The National tribune., 1902-04-10
PENSION POINTERS
INQUIRIES Answered and Sugges-
lions Made.

privileges Ol all tlillSltu lilsll IN lhN Aii'AN
ter of proving up on homestead entry.
i. B., Ohio-If an invalid pensiOnel
drawing under the general law on account
of disease of eyes is practically blind, even
though he is able to find his way about
the house and yard. it would seem that he
is properly entitled TO a rating of 81 pei
month. In any event, there would seem
TO be no doubt as TO his title to the sou
rating allowed by the act of July IA, 1872.
An appeal to the Secretary of the Interior
in q claim for increase of pension on pen
stoned disability should be made within
three months after the date of the Pen
sion Bureaus official notice of the rejec-
ton.
E. X. Oakman, Ind. Ter-There is no
fixed term for the Commissioner of Pen
sions. The incumbent continues TO serve
until his successor is appointed.
A. F., Newark, Ind.-There is no law
allowing survivors of the war of the re-
belliOn SO per month at 90 years of age.
There are numerous instances of rejection
by the Pension Bureau in cases where
the applicant is % years of age and more,
because the applicant is held to be unus-
ually vigorous for Il person of his age and
is not pensionably disabled within the
meaning and intent of the act OF 1880,
either with or without the amend
ment of May 8, 1900. \ decision of the
Interior Department, rendered i'll 1897, de-
clared that an applicant for invalid pen
sion under the act of 1880 who was 10
years of age, should be regarded as en-
titled TO Sc per month, regardless of his
not having any pensionable disability, un-
less he was a person of unusually vigor-
Oas health for one of his age. An order
of June, 1893, issued by. Commissioner
LOchren, with the approval of the Secre-
tary of the Interior, provides that the ST.
rate shall be allowed in all cases where
an applicant for invalid pension under the
asct of 1890 is found to be 10 years of
size or more. If increase of So per month
ii claimed under this order, the increase
will nevertheless commence only from the
date of medical examination under the ap
IsicatiOn.
C. H., Danbury, Conn.-The act of
March ), 1901, relative to the restoration
OF pensions of remarked widows in GER
TIN cases, has not as yet been fully con-
ssrued by decisions of the Secretary of
the Interior. Your attorney should be
able to advise you as to the matter of ap-
peal in your case. If the soldiers death
was due TO the service, you were and are
ealtitled to pension for the period of your
widowhood subsequent to his death.
u. V. T., Amsterdam, Mo.-The Treas
Ury Department holds that the extra pay
aet of Jan. Il, 1899, does not apply to
the Philippine service volunteers of 1899,
hut only to certain Spanish war vOlun-
taers. The Z. S. Court of Claims, how
ever, has overruled this holding; but the
Treasury Department will appeal the
Question to the Z. S. Supreme Court.
Meantime, claims for the extra pay will
lie held up, without final action in the
Treasury Department.
j C. NJ. N, Saginaw, Mich-The bounty
act of July 20, 1888, does not benefit any
three-years' volunteers enlisted before July
~, 1861, except those who were dis
charged before two years service for rea-
isons other than wound or injury incurred
in line of duty.
NJ. G. D., Quincy, Mich.-It is not I'M
derstood what statute you refer TO. Sec
tion 4141, Revised Statutes, pOryides that
mo sum of money due, or to become due,
to any pensiOner shall be liable to attach
ment, levy, or seizure by or under any
legal or equitable process whatever,
whether the same remains with the Pen
sion Office, or any officer or agent thereof,
or is in course of transmission TO the pen
sioner entitled thereto, but shall inure
wholly to the benefit of such pensioner."
Possibly this is what you have in mind.
Z. K, Lincoln, Ark.-The rate of in
valid pension under the general law for
total deafness of one ear is SO per month.
NJ. F., Sandusky, Ill.-The supplement
tai Indian wars service-pensiOn bill has
not as yet become a law.
j. T. c., Moline, Kan.-There is no law
fixing the age at which a Mexican war
survivor is to be regarded as entitled to
a So rating.
]. W., Shady Point.-Children's pen
sion under the general law can be OBJ
tanned irrespective of age at the date of
filing application, if the applicants were
under 16 on July l, 1880. The widow of
soldier or sailor of the war of the re-
bellion, married to him after June 26,
1880, can obtain pension only under the
general law, which requires satisfactory
evidence that his death was due to the
service and line of duty.
Il. c., Bartlett, Tenn.-The general law
rate of invalid pension for loss of an eye
is $l7 per month The rate for loss of
sight of an eye is So per month. See
pages 81 and 454, National Tribune Sol
dier's Handbook.
C. b. NJ, Mt. Sterling, Ohio.-The bill
you refer to has been introduced in the
present Congress. 1t is believed there is
no likelihood of any general pension legis-
lation Of importance.
A. B., Newark, Ill.-Unless the case is
one for increase Of pension on pensioned
disability, there is no limit as to time with
in which an appeal must be taken to the
Secretary of the Interior. Three months
is the limit in this class of cases. An
appeal in a pending case of a pensioner
does not interfere with his drawing his
pension. He need not await the decision
on the case not settled to his satisfaction
Unless a claimant can get his rejected
case recOnSidered at the Pension Bureau
there is no alternative except to appeal to
the Secretary Of the Interior
5. NJ. E., Ninton, IOwa.-Claims for in
crease Of pension on pensioned disability
are usually settled on the report of the
Board Of Examining Surgeons, unless title
TO some special rating is in question. The
filing of the affidavit of the family ply
sician will do no harm and may do good
5. H., IOnia, Mich.-There is no way
of telling what the rate of pension would
be in q case in which the Examining Sur
geons give an aggregate rating of 27-1S,
unless there are disabilities involved for
which certain rates are specified by law
or rulings. Even then it would be largely
guess work. The rate certainly would
not be S27.
A J. NJ, Brazil, Ind.-Address the
Chief of the Record and Pension Office,
War Department, Washington, d. CT
for information relative TO soldiers Of the
Revolutionary War. The Pension Bu-
reau has the records of the pension claims
of Revolutionary soldiers and will furnish
information relative thereto.
]. 2. H., Rochester, n. Y.-Apply to
the "Chief of the Record and Pension
Office, War Department, Washington, ID.
name, if in the volunteer service; other.
wise, apply to the "Adjutant- General. q,
s. A" Satisfactory evidence of identity
is re0uired