The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-07
PENSIONS REPORT
DISCUSSES THE FAULTS OF PRES
EMIT SYSTEM.
FRICTION AND UNKlND FEELING
Commissioners Criticises the Act OF
August z, le62-Spanish War APP
plications Amount to 20 Per
Cent Of Soldiers Engaged.
(By Associated PreSS.)


Washington, Nov. TN his annual re-
bort the commissioner of pensions
discusses at length the faults or the
present system of pensioning and the
difficulties in the way of determining the
snerits of claims for pension ana IN
creases.
Attention is directed to the friction anu
unkind feeling that attends the aomin-
istration of the act of August Z. 1867
which provides that the open and notori-
Gus adulterous cohaDitation OF Woo"
pensioner shall operate to terminate her
pension. But the absence OF such a law
1t is stated, would encourage such pen
sioners to live in adultery and dishonor
the memory of their soldier husbands
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 marriage relation loses her pension.
Instructions to Examiners.
For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of this law, instructions were
Issued in 1896. to special examiners IN
the field to take dispositions from widow
claimants showing whether they have
cohabited with any man as his wire
since the death of the soldier.
These instructions were in force until
September, 1897. shortly after the pres
ent commissioner took charge of the bu-
reau when he modified them by direc-
tions that special examiners must never
question the claimant whether she has
violated the act Of August Z, 1882, I'M
less the evidence procured shall show
that she has been living in adultery and
then the investigation must be made
carefully and discreetly, so as not to
cause unnecessary neighborhood gossip
or scandal.
The commissioner says that while the
law Is a most delicate and difficult one
to administer yet he cannot recommend
its repeal.
Startling Disclosures Made.
In January, 1900, a rule was adopted
requiring guardians of pensioners to
render to the bureau annual accounts of
their receipts and expenditures of PEN
sion money.
The rule was followed by disclosures,
which, in some instances were of
startling nature. Guardians were found
to be drawing pensions long after the
death OF their wards.
Many cases were found where insane
pensioners had been placed in asylums
6nd other public institutions as INDECENT
persons while the guardians had drawn
the pension during the whole period and
either diverted it for other purposes. or
allowed 1t to accumulate for the bene-
At Of the pensioners legal representa-
tives.
Other cases were revealed in which
the guardians were appropriatfng the
pensions to their own use while the
Y.-l- ,s~Hf
expense.
War With Spain.
The report presents a number of inter-
esting features connected with the filing
of claims for pension on account of the
war with Spain and the instructions
In the Philippines. It is shown that the
soldiers of these wars enjoy much
greater benefits than were accorded to
the soldiers Of the civil war, in the
amount of pensions granted for the same
degree of disability.
While the civil war lasted for four
years and the casualties were enormous
and the Spanish American war lasted
only about four months with compare
lively few casualties, it Is shown that
three years after the close of the Span
fish war claims for pensions amounting
to about 20 per cent of the soldiers en-
gagged in that war had been filed. while
In 1872, or seven years after the close
tof the civil war only about 6 per cent
of the soldiers engaged in that war
had filed claims.
Fault Of the System.
The commissioner says he is not pre-
pared to believe that those who engaged
In the war with Spain, many of them,
sons Of veterans of the civil war, were
less patriotic than their ancestors or
more covetous, but in his opinion it is
the fault of the system of pensioning
with its active army Of attorneys, solicit
tors and drummers who are practically
licensed by the government with the
promise of SIS for each claim allowed.
The commissioner calls attention to
the unsatisfactory conditions attending
the legal and medical adjudication of
claims for pensions and as remedy
for existing abuses earnestly recon-
mcnds that travelling medical examin-
ing board be authorized which would
meet at the county seat OF each county,
say twice year. and claimants would
receive notice in advance of their COM
ing.
charged with the duty of receiving and
paying over to the several governments
In interest, the sums to be paid by China
as indemnity. Mr.. Rockhill favors the
foi~ 1s-.I,-