Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-18

ances for the fiscal year 1898 was greater
than the number of allowances for the
entire four years of President Grants sec
ond term and the entire administration of
President HAYES
During President Grants first term the
total payments on account of pensions
were $il6. l362I5; during his second term
VIA, 395351, and during President HAYES
term, S145, 322, 49,. Thus 1t appears that
the payments in 1898 We're largely in ex-
cess of the amount paid during either the
hrst or second administrations of President
Grant, and almost much as was paid
during the entire four years of President
Hayes administration
Up to June 30. 1898, the commissioner re-
instated as employees of the pension bureau
l'S eX-Un1on soldiers who had been dis
charged by former administra tons; he pro-
NOTED 2i9 ex-Union soldiers and reinstated
and promoted siXty-four widows and or
phans of soldiers.
officials Are Ex-UniOn Soldiers
The commissioner and both deputy COM
missioners, the medical referee chief board
of review, and nine of the chiefs of divi-
sions In the pension bureau and most of
the chiefs of sections and other clerks
hiifng the most important places in the
pension bureau are ex-Union soldiers in
tact, the entire organization of the bureau
Is controlled by men who served in the
Union army during the civil war
me medical division of this bureau I'M
der the supervision of the medical referee
Is charged with the duty of passing upon
all medical questions arising in the adiu-
d1cat1on of claims, and fixing the rates of
pension in invalid claims
IN the organization of this division the
medical referee, of the two qualified
surgeons, one of the two principal exam
liners, and twentysix of the forty-three
medical examiners whose duties are de-
hned as above, are ex-Union soldiers or
sailors, the chief of this division having
been granted medal of honor by Con-
gress for conspicuous gallantry in action
In all matters pertaining to the organza-
ton of the different divisions of the bureau,
IN appointments and promotions the ex-
Union soldier always has the preference
other things being equal, and the com
manders of the G. A. X. in this department
have commended the pension bureau for
its observance of the statute which gives
preference to honorabIy discharged SOL
dierS of the rebellion.
There are SEA ex-Cnion soldiers in the
employ of the bureau. and practically all
the most important official positions are
held by eX-Cnion soldiers
The Route Followed by a Claim.
There are many bureaus in the pension
Office and each one has an important part
TO play in the grating of pension After
a pension application has started on its
round it is first handled by the board of
review.
The board of review, as indicated by its
name, is charged with reviewing all cases
from the adjudicating divisions before final
action is taken. After finding upon the
law and the facts, cases in which medical
action is required are forwarded to the
medical referee for his opinion upon the
medical questions involved. All claims i'm
properly submitted to the board of review
are returned to the chief of the proper di-
vision and all rejected cases are similarly
treated. Admitted cases. after medical re-
view, are sent to the raters for completion
M th. fScl
In addition to the duty of taking final ac-
1on upon the evidence submitted in claims
for pension. the board of review settles all
questions in regard to appeals as to fees
of attorneys; sends all notices of rejection
of claims and thirty days notice of inten-
ton to drop pensioners from the rolls and
mas charge OF all matters relating to cases
appealed to the Secretary of the Interior
After case has been decided on appeal il
IS the duty of the board of review to fur
nish a copy Of the Secretarys decision to
the claimant or his attorney
Special Examination
Certain classes of cases go from the board
OF review to the special examination divi-
sion, which division is charged with the
double duty of investigating cases in which
fraud seems to be apparent and in obtain
ing evidence in those cases in which the
claimant is unable to supply the necessary
proof. The number of claims of the former
class coming before this division is small
compared with the large number in which
investigation is made solely for the pur-
pose OF assisting the claimant to obtain
adequate proof, This will be better
illustrated by the fact that out of a
total of Il ,042 reports of special examin-
ers submitted during the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1898, only $50 referred to criminal
charges, the remainder relating to investi-
cations made as to the merits of the claim.
The erroneous impression prevails
throughout the country that reference of a
claim the SDecial i,-iS Oh
implies the suspicion of fraud. On the con-
trary, most of the claims referred to this
division are referred solely to enable the
bureau to determine the claimants right
to pension and to assist him in procuring
the same by locating and interviewing COM
rades: In performing this duty the special
examiners in the field are instructed to
treat both claimants and witnesses with
courtesy and fairness.
The average number of special examiners
in the field during the last fiscal year was
266, and this force completed investigation
In 1o,o40 claims. The total number of re-
ports received from special examiners dur
ing the year was Al ,o42; the total number Of
dispositions taken was 1874 ,091. These figures
give some idea of the amount of work be-
ing performed by the pension bureau in its
effort to assist worthy claimants to estab-
llsh their rght to receive the bounty of this
generous government The work of the
special examination division is auxiliary to
that of other divisions. and no claim can be
investigated by this division until the ma
adjudicating division with the approval of
the board of review, accompanied by a
statement clearly defining the object and
scope of the investigation to be made
When the investigation is completed the
claim is returned to the board of review
for its final action.
Conduct of Attorneys.
The duties of the law division are very
diverse, the most important being super
vision of the roster of attorneys practiciug
before the bureau, and direction of the
prosecution in all suits, civil and criminal
arising out of claims for pension. All mat
tiers relating to the conduct of attorneys
and all recommendations for their suspen-
sion, dishartnent or dropping for violations
OF the pension laws come before the law di-
vision for consideration and investigation.
All general questions of law all questions
relating to marriage. divorce and guardian
ship, are submitted to the law division for
settlement. and all complaints of criminal
violation of the laws relating to pensions
are forwarded to this division. Prosecu-
tons are recommended only of those per-
sons who have deliberately violated the
law, and the report of suits. civil and Grim
inal, prosecuted during the fiscal year 1898
proves the success of this method; 1888
traI Of irt,