The National tribune., 1903-03-12
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges.
tions Made.

+. A. T., Hutchinson, Kan.-The new
law increasing the general law rates for
loss of limbs or total disability of the saIiie
makes no provision tor Invand pensioners
drawing M per month for disability
equivalent III degree TO the loss OF hand
or foot.
J. y. Brooklyn. y. Y.-The War De-
partment would not consider any evidence
to show that the hospital record Is in error
as TO the character of the disability for
which you we've treated. The correction
could only be made by special act of Con-
gress, and it is very doubtful il such
SPECIAL act could be procured.
h. r., Albany. Ore.-Probably you
shonld have the highest rating allowed for
your disability for each portion of the
period over which you have been pension
ed for such disability under the act of
1890. 1T you are wholly unable to perform
any sort of manual labor, probably you
should have the maximum rate of pension
allowed by the act of June -, 1890.
w. i. X, Erie. fa--lf i'll consequence
of disability of proven service origin an
invalid pcnsioner under the general law Is
SO disabled as TO require regular aid and
attendance, but not constant, his rate OF
pension should be 500 per month. If he
requires only occasional aid and atten-
dance. but is wholly unable TO perform any
sort of manual labor, his rate should he
so per month.
NJ. d.. Arkansas City. Kan.-The general
law rate of pension tor total deafness of
one ear is $40 per month. If the bearing
of the other ear is also affected, the rate
is SO or SO, or perhaps 81, according
TO the degree of deafness.
II. o.. Sherburne, Nt.-Your attorney
or member of Congress can take such data
as you desire from the adverse affidayits
given in the special examination of your
case. The Pension Bureau will not pro-
vide you with copies of the affidavits. You
are probably justified in applying for in
crease of your pension and for a rerating
back to the date it was cut down.
A. j. L., Albert Lea, Minn.-Any SER
vice-pension law that is passed will prob
ably not mean an additional pension for
those already pensioned. Pensioners re-
ceiving less than they could get under n
seryice-pension law would have the privi-
lege of changing to the service-pension
law.
H. o.. Smithfield, Pa.-If the disability
from which the pensioner died originated
in the service while lie held the rank of
First Lieutenant, the widows pension un-
der the general law would be at the rate
of ST. per month with 81 additional per
month for each child under 16. In widows
pension eases under the general law it is
not necessary to show financial circum-
stances; that requirement is made only in
widows claims under the act of 1890.
w. NJ, Apache, Okla.-The new law
increasing the general law rates of pension
for loss of limbs or total disability of the
same makes no provision for pensioners
receiving the $50 rate for total inability
to perform any manual labor.
Old Soldier, Lykens, Pa.-If you wish
to take up a soldiers homestead, you will
have to live on it and improve it yourself.
Even a member of your family can not
comply with the law for you while you
live elsewhere.
p. W. H.. Sandusky. Ohio.-The act Of
July 10. 1861. as embodied in section 1907.
Revised Statutes. provides that mo sol
der or sailor who faithfully
served according to his enlistment until
April 10, 1865, and who. without proper
authority or leave first obtained, quit his
command or refused to serve after that
date, shall be held to be n deserter from
the army or navy" This provision relates
solely to the matter of citizenship and
right to hold office which was forfeited by
desertion, according to the statute of
March 8. 1865. as embodied in section
1896. Revised Statutes.
Subscriber, Knox, Pa.-The question as
to the rate of pension the widow would
be entitled to- does not turn upon the rate
the soldier drew or the law under which
he was pensioned. To obtain the $12 rat
ing as widow. it would have to be shown
in her case that the soldiers death was
due to disability incurred in service and
line of duty. If his death was due to dis
ability for which he was pensioned under
:he general law. it would simply be neces-
sary to show that his death was due to
said disability. In the absence of any
better evidence, marriage can be shown by
general repute. That is to say, what is
called a common-law marriage can be
proven.
J. II. B.. Blodgett Mo-There are
many kinds of Missouri State Militia"
laws The Missouri Home Guards of 1861,
the tllree-years Missouri State Militia
organized in the Fall of 1861 and the Win
ter followins-all cavalry, except one
regiment of infantry and one battery of
light artillery. and the provisional
regiments organized in 1868 from
the Enrolled Missouri Militia" are the
only Missouri Militia organizations that
now come under the general pension law
or the pension act of 1890.
Il. W. s.. Saratoga. Wyo.-No trusses
are furnished by the War Department ex-
cept where the hernia is shown to have
been incurred in the service and line of
duty. The law makes no provision except
for these eases. Evidently you are PEN
stoned under the act of 1890, and not I'M
der the general law.
A. S. g.. Hunter. n. Y.-The War De-
partment is not the sole arbiter as to
whether a pension claimant has rendered
service. If the soldier actual
ly enlisted, served and was discharged. it
would seem that he was in the u. S. mill
tary service. regardless of what deficien-
cies there may be in the records of the
War Department.