The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-09-27
LIBERAL To SOLDIERS.
Work of the Government as to
Pensions and Bounties.

Pensions and Bounties.
Administration Has Been
More Than Generous to the De-
tenders OF the Flag.
Second only in Importance to the
enactment of liberal laws granting
pensions to soldiers and sailors engag-
ed in the defense of the country, are
the liberal laws-enacted by Repub-
lican congress, and literally and gen.
erously construed by the acou-ting CT
ncers of the treasury department, for
the payment of claims and bounties
to the brave defenders of the coun-
try's honor. Under the administra-
ton of President Mckinley the laws
relating to the payment of accrued
claims for services, or bounties. in
the civil and Spanish-American wars
have been very literally interpreted,
yet within the reasonable scope of the
laws. Owing to the vast number of
claims that had accumulated In the
Offices of the auditors for the war and
navy department, and the appeals
from the decisions of such officers to
the comptroller of the treasury, the
delays in the final disposition of such
cases had occasioned a good deal of
misconstruction. But the cause was
deficient force in the offices named to
carry on the necessary work of exam
lining the evidence, often dating back
fora long period of years, and of reach
ing a proper construction of the law
applicable to the cases. The last con-
gress, therefore, appropriated a sum
sufficient to employ an additional
force of clerks. and the result was
that, in the Office of the comptroller
Of the treasury, large number of ac-
cumulated appeals were disposed of
during the closing months Of the last
fiscal year; and, at present, that office
is keeping abreast of its ordinary
work.
The government has exhibited a re-
markable tendency to be liberal and
generous-yet strictly within the laws
in dealing with claims of its soldiers
1t has re-examined and passed upon a
great mass Of claims. and allowed a
large number of claims for arrearages
of bounties, pay for horses lost in the
army, for communication of rations, and
travel allowances. One case will Illus
trate In a striking manner this spirit
of liberality toward the soldiers. The
law provides that soldier shall be
allowed travel allowances and sub
sistence from the place of his last en-
listment to the place of his final dis
charge. Under this law a case cam,
before the comptroller of the treasury
on appeal from the auditor for the wa
as follows: Claimant had enlisted IL
this country and been ordered to tn,
Philippines for duty there. His frs
term Of enlistment expired while ht
was in the Philippines, and, at the
outbreak Of the Filipino war, or fol
the purpose Of service therein, the
soldier re-enhsted at Manila. Subse
Quently he was ordered home and dis
charged at Little Rock, Arkansas. o.
his application for travel allowanc,
| and subsistence from the place of hi
discharge, Little Rock, Ark, to tn,
place Of his last enlistment at Ma
nila P. l., Comptroller Robert ]. Trace
well. held that, under the law govern
ing such cases, the claim should b
allowed. The result was that. a
though the soldier evinced no dispc
sition to return to the Philippines, b
was yet granted travel allowances an
subsistence from Little Rock, Ark, +
Manila, P. l., amounting to over $500