The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-07
PENSION SYSTEM FAULTS
POINTS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
Attention Called to the Necessity of
Putting Limit ON the Filing
of widows Claims.

WASHINGTON, Nov. Elm his annual
report the commissioner Of pensions dis
cusses at length the faults Of the present
system of pensioning and the difficulties
in the way of determining the merits or
claims for pension and increase. Attention
is directed to the friction and unkind feel
ing that attends the administration OF
the act Of Aug. z. 1882, which says open and
notorius adulterous cohabitation of
widow pensioner shall operate TO terminate
her pension, but the absence of such law,
it is stated, would encourage and permit
such pensioners to live in adultery and
dishOnOr the memory of their soldier hus-
bands, while still enjoying the bounty of
the government, and on the other hand
the widow who respects the law and honors
society by legally entering into the mar
riage relation loses her pension. For the
purpose of carrying out the provisions OF
this law, instructions were issued I'm 1886
to special examiners in the field to take
dispositions from widow claimants show
ing whether they have cohabited with any
man as his wife since the death of the
soldier. These Instructions were in force
until September, 1897, shortly after the
present commissioner took charge of the
bureau. when he modified them by direc-
tiOns that special examiners must never
question the claimant whether she has
violated the act of Aug. Z, 1882, unless the
evidence procured shall show that she has
been living in adultery and then the in
VestlSatiOn must be made carefully and
discreetly so as not to cause Unnecessary
neighbOrhoOd gossip or scandal. The COM
missioner says that while the law is a
most delicate and difficult one to admins
ter, yet he cannot recommend its repeal.
Attention is invited again to the necessity
of repeating the act of June Z, 1888. which
swept away all limitations as TO the ming
of widows claims under the general law
and brought about conditions which are
stated to be a standing invitation to file
fraudulent claims, the arrearages being so
large and the chances of detection so small.
1t is stated that widows claims are usually
filed within thirty days after the death OF
the soldier, but since the passage of the law
of 1883 many claims have been filed by al
legged widows of soldiers that died or were
killed during the civil war. Referring to
slave marriages" the commissioner says
that with a shrewd and competent attor-
ney, backed by willing witnesses, the gov
eminent has no chance and If the special
examiners of the bureau endeavOr 10 ascer-
tain the facts the interested parties at once
cry aloud that the spies" of the bureau
are prosecuting the poor widows. A num-
Der of sample cases" are cited in the re-
port to show the vicious effect OF the law.
The commissioner declares that the law is
an open invitation TO fraud, perjury and
Misrepresentation; that the soldiers them
claims of their widows should be governed
by the same rule.
The report calls attention to alleged
frauds by guardians of pensioners, a mat
ter which has been covered in the commits
sioner's preliminary report issued some
time ago.
The report presents number of interest
ing features connected with the filing of
claims for pension on account of the war
with Spain and the instruction in the
Philippine islands. 1t is shown that the
soldiers of these wars enjoy much greater
benefits than were accorded to the sur
vivOrs of TIE civil war in the amount of
pensions granted for the same degree of
disability. In 1895 the minimum pension
was established at Sc per month Nearly
100000 soldiers of the civil war received
from 81 TO 81 per month from 1860 to 1885,
and a disability from loss of arm or leg
which now entities the soldier to $45 per
month, gave him only IS per month in 1860.
While the civil war lasted for four years
and the casualties were enormous, and the
Spanish-American war lasted only about
four months, with comparatively few cas-
ualties, it is shown that three years after
the close of the Spanish-American war
claims for pension amounting TO about 20
per cent. of the number of soldiers engaged
in that war had been filed, while in 1872 or
seven years after the close of the civil war
only about per cent. of the soldiers en-
gagged in that war had filed claims.
The recent preliminary report of the
commissioner covered the main points in
the present report.