The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-04-14
@maersnn Sntelligeueer.
Rules for the Government Of Pension
Boards.

Rules for the Government Of Pension
Boards.
at last the State Board of Pensions has
construed the complicated new pension
law and issued some rules and instruc-
tions "for the guidance o. townships and
county boards of pensions as authorized
by an Act with reference to pensions"
which is intended to simplify the new
Nv tn such an extent that the boards will
be able to carry out its provisions without
much difficulty. 1t is earnestly to be
hoped that the rules drawn up will prove
effective in accom- plishing what IS desired.
They are being printed in circular form
and will be sent out by the comptroller
to those Interested in all parts OF the
Slate.
Here are the instructions:
The pension boards organized in 1876
will at once call together the soldiers and
sailors resident in each township in their
respective counties, fixing the time and
place for such meeting in each township.
Those soldiers and sailors, when assem-
bed, elect one OF their mum Der chairman
and another secretary. Ten days after
of these township boards meet at the
county seat and elect four of their num-
Der and one physician as county exam :
lining board of pensions.
Pensioners now applicants for pensions
cannot be elected member OF township
pension boards. When old soldiers can
not be found in the townships, reputable
resident citizens may be elected. If any
township shall fail or refuse to organize
as required by this Act, then the county
boards should recommend three good
men not pensioners, to the State pension
board, who will appoint such township
boards.
All pensioners resident in the townships
must appear in person before the town
ship boards. Those already on the pen
sion roll need not prepare and file new
applications. All new applicants must be
presented to and have the approval or
disapproval of the township boards and
county boards before the State board can
approve. Township boards can drop from
the roll of pensioners, as now constituted,
the name or names Of any party or par
ties which in their judgment are not en-
titled to a pension under the laws, and
add to the roll only such names of new
applicants as may file such applications,
with proof of service thereon, as indicated
by tho blank forms prepared by the State
board.
Applications defective or not filled up
correctly in each particular, although ap-
proved by township and county boards,
will be disapproved by the State board.
Applications approved or disapproved
by the State board cannot be returned to
the county or township boards after
money has been pro-rated and paid out.
Township and county boards will notice
that the law provides three classes, a, "
"B," and &C." with five subdivisions OF
class "C,") as follows:
Class A-Those who have lost both
arms, or both hands, or both legs, or both
eyes, or.whose absolute disability arising
from wounds are equivalent to the loss Of
either. This does not include soldiers
whose disabilities arise from diseases OF
causes arising since the war.
Class B.-Those who have lost one arm
or zone leg, or whose disabilities fro %
wounds are equivalent to the loss of an
arm or leg.
Glass C-(No. 1.)-Thoss soldiers and
sailors disabled by wounds, but not sutfi'
cient to be placed in Class B, whose in
comes do not exceed $3.50.
Class C-(No. 2)-Thcss who have
lSdCuco tuo oSo VI oiAtf JSoio oho " hoos
incomes do not exceed 500
Glass C-(No. 3.)-Widows of those who
lost their lives in the service Of the State
or Confederate States, and whose incomes
Go not exceed $3.50.
Glass C-(No 4)-Widuws above the
age Of sixty years, whose income, does
not exceed S100.
Glass C-(No. 5 )-Widows of pension.
ers. This class IS not mentioned IN the
printed Acts sent cut, but hy the Act ap.
proved - Decemb Der, 1891
Blanks for the reports Of township and
county boards in accord with these classes
and sub. divisions have been prepared
and mailed to auditors to distribute among
these boards. Glass A gets Sc per month
or S72, and will be paidin full this amount
Glass B, 81 per month or S4S; and Glass
c, with each Of its subdivisions, So pei
month or $50. After Class A is paid, the
balance will be pro rated between B and
c on the basis of 81 to So. This money
will lie sent to the clerks of court as here.
tofore provided in the appropriation Acts
each year, and will be sent just as soon as
the roll for the State can be corrected and
completed.
Township boards cannot be too careful
in these matters of Income and "physi.
cal condition" 1t is a very poor man
whose gross income from labor, rent and
| other sources, does not exceed Sl00, OF
poor lands, if any, which will not produce
this amount. Property in applicants OF
his wife's name debars them. Where SOL
diers or widows dispose of their property
by giving or selling to their children, they
are debarred from receiving pension.
The question of service to the State In
connection with the various classes OF re-
serves called into the service Of the State
lust at the close of the war, will depend
much upon theevidence submitted to the
State board. When real service was rem
dered, the pension should be allowed
Any citizen Of the State over sixty years
ofage, and otherwise qualified, is as much
entitled to pension as that class of heI
good citizens who merely met and organ
lied on call, without real service.
Let township and county boards act
promptly and fairly, giving the State
board full information with complete re-
ports by township for each county, writ
ing names full and clear, with particulars
for approving or disappearing each case.
| disapproye, in writing, each new applica-
ton, and then county boards, and after.
wards the State board.
When the boards 1S96) have acted under
laws then of force and a approved or disap'
proved applications for pensions, let such
applications be sent to township boards,
then to county boards to be approved OF
disapproved under the Act Of 1897 amend.
ing former Acts.
D. II. ToMPKINs,
Secretary of State.
w. a. BARRIER,
Attorney General.
JAMES NORTON,