New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
THE PENSION PROBLEM.
SCHEME TO PRESERVE MEDICAL REQ
ORDS OF THE MEN IN THE
PRESENT WAR.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE J


Washington Aug S-For years the pension prob
lem has been recognized and regarded as one OF
the most difficult and complicated with winch '.'o
Government has had TO deal Congress anu ,he
country have desired and sough: TO act with no.
erality as well as justice both In pension ies'sia
ton and the administration Of the pension laws
But many diftcult obstacles and perpfexhg aues-
lions have constantly arisen worthy ciaiiha"'S
have suffered long delays and sometimes perhdvs'
denial Of justice the one hand WINE on 'he
other hand unworthy and dishonest claimants
have sometimes succeeded in having their names
nlaced on the pension rolls OF course. the chief
difficulties have been the obtapinS and shi!ting OF
testimony after a lapse G; some years Inc oii"-
Guilty has been greater in many cases. probably.
for the honest claimant than 1t has been ior an
unworthy one with an INSCRIPTIONS attorney 10
push his claim. TO sift and weigh the testimony
and nrotect the interests Of honest claimants as
well as Of the Government has cost many millions
OF dollars For more than thirty years an army OF
medical examiners and special examiners mas zee"
maintained at the public expense for these pun
poses Long and exasperating DELAYS nave pee"
common. and thousands OF claimants have died ne
fore their claims were adjudicated. because me
evidence to support them was widely scattered ana
always difficult and often impracticable 10 OBTAIN
To-day thirty-three years after the war 'housd'-s
of pension claims are hung up on TINS account
The experience of the Government as well as
Of pension claimants since the Civil War ought
SON II is clearly realized by all competent and IN
telIigent officials who have 10 do with the ahmih
istration Of the pension laws that most OF the de-
hys disorder frauds and denials OF justice would
nave been obviated or prevented and millions q
dollars saved both 10 the Government ana claim
ants IL the military history and hospital or other
medical record Of every soldier had been clearly SCI
forth on the muster-out roll Of his command IN
view of the reasonable prospect that 9rea' ndht
claims for pensions will be filed oV ana on nehaI
Of the men who enlisted in the war against spain,
II has been suggested ny officials who are 1dinlaI
with the admins tratioE of the pension laws ana
have the interests of the Government as wei as OF
the pensioners heart. that every soldier snail De
furnished on his discharge from the ARMY with a
complete descriptive list, copy CT which shaii
also be filed In the archives of the War Depart
ment showing By the certificate of his company
commander how often and for how long a time M
has been aosent from unfit for duty on account
of wounds or sickness either in his quarters or IN
n hospital nd the nature of the wounds. disease or
diseases from which he has suffered 1t IS niso
proposed that each soldier. when discharged. snail
be carefully examined by an Army surgeon or
board of Army surgeons. and the result or such eX-
animation entered on his descriptive list ana mace
a part Of the permanent records Of the War De,
partment If these suggest ons should De adopted
and carried out both the Government and the sol
der would be In possession of all the evidence re-
oured in most cases, TO establish claim Tor pen
sion. The medical and hospital record OF the
claimant would be as easily and quickly neter
mined as the record of his Army service, ana ms
physical condition at the time OF his discharge
would be equally well established. The suggestions
ceem TO be good ones. and at least worth the most
careful and thoughtful consideration