New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-19
SETTLING PENSION CLAIMS.
COMMISSIONER EVANS RAPIDLY CLEARING Up
ARREARS OF WORK.

COMMISSIONER EVANS RAPIDLY CLEARING Up
ARREARS OF WORK.
Washington Oct. IS tSpecaD.-"Yes. think the
expenditures account or pensions Will be heavier
this year than they were last year." said Commits
soncr Evans to-day. In reply 10 question by
Tribune correspondent. The Commissioner con-
tinued: when came into office found large
number OF original cases pending which were COM
ploie so far as the testimony was concerned but
which had not been adjudcated for some reason
1t seemed to me that all OF the original claims,
many of which had been pending for years. ought
10 be disposed OF and settled speedily as prac-
ticabc. The claimants are entitled to Whatever
relief the law will give them, and the Government
will gain nothing in the end by keeping them out
of their just dues. | accordingly directed that
tho adjudicatng division should devote four days
OF each week to original cases and two days 10
claims for increase. The result has naturally Deefl
n very considerable increase Of the number or
original claims allowed. and consequent increase
Of expenditures because the first payments III
such larger than on claims for Increase
For example. one OF the claims recently adjudlcat-
ed, and which had long been pending carried n
first paymen, OF some 81 600. / do not understand
that there was any good reason why this case
should not have been disposed Of long ago"
How much will the expenditure amount TO for
the current fiscal year," asked the correspondent
Probably to sli500.0O0 not including the de-
md the total will probably drop to 100000 In the
following year. AS have explained, the increas'
Is caused by the clearing up OF arrears OF work
that ought TO have been disposed OF several years
ago. ,
What about the proposition to refuse pensions
TO widows who are married 70 veterans OF the war
after n certain dats?' asked the correspondent
We'll. | find that II IL received with p good deal
OF favor. especially among the Old soldiers. navr
received number Of letters from them strongly
indorsing it. The longevity of widow pensioners Is
something remarkable There are less than a
dozen survivors OF the War 81 1872 whose names are
borne on the pens N rolls but there are more
than twenty-eigh; hundred widows Of the War o'
1872 whose names still on the rolls. 1hey
must have been married to veterans who were far
advanced in years. The same thing ~ taxing pla 90
now I'm regard veterans OF tho War OF the Rc-
belllon, and the cases naturally many times
more numerous. Cases are frequently brought to
tho attention OF this Office in which tho testimony
clearly dscosos that marriages with veterans ~
the war, who had become enfcehl"d by age and
Young women with nm cyo 10 the proercc tive benc-
ATS 10 be derived from the pension laws. In one
case ihc marriage ceremony was pcriormef during
the diving moments OF tho veteran ana II nnp
hardly boon finished when ne sank back on his pill
low ard breathcd his last. In this case ther" was
IN attempted prosecution for conspiracy. but ne
licve n came to naGght
OF course. Commissioner Evans would not con-
tend that all marriages contracted by young or
are FOR pensions only" bat there Il NJ doubt there
are a great many such cases Neither H. there any
doub; that there H. strong sentiment among inr
Old soldiers I'm favor Of dcpriving SUCH soldiers
widows in future Of the bcrehis OF tho pension
laws.