. r. w., Charleston, M.-When pension is
increased on account of new disability not
previously covered by the pension certificate,
the increased rate allowed is apt TO be smaller
than woul1 be the rate il the new disability
stood alone Unless the disability is of spe-
ei6e character, such total disability of an
arm. ii is very difficult, and in most cases prac-
tieally IMPOSSIBLE, TO obtain rerating on tue
new disability. If fayorably considered at all,
o rerating claim would be settled on the evil
dence already on file. and without further
medical examination.
Grotto, Brooklyn, n. Y-Unless under your
commission as Captain you took rank from the
date you took command Of the company las
First Lieutenant1, you cannot obtain muster
and pay as Captain from that date. You can be
mustered and paid as Captain only from the date
you took rank as such, even though You com.
mauded the company for some time previous
10 the date from which you ranked ~ Captain.
T. Y r. Toronto. Kan.-The fact that only
enc Of the given names of soldier appears on
she military record will occasion no difficulty in
obtaining the pension, either for the soldier or
fol his heirs. The facts should be stated in the
pension application.
S. @. IL, Lynn. Iad.-wheu . widows PEN
sion has been terminated by her remarriage,
she may acquire q new title to widows pension
On the death of her second husband he having
been colder. Her new right 10 separate and
distinct from the old title, which WAS termi-
mated by her remarriage.
q. " W., EH Ctfy, hdn.--The rate of pension
HBder the general law for total deafness of one
is 80 and that for total blindness OF one eye
he SIP. If, however, pepeioner is drawing S24 |
per month for disability equivalent TO the loss
OF hand or foot" the abore-named disabilities
VIII eitffle him to the next grade, $50, only \
10 the event OF the Pension Bureau regarding |
that has combined disabilities OF service origin |
render him unable TO do any manual labor. /
The several rates are not added together. |
Strictly, specific disability is one which does
not wary. increase diminish in degree. |
C. A. IL, Chelsea. Mass.-Desertion from an !
enlistment in the Regular service after the |
close OF the war is held TO be no bar to pension
for service or disability incurred during the
war
r. B., Chill, GA claim for invalid pension
nnder the act Of Jure q, $780, is an original
claim under that act Notwithstanding that the
claimant is already pensioned under the gen.
eral law. AS your first application under the
act was rejected, aud your claim has since been
reopened on new application under the act
IL would appear that your case comes under
She act OF March Q. 1896. which lie as follows:
That whenever a claim for pension under
the act of June q, 1880, has been, or shall
hereafter be, rejected, suspended or dismissed
and new application shall have been, or shall
hereafter be, fled. aud a pension has been. or
shall hereafter be. allowed In such claim sneb
pension shall date from the time OF filing the /
frst application, provided the evidence in the
case shall show pensionabls disability To have
existed, or to exist. II the time of filing such
first application, anything in any law or rnl.
T. II sl.