Evening star., 1901-12-21
NEW PENSION RULES
Formulated FIJI Presentation Of Phi
I vate Bills.
ACTION Of fHE HOUSE COMMITTEE
9V 81
Method Of Procedure Which Must
? : BslFoIIowed.
ACTS NOT ADMISSIBLE

s-----oe------
"For many years." said Chairman LOU
denslager to a Star reporter today, mo
rules obtained in the committee on pensions
for private pension bills. The committee
was called together and just as 1t happened
to feel good, granted pensions At one time
1t would grant $50 to claimant and at
the next meeting grant a man SIS or $1S
who, perhaps had more meritorious case.
More recently the committees of the House
have adopted certain rules for their guild
ance and action, and at each session they
have made additions to those rules, as they
found necessity for them and my judgment
Is that very many of the onerous duties of
the members of the committees will be re-
lleved by the adoption of some good rules
Tor our guidance. We are importuned on
every hand, at every place, for the grant
ing or pensions. If we have a certain
line Of rules that govern bills to be consid-
ered IN the committee, and adhere to them,
we can De relieved of great many of those
opportunities, and our duties will be more
pleasant and. in the end, will be more sat
lsfactory all around.
To that end, the House committee On
pensions has adopted a set procedure for
action on private pension bills.
Method of Procedure.
ITO secure the consideration of bill for
pension, or increase of pension, a carefully
prepared petition should be addressed to
the Congress of the United States setting
forth the applicants post Office address, his
age, and the proper designation of the mill
tary organization to which he belonged, or
the names of all naval vessels on which he
served, and the length of his service;
whether application for pension has been
mace to the bureau of pensions and If so
the action taken thereon; and If no such
application has been made, the reasons
tnerefor; the nature and degree Of all dis
ap1ntles, whether mental or physical, show
ing specifically those claimed to have been
contracted In the service and in the line of
duty, and stating all existing disabilities
not due to vicious habits and the extent to
which they disable him for the performance
OF manual labor; the character and value
or all property owned by him, and net an
nual income from all sources. The facts
enumerated in said petition should be sup
ported by claimants sworn statement and
the petition and affidavit should be trans
mitted In single envelope to one of the
members representing the state in which
the applicant resides
NO Dill will be considered by this COM
mittee unless application for pension or in
crease of pension has first been made to the
bureau Of pensions, nor while the claim is
pendlng In the bureau except in cases
where conclusive proof is presented that
the claimant has no pensionable status I'M
der existing laws
Where original pension or increase of
peHsfoff ndS Deen allowed Dy special act, no
proposition for additional pension will be
entertained In no case will the allowance
OF arrears be recommended or application
for increase of pension favorabIy consid-
cred If claimant is regularly employed by
and In receipt of a salary from the govern
ment of the United States.
Bills proposing to pension sons or daugh-
ters OF soldiers Will not be entertained ex-
cept in cases where 1t is shown by satisfac-
tory evidence thatlthe proposed beneficiary
has b. en- idiotic, ~deformed or otherwise per
manently helpless, from period antedatine
the age Of sixteen years. and then only in
case of destitution. In such cases the rate
allowed shall not exceed s12 per month.
where pension has been allowed at the
rate of SS per month under the law of 1887
granting service pension to soldiers and
widows of soldiers of the Mexican war no
proposition for increase will be entertained
until after application has been made to
the pension bureau and action taken there
on under the amended Mexican pension
law, granting $12 per month to such as are
wholly disabled for manual labor and in
destitute circumstances
bills proposing to pension men who were
not mustered into the military service ex-
cept in cases where In emergencies they
performed military duty and were wounded.
OF unless some special or extraordinary ser.
vice was rendered in connection with the
army, are not admissible.
Ratings for Pensions.
"The rating for pension or increase OF
pension to widows Of officers will be graded
according to rank as Indicated in tba fo,