The National tribune., 1902-06-05
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges
tions Made.

r. r, r., Brooklyn, Iu,-You evidently
do not understand that as the pension act
of June q, 1890, has been construed since
May, 1893, it takes $50 worth of disabili-
ty, according TO the general-law ratings,
to get the So rating under the act of
June p, 1890. That is the reason why
the disability you are pensioned for at Ss
under the general law and other serious
disabilities besides have secured you a
rating of only SO under the act of 1890.
OF course. you may be entitled to high
er rate upon your evidence. You or your
attorney could examine the Examining
Surgeons report at the Pension Bureau,
but the Pension Bureau will not make
Secretary of the Interior. simply write a
letter, giving number of your claim, SO
that it can be identified, and state your
objections to the adverse action of the
Pension Bureau. The Board Of Pension
Appeals of the Interior Department Is
now over 80 months in arrears with its
work, but the Board will be more than
doubled in membership after July 1, and
the work will probably be brought well
mp within q year.
B. C. J., National Military Home, Ind
If the wife of a pensioner inmate Of
the Home clearly indicates that she has
abandoned him and would not live with
him If he were to return to his former
home, she certainly has no right to half
his pension. 1t should be paid to his chill
dren, if there be any under 10, and II not
then it should all go to his own benefit,
subject to the regulations of the Home.
The facts should be shown by sworn afil-
davits filed with the Commissioner Of
Pensions.
Constant Reader, National Military
Home, OhiO.-The session of Congress
l.. oh I'D
the close of Congress, and all bills that
were not favOrably acted on have to start
all over again with the present Congress,
the first session of which convened in De-
cember last. The bill you refer to, pro.
viding a rating of $50 for invalid PEN
sioners under the act of June q, 1890,
who require the regular aid and attend
ance of another person, has not been re-
ported from committee in the present
Congress.
E. NJ. Mt is the settled holding of
the Interior Department at present that
desertion from term of service entered
upon subsequent to the practical close Of
the war of the rebellion is not a bar to
pension under the act of June 81. 1890,
for service in the war of the rebellion
that was terminated by an honorable dis
charge.
J. r. D., Huntington Mills. Pat is
not known in precisely what form the
Quay service-pensior bill will become a
law. if at all.
H. E. B.. Union City, Pa.-The rate
for total inability to perform any manual
labor was only IS per month, in case Of
an enlisted man, until June 6, 1866, when
the rate become $50. Unless the evidence
of total disability for manual labor is
very positive, it is impossible to secure
the prescribed rating. 1t would be prac-
tically impossible to secure readjust-
L l.
far back as 1864. The decision referred
to in the clipping was that in the case of
C. c. Cook, recently reported in The Ma
tional Tribune under Department
News"
E. L. S., Reading, Pa-The matter to
which you refer is not understood. So far
rs known all pensions are being paid and
w. s.. Chana, Ill.-The generallaw
rate OF invalid pension for disability
equivalent in degree to the loss Of hand
or foot is S24, not $50. Any statutory in
crease in the rate of $50 for loss Of hand
or foot or total disability of the same
would not carry with it by implication an
increase of the $50 rate for total inability
to perform any manual labor.
Widow, Salisbury, Pa.-Widows can
not obtain general law pension unless it
can be proven to the satisfaction of the
Pension Bureau that the soldiers death
was due to causes originating in the serv-
Ice and line Of duty. If the soldier was
killed by accident after discharge, his
death could hardly be said to be due to
his service.
W. B.. National Military Home, Ohio
The first law providing a bounty for
the enlistment of able and ordinary sea-
men. in the Navy during the war of the
rebellion was a joint resolution Of Feb.
"A, 1864, which offered an advance of
three months pay as a bounty for such
as were thereafter enlisted, this advance
to be deducted from any prize money
thereafter becoming due
j. G. E.. New Tazewell. Tenn.-A bill
has passed the Senate extending the pen
sion act of June 81, 1890, to ex-Confeder-
ates who entered q. S. service before
Jan. !, 1865, and were honorably dis
charged, excepting, however, those who
enlisted in the several regiments of ~. S.
Volunteers" formed of Confederate pris-
oners-of-war in the Fall of 1864 and win
ter of 1S64L'65. This bill has not been
passed by the House of Representatives,
and SO is not law.
A @. p, Stevens Point, Wis.-See re-
ply to w. S., above. Where it is ques-
degree of disablement exists, the Commits
sioner of Pensions can always hold that
such degree Of disablement does not exist
The finding Of the Examining Surgeons
that you are disabled in degree equiva-
lent to the loss Of a hand or foot does not
make it at all certain that the Pension
Bureau will award you that rate.
]. A. Beverly, Ohio.-If the widow and
child together received only $40 per
month under the general law, and after
the widows remarrisge the child received
$14 per month, 1t would seem that the
widow must have been married to the
soldier after March 10, 1886, the date
Of the act increasing the rate Of widows
pension under the general law, and which
act does not benefit widows general law
pension unless the widow was married to
the soldier before that date, or IL after
that date, then before or during the SOL
dier's service.
Reader, Curryville. Mo.-You are mis-
Informed as to the Senate having passed
any bill such as you state The bill Won
refer to is probably the bill mentioned in
reply tn ]. G. f.. above.
]. II. NJ, Raymondville Mott NAV
be several months after an adverse deci-
sion Of the Pension Bureau is disapproved
by the Secretary of the Interior. before
the favorable action ordered is taken by
the Pension Bureau. Sometimes the Pen
sion Bureau asks that decisions adverse
to Its actions in cases be reconsidered
G. III. D., Ossining, N. Y.-If an al
legged deserter from service in the war of
the rebellion was duly pardoned by the
President, 1t would seem that he is en-
titled to discharge Of some sort Apply
to the Chief of Record and Pension OF
ice, War Department"
VIM. F.-Where as much as two years
has elapsed since medical examination In