Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-24
THE PENSION ROLL
Report of Commissioner Evans Made
Public.
YEARS. WORK OF THE BUREAU
To Raise Standard of Qualifications
for Attorneys.
THE INCREASE EXPECTED

The annual report of the commissioner
of pensions to the Secretary of the Interior
has been made pubic. The report is for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1900, and
contains much information of great in
terest.
Summary of the Work.
In summing up the work of the year the
report says:
1.-The number of pensens allowed on orig
inal application was 4O.645, and the number
restored to the rolls was 1850, making a
total of new names added to the rolls of
45,3A
THE number of pensioners dropped from
the rolls during the year by reason OF
death. remarriage and other causes was
1854, showing an increase of 700 on the
rolls as compared with the close of the
fiscal year 1899.
The number of pensioners on the rolls
June 10. 1899, was 991.519. and on June 80,
1900, 993,529, net increase in number, as
before stated. of 900.
THE annual value of the ro1 at the close
of the year 1899 ,961, while at
the close of the fiscal year ended June so,
1909. 1t was S131 .524. 544.
Thus while the roll increased in num-
bers during the year ii decreased in annual
value to the amount of ssh, All, occasioned
mainly by the death Of pensioners who
were receiving high rates of pension
For the same reason there was a slight
decrease in the annual value of all pensions
from s13274 to 1929. 1t will be noted
that the average rate under the general
laws has increased from S165.1O to sl675S,
while the average rate under the act or
June q, 1890 has decreased from $10S.H to
s10S.2S. The average annual value of PEN
Sons granted on account of service in the
war with Spain has decreased from s196.53
to $3.50. 10. This is still a high average as
compared with the rates of pension paid to
no
probably soon conform to the general av-
erage Of pensioners on the roll
The commissioner says the probabilities
are that the present Congress will enact
new legislation that will result in large
increase in the number of pensioners and
in the annual value of the pension roll for
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1901.
The report says there are now 1926 at
torneys entitled to recognition as practi-
TONERS before the pension bureau and that
during the year there were admitted to
practice LOO persons.
To Raise the Standard of Attorneys.
II commend to your favorable consider
ation,' the report says, 1.-The suggestions
of the chief of the law division. with refer
ence to raising the standard of qualifica-
tons in the admission to practice of attor-
neys before this bureau, and a further re-
vision of the list of attorneys. While 1t
may not be feasible to limit the admission
to practice to persons who are attorneys
at-law in good standing before the courts,
1t would appear that a great Improvement
of that service could be accomplished by
the adoption of more stringent rules gov
erning this matter.
strict integrity and fair knowledge of
the rules of evidence would seem to be in
dispensahle qualifications for an attorney
practicing before this bureau, and it would
be great advantage to claimants as well
as 10 the bureau If those entitled to appear
as attorneys possessed these qualifications
al iav~i+ 1-
torneyS practicing before the bureau are
men of standing and can be relied upon to
present their cases in an intelligent and
painstaking manner The claims presented
by them are generally found 10 be merito-
rious and the evidence reliable
ON the other hand there are many who
nave been found to be unscrupulous and
whose connection with claim surrounds
II with a certain degree of suspicion This
works an injustice to many meritorious
claimants. and yet 1t seems to be incum.
bent upon the bureau TO throw the proper
safeguards around these cases TO the end
that attempts at fraud may be discovered
and checked.
This report shows the number of disbar-
mentS of attorneys ordered during the year
and the causes for such action.
An inquiry as to the standing Of some
OF those engaged in the prosecution of
claims was instituted during the past year
and the result shows that % out of 9S3 per-
sons NEARLY 10 per cent? are practically
untitled for the work of prosecuting
claims. and more than % per cent are
rated as not good. The chief Of the law d.
vision, under whose supervision these in
quiries were made, reports follows, viz:
These figures emphasize the necessity
of thorough revision of the roster of at
torneys and a careful scrutiny as to the
standing Of those who may desire to en-
gage in the prosecution of pension claims
in the future There is no reason why the
reputation Of the pension bar cannot be
raised to as high standard as that of any
bar in the land That such a result should
eminent and claimants for the bounty of
generous nation. but to the majority OF
those now recognized by the pension bu-
in the prosecution of claims, which
includes many honorable citizens of the
highest integrity.
Increase of Pension Roll.
The commissioner states his opinion that
the pension roll will be Increased by from
$1,000. 600 to $4,000. 600 by the operation of
the provision enacted at the last session
of Congress. which regards a widow
dependent for purposes of a pension If her
income does not exceed $3.50 year.
Although the force of the bureau was re-
duced two years ago by the discharge of
40 employees, the commissioner says the
amount and character of the work during
the last year was largely in excess of that
of former years and that the bureau in
general is in better shape than II has been
for many years.
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