New-York tribune., 1901-11-07
PENSION BUREAUS WORK.
.,~r-AL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER
EVANS.
Aus EN-
POINTED OUT AND REMEDIES
SUGGESTED.

It's IN the way OF determining the merits of
r,s for pension and increase. Attention is d.
-.5 N the friction and bad feeling that attend
>. administration Of the act Of August I. 1882
zah provides that the open and notorious adul-
nc robahitation OF a widow pensioner shall
o-a 70 terminate her pension, but the absence
|rcb law il is said, would encourage and per-
s,ch pensioners 10 live in adultery and dis
= -Y,a memory of their soldier husbands while
IN enjoying the bounty of the government, and,
.,a other hand the widow who respects the
.r md honors society by legally entering into the
--,aye relation loses her pension. For the pur-
se NJ carving out the provisions of this law in
F..+ions we're issued in 1886 TO special examiners
= che field 10 take dispositions from widow claim
ants showing whether they have lived with any
an as his wife since the death of the soldier.
rbase instructions were in force until September,
$50 shortly after the present commissioner took
,.-ea NJ the bureau when he modified them by
Affecting that special examiners must never ques-
-, The claimant to whether she has violated
~ oc- sf August Z 1850. unless the evidence pro-
d shall show that she has been living in adul-
- and then the investigation must be made
-af,rv and discreetly so not 10 unneces-
.-v ne;ghborhood gossip scandal. The
issioner saws that while the law is a deli
cate and difficult one 10 administer, he cannot rec
ornnend its repeal
STANDING INVITATION TO FRAUD
Attention is again invited to the necessity Of re-
.li,p the act of June :. 1855. which swept away
al limitations as to the filing OF widows claims
under the general law. and brought about condi-
inns which are said to be a standing invitation to
file fraudulent claims. the arrearages being
large and the chances OF detection small. It is
said tlat Widows claims usually fled within
-hfrtv davs after the death of the soldier, but
since the massage Of the law Of 1855 many claims
have been fled by alleged widows Of soldiers who
died from disease OF were killed in the Civil War.
Referring 10 slave marriages. the commissioner
hacked by willing Witnesses, the government has
no chance. and If the special examiners OF the bu
reeu endeavor 10 ascertain the facts the interested
parties at once cry aloud that the spies Of the
bureau are prosecuting the poor widows. a
her Of sample cases cited show the vicious
Effects Of the law. The commissioner declares that
the law an open invitation TO fraud perjury and
Misrepresentation. that the soldiers themselves get
no arrearages, and that the claims Of their widows
should be governed by the same rule
In January. 1900 a rule was adopted requiring
guardians Of pensioners TO render TO the bureau
nual accounts Of their receipts and expenditures OF
pension money. The rule was followed by dis
closures which in some instances of a start
ling nature. Guardians were found TO be draw
ing pensions long after the death of their wards.
Many cases found where insane pensioners
had been placed in asylurs and other public insti
tutions as INDECENT persons. while the guardians
had drawn the pension for the whole period, and
either diverted II for other purposes or allowed it
TO accumulate for the benefit OF the pensioners
legal representatives.. Improper, exorbitant and
ex.ravagant items Of expenditure were shown
which had been authorized and approved by the
local courts Other cases were revealed in which
the guardians appropriating the pension to
their use. while the wards being main
tanned al public expense. In many cases pension
moneys were shown 10 have accumulated in the
hands Of guardians IN sums ranging from 81 90 to
oe S26,0[G while the intended beneficiaries of the
bounty q government were heine- cared in
public institutions at the expense again of the
public.
The Commissioner called the attention Of the
Secretary OF the Interior these abuses and IN an
opinion dated May %, 1911, the Secretary decided
thai the guardian OF peIsoner is the agent Of the
United States for the proper expenditure Of pension
money in his hands, and that guardians holding
pension funds are subject to the direction Of the
Commissioner Of Pensions both before and after the
heath Of their wards. II decided also that all
pension moneys in the hands of a guardian at the
dare Of a pensioners death are in the nature Of
accrued pension. and therefore subject TO the pro-
visions OF the act Of March 2 1896, with regard TO
the disposition OF such funds.
CLAIMS FROM WAR WITH SPAIN
The report presents a number of interesting
features connected with the filing of claims for
pensions on account of the war with Spain and the
nsuTrection in the Philippines. 1t is shown that the
soldiers Of these wars enjoy much greater benefits
than were accorded to the soldiers of the Civil War
II the amount OF pension granted for the de-
gree Of disability. II 1885 the minimum pension
established ~ IS a month. Nearly hundred
thousand soldiers OF the Civil War received from 81
% s. month from 1865 1895 and disability from
ioss Of leg. which entities the soldier
i5 q month. gave him only S a month in 1866.
While the Civil War lasted four years and the
casualties were enormous, and the Spanish-Ameri-
can lasted only about four months. with COM
parativeIy few casualties. il is shown that three
-F-a- ~ cfoS Of he Gh-
claims for pensions amounting TO about % per cent
II the number Of the soldiers engaged IN that war
lad been fled while in 1872. years after the
lose Of the Civil War. only about per cent Of the
The Commissioner says he is not prepared TO pc
5eye that those who engaged IN me war MI, WIN
Var. were less patriotic than their ancestors or
5e sys+cn of TensnninC With its active army of
tJ1orneys solicitors and ''druTnmers VINO are
aronise of So for each claim allowed The report
Presents some interesting details regarding the op-
he volunteers returned from the PhilipPiines for
hese soldiers were followed up and oVerpersuaded
% apply for pensions 49,. ,,..,-ts-
aet0ry conditions attending the legal and medical
adjudication OF claims for pensions cases are
unlimited by attorneys whose fee depends on the
allowance Of the claims The medical 1I "a
hood rrsctifjoners whose appointment is usually a
eward for political services and who are subject 10
ocal influences that bias their judgment
REMEDY FOR ABUSES SUGGESTED
As remedy for the abuses which exist In the
present system the Commissioner earnestly recon-
hends the following method Of ascertaining the
sacts in pension claims:
That travelling medical examining boards be ap-
pointed. consisting OF skilled medical exam
ners attorney ard one stenographer and type
writer These boards would meet at the county seat
" zach county say twice year. and the claimants
would receive notice in advance Of their coming
The movements Of the board would be directed rom
ne bureau, claimants could appear pelofe this
Board with their witnesses and the merits OF thel
@airns would be legally and medically determined
slthOut any delay.
The report shows that the principal ofl1claIs o I
alreau frea VIII served in the Union ArnlE