Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
the interests of the government and the

| the interests of the government and the
honor and integrity of the pension roll.
There has never been time when this
! bureau has been free from complaint on
| the part of claimants and others of I'M
| Usual delays in the adjudication of claims,
| and perhaps it will not be out of place to
| point out some of the circumstances which
| give rise to such complaints.
| Claims are taken up for action in the
| order of the receipt of the evidence. The
| cause of delay is in a large majority of
cases, the failure of claimants and their at
! torneys to file the necessary evidence to
| complete their claims. In a case called to
my attention a few days ago, In which a
bitter complaint of delay was entered by
| the claimant, it was stated that he had in
! his possession a large number Of afidavits
| to prove his claim which he was ready to
| file as soon as he was requested to do so by
| this bureau.
LAS the claimant appears to have been
| fully advised Of the facts necessary to be
proven in the case, and had secured testi-
| mony for that purpose, there was no good
reason why he should not have filed the
evidence in his case without request from
| this bureau. In many cases letters of in
| quiry and testimony come to the bureau
without sufficient data to Identify the
claims to which they refer, and there is
consequently delay in the application of
such evidence. Failure to report for med
ical examination is another frequent cause
of delay
One of the most interesting features of
the report is a parallel column . showing
In comparison the operation of the general
laws with the act of $780, namely, the laws
| governing the pensioning for disabilities
incurred in the service in the line of duty
and for pensioning (act 1890 for disabilf-
| ties arising after the service There are
1913 1872 invalids pensioned for disabilities
| of service origin and 420,912 under the act
of 1890.
PensiOninH Employees of the Bureau.
MY experience with the 'arge number
| of employees Of this bureau IN in num-
ber) forces me to the conclusion that some
means should be devised whereby their
| long and faithful services may be recog
| nized in substantial manner when they
| become DISABLED for the performance Of
| their official duties.
ITO remedy these conditions it appears to
me that system should be devised which
may receive legislative sanction, by which
| a certain percentage of the salaries of the
| employees is withheld each month, thus
creating fund by means of which such
| employees may be retired from service and
| a reasonable amount be paid them monthly
| from this fund for their support.
Il do not favor the idea that pension
| to civil employees shall be paid by the gov
eminent, but l do heartily commend any
| plan by which fund can be created from
| the salaries of the employees, to be paid
under proper rules and regulations, to
those who may become entitled to relief
from that source. The public service would
| be the gamer, as the heads of departments
| would be able to retire from active service
| many who physically and mentally I'M
fitted for the duties of official life.
Ex-sIave Pensions.
| Numerous inquiries reach this bureau
as to the probability or possibility of the
enactment of a law granting pensions to
ex-slaves. This sentiment has become
quite prominent, and societies are being
| formed in sections. lecturers
cured to explain the proposed legislation;
| certificates of membership resembling more
| or less pension certificate are being is
| sued. and monthly dues exacted and col
lected. The colored people are in this way
| being robbed of their hard earnings for the
, alleged purpose of securing funds for the
| final passage of the legislation that has
| been prepared. This industry seems to be
| growing and productive, and it has also
| been largely encouraged and stimulated by
| the continued introduction of bills looking
to legislation for the purposes stated"
Making Claims Current.
| In conclusion he says:
| 1T is believed that during the present
! fiscal year the arrears of work will be con-
sderably diminished and that all the claims
can be made practically current.
| THE work Is in far better condition than
| at any time since l assumed charge of the
| bureau, and 1t is believed that further
progress will be attained by the system
| that has been instituted in the different
| divisions.
| Il am quite satisfied with the results for
| the past year. confident that good, intelli-
gent work was DONE considering the
| complications surrounding the adjudication
| Of the many old claims of long standing
| the bureau has to deal with. No new rules
| of evidence have been introduced. but the
| work has been accomplished under pre-
scribed rules of many years standing"
|