The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-03-05
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges.
a ti0nS Made.

L. NJ. s.. Wilding. w. va.-Invalid pen
sion cannot be obtained under the general
law for disability which actually existed
before the soldier entered the service. The
fact that the soldier was admitted into the
service as sound is only prime-facie evil
dcnce of soundness. and is not conclusive
proof that he was sound. 1t ought not to
be of any consequence whether the sol
dier's parents and other members of his
family suffered from Il certain disease, il
he himself was actually free from it at
enlistment.
w. c., Columbia. S. C.-The bill to in
crease the general law rates of pension for
loss OF limbs or total disability of the same
has passed both Houses of Congress and
has gone TO the President for considera-
ton. The other bills referred to have not
been finally acted upon.
s. S. Wyant. Ohio.-The pensioner hav-
ing left no wife or child under III surviv-
ing. the person who betrayed or is reSpons-
ible for the expenses of last illness and
burial may obtain reimbursement from the
accrued pension of the pensioner. provided
the pensioBer left insufficient assets to
cover such expenses. The fact that pen
sion claim has once been rejected by the
Pension Bureau Is not Il bar TO its further
prosecution, either by the filing of addi
tional evidence. by an appeal, or by any
other course which the facts and the evil
dence filed seem to justify.
Subscriber, st. Louis. Mo.-If the
widow is not entitled to pension under the
act of June %, 1890 by reason OF her not
being married to the soldier until after
June 26. 1890, the children under 16) are
entitled to the full rate of pension that the
widow would have been entitled to receive
had she been entitled under the law This
pension to children commences from the
date of filing of application and continues
until they become IL. 1t must be shown
that the soldiers death was not due, or
not probably due, to his service.
]. w. c., Sherman Mills. Me-AI in
crease of pension on pensioned disability
commences from date of favorable medical
examination. whether the pensioner draws
under the general law or under the act of
June 81, 1890.
T. r.. New York City.-A bill was
passed in recent years authorizing the
War Department to issue certificates of
discharge or certificates Of service to MEM
bers of the Military Telegraph Corps who
served in the war Of the rebellion. Certifi-
Gates of discharge have also been author
lied for members of the Missouri Home
Guards of 1861, although they were never
formally mustered into U. s. service.
a. p, Hot Springs. Ark.-That your
rate of pension is $24 per month would in
d!cate that you are pensioned for disabil-
ity equivalent in degree to the loss of
hand or foot. The rate for many years for
loss of hand or foot or total diSa bility of
the same has been $50. The new law
just passed would not benefit you unless
you are pensioned for loss or total disabil-
ity of hand or foot. Those pensiOned for
equivalent disability at S21 are not bene-
flied.
ID. II. s. Duncannor. Pa.-The new law
that increases the general law rate of pen
sion for total deafness from $50 to $40
benefits only those who are totally deaf in
both ears.
s. F.. Tacoma, Iowa.-The appealing of
a rejected claim for increase of pension on
pensioned disability is not a bar to the fill
ing and prosecution of new increase
claim while the appeal is still pending.
Subscriber, Maryville. Tenn.-There is
no fixed time within which an applicant
for increase of pension may invariably ex-
pect to be ordered for examination, Or with
in which he may expect action Oh his case
after he has been examined. Increase
claims on pensioned disability are usually
settled within year after filing.
j. n. NJ. Metropolis City. Ill.-The gen
eral law rate Of pension for total disability
of both hands is So per month. This
rate is not increased by the new law. You
are evidently drawing $50 per month I'M
der the act of July IA, 1892, for disability
requiring frequent and periodical aid
and attendance of another person. and not
for total disability of the hands. The rate
for loss of both hands is 500 per month.