The times., 1899-09-07
CiviI Pensions.

Civil Pensions.
My experience with the large number
of employees of this bureau G.741 in mum
ber) forces me to the conclusion that some
means should be devised whereby their
long and faithful services may be recog
nized in a substantial manner when they
become disabled for the performance Of
their official duties. a system should be
devised which may received legislative
sanction, by which a certain percentage
of the salaries Of the employees are with
held 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 q pension
TO civil employees shall be paid by the Gov
erDment, but / 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 are
physically and mentally untitled for the
duties of official life.
In regard TO the celebrated orders No
164 and No 225. the operation of which
has brought the Commissioners into much
disfaVor with the pensioners and their at
torneys during the year and preeipitated
the fight upon him which is now pending at
the G. A. R. encampment in Philadelphia,
Mf. Evans explains:
''Order 164 was in force from October
Is. 1880, to May ~ 1893. when it was re-
voked in an order following decisions OF
the department, rendered January T. 1893,
-, H.
latter decision directed the Commissioner
to have an examination made to determine
what pensions have heretofore been al
lowed under the second section of the act
of June 27 1890, in disregard CT the terms
of said act and in conflict with the ruling
of the department made in the case under
consideration.
"Order No. 225 was accordingly issued,
and a board of revision was organized in
this bureau, June .. 1898, whose duties
were defined as follows, viz: To draw
from the admitted files, as rapidly as may
be practicable all cases allowed under sec
ton 2 of the act of June q. 1890, and 10
determine whether the allowances were in
accordance with law.
Under the operations of this order a
large number of pensioners was dropped
from the rolls, and the pensions of many
others were reduced.
while order No 225 is still in force,
the work of readjustment of pensions al
lowed under order 154 was only partially
done, and it is fair that l should say that
the revision of claims allowed under or
der No. 164 has not been done at all dur
ing my administration OF the affairs OF
this bureau.
Mr.. Evans here gives order No. 164, with
the decision in the case of Henry H.
Weike, January I, 1S93 which brought
forth order No 225. which he says praeti-
caIly annuls order No. 164.
Order No. 1914 is as follows:
Department Of the Interior,
Bureau Of Pensions,
Washington, d. c., October Is. 1870.
In regard TO fixing the rates OF pensions under
the act OF June p, lse0;
That all claimants under the act OF June q,
1890, showing mental or physical disability or
disabilities Of a permanent character, not the
result of their own vicious habits, and which in
capacitate them from the performance Of manual
labor rendering them unable to earn a support
in such a degree as would be rated under former
laws at or above 50 and less than S12, shall be
rated the same as like disabilities OF service ori
Gin. and that all cases showing a pensienable
disability which, if of service origin, would be
rated at above sI2 per month, shall be rated
at SO per month. GREEN B. RAUM.
Commissioner.
Approved:
Order No. 225 is as follows:
Department of the Interior
Bureau OF Pensions
Washington, ID. c., June 0, 1893
As to adjudicating and fixing rates of pensions
under the act Of June 81, 1890:
l. A claim for pension under the second
ton Of the act OF June 81 1890 can only be al
lowed upon proof OF mental or physical disabil-
ity of a permanent character. not the result Of
the claimants own vicious habits, incapacitating