Evening star., 1897-05-04
PROPOSED ORDER
Commissioner Evans Considering q New
Pension Regulation.
Frequent adjudication St0pped-A
Pensioner to Wait a Year
After a Hearing.

The commissioner Of pensions is consider
Ing the advisability Of issuing an order
which will be Of the greatest interest to
the pensioners Of the country.
This order will prohibit a pensioner, once
having his claim adjudicated either favor
ably or unfavorably, from Immediately
filing papers for the reconsideration of his
Calm IL disallowed or for an increase Of
pension II allowed. 1t will prevent the filing
OF such claiias for reconsideration or in
crease within one year from the date Of the
brreau's action. and in that way will tend
to lessen the quantity Of work OF the office
and give the force Of examiners under the
commissioner an opportunity to devote
most OF their time to the adjudication of
the claims OF soldiers who draw no pension
and who have never been enabled to have
their cases acted upon.
Under the present system three-fourths
OF the pensioners of the government have
claims for increases continuously under
consideration by the pension bureau. No
sooner Is a pension granted than an appli-
cation for an increase is filed The pen-
sioner Is urged to such action by the attor-
ney who secured his pension and who ad-
vlsed the soldier that he should have a
much higher rating than is allowed him.
IL an increase Is secured 1t has no tendency
TO lessen the work Of the Office. 1t merely
results IN the filing OF another claim of an
additional increase. Under the present sys-
tenn this process goes on without limit ex-
the law is reached.
Effect Of the Proposed Order.
The effect of the order which Commits
sioner Evans contemplates issuing will SIM
ply be that when a pensioner has his claim
n Ind tnnt ta1 =,
year. and, even though he has new eyf-
dence to submit, he must wait one year.
draw his pension and let some one who has
no pension at all have q chance to have his
papers passed upon.
The once VIII Catch Up.
The officials Of the pension office believe
that If this order goes into effect that by
the time the present administration is end
ed. there will be no vast accumulation of
unadjudicted original claims before the
office. as Is the case now
Those who advocate the issuance of this
order declare that IL there Is any Injustice
IN making pensicper entitled to a higher
rating wait a year before he can submit
Few evidence on which to base his claim,
there Is still more injustice in preventing
men. who did service fer the government
during the civil war and who are growing
old, from receiving any recognition from
the government in the form of a pension.
Many Conferences.
Commissioner Evans has talked over this
plan with many men who are prominent in
Grand Army circles. and who have the in
terest of the ex-Union soldiers of the coun-
try as whole at heart. He has found
many men to favor the plan. and he is con-
stantly inquiring of men best able to pass
upon such matter regarding the advisa-
bility of issuing the order. He is desirous
OF facilitating the business of his office. so
that the results will benefit the greatest
number and will prove most just to the
great body of ex-Union soldiers He is
very much inclined to issue the order he is
no" contemplating, ana may do so during
the coming week. But he still has II under
consideration.