The National tribune., 1901-01-10
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered: and Sugges
items Made.

s. r., Geauga. Ohio.-YOur chance of
getting higher rate of pension by spc-
cial act of Congress than you are now re-
ceiving under the general law would be
rather small. Perhaps it would be well
for you to apply again for increase under
the general law, as it is over two years
since you were last examined.
A. L. H.. ShavertOwn, y. 1.-As YOU
are pensioned under the general law the
claim You have made for increase I'M
der the act of June 81, 1890, is in fact
an original claim for invalid pension I'M
der the act of June 81, 1890. and if granc
ed. the rating Hereunder will be made TO
commence from the date of filing of the
application. OF course, if 1t appears that
You are entitled 10 less under the act OF
1890 than you are receiving under the
general law. your claim will be rejected
and if it appears that you are entitled. TO
the same rate as you are receiving under
The general law mot exceeding So per
MONTH. you will be allowed to decide
whether you will accept the act of 1870
pension or continue TO draw under the
o general law.
C. p. Tama. Iowa.-If it is desired to
contest n rejected claim for increase on
pensioned disability, additional evidence
should be filed or an appeal taken within
three months after the date of the notice
of the rejection. The usual course after
q claim for increase on pcnSioned disable
ity is rejected is to file new application,
unless the case involves some special point
of law.
D.. Lansing. Mich.-The accrued pen
sion paid to the widow of deceased IN
valid pensioner may be used for any pur-
pose desired; the widow is not obliged to
devote the money to any specific purpose.
Veteran.-If the inquiry of your MEM
Der of Congress does not procure for you
any information as TO the status of your
increase claim, it is not apparent now
you can obtain such information. Inc
probability is that the additional evidence
you filed to reopen the claim was INSULT
Gent. in the opinion of the Pension Bu-
reau That is the ordinary view taken in
such cases after rejection. Your best
course will be TO file new claim for in
crease. The Commissioner of Pensions
personally passes on but very small num-
Der of the pension claims coming before
his Bureau. The report of the Examining
Surgeons is regarded as purely advisory
and not binding on the Pension Bureau.
Reports are commonly diSregarded when
they should be referred back to the Tx
amining Surgeons for explanation or fur
Their report. The common ground OF dis
regarding the recommendation of Exam
lining Surgeons is that the description of
the applicants condition does not appear
to warrant the rating recommended.
C. G., IOwa.-PensiOn granted under
the act of June 81, 1890, commences from
date of filing the application.
III. l.. B., Constantine, Mich.-ln
claim for increase on pensioned disability
there is no occasion for the Pension Bu-
reau to address letters of inquiry to per-
sons who testified in the original claim,
nor TO address inquiries to witnesses, if
any, in the increase case, unless perhaps
the question of title to some special rating
Is involved.
NJ. v, Bonnot's Mill, Mo-As a gen
eral rule a member of a volunteer organi-
cation absent from the same at its mus
ter-out is entitled to pay only up to that
date, unless he actually performed service
after that date and from circumstances
beyond his control and through no fault of
his own he was detained in the service
till later date. Absence in hospital
would not be regarded as being on duty
and performing service. If it is of record
that the soldier was actually in the service
for a period of 80 days or more, notwith-
standing that he was paid for less pc
riod, it is probable that the Pension Blu
reau will be governed by the period shown
to have elapsed from date of enlistment
to date of actual discharge.
ii. d. B.-If a rejected claim for in
crease on pensioned disability is fayora
bly, considered on appeal, the increase will
date from medical examination, just the
same as though the Pension Bureau had
from the first regarded the examination as
showing title to increase. A widow who
was not married to the soldier until after
March 3, 1899, would not be entitled to
pension even if his death were due to the
service, if she had separated from him
before his death, unless married TO him
before or during the service, or unless he
Ierved in the Spanish or Philippine war.
J. NJ. H.-A widow of a soldier of the
war of the rebellion would be entitled TO
pension under the general law if the sol
5iers death is proven due to the service,
whether he was drawing under the general
Jaw or the act of 1890 at the date of his
death, and irrespective of date of mar
rage. If married to him since March 10,
1886, her rate of pension would be IS,
with 81 additional per month for each
child under 1G, the same as under the act
Of 1890. The children under 16 at the
date of the soldiers death would be en-
titled to the same rate of pension, in the
aggregate, that the widow would have
been entitled to receive if the widow died
without receiving any part of the pension.