The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-03-24
Ware Makes new
CAS- ENs0NIRlll'lnG
DECISION OF co161lIssIOHBR OF
GREAT IHPoRTANcE TO
F OLD SOLDIERS.

GREAT 109oRTAMCE TO
@ OLD SOLDIERS.
Claimants Beyond Above Age Will
Not Be Required to Undergo Ex-
amination-oreat Saving Expect
ed Under the Order.
Washington, March 17.-Commission-
er of Pensions Ware, with the approx
al Of Secretary Hitchcock. on We'd
nesday promulgated the most import.
ant pension ruling that has been is
sued in long time. 1t directs that
beginning April IL next, If there is no
contrary evidence and all other legal
requirements have been met, claimants
for pension under the general act of
June q, 1890, who are over 62 years
old. shall be considered as disabled
one-half in ability to perform manual
labor and shall be entitled to Sc
month, over 65 years, to So; over 6S
years, to SO, and over 20, $12. the
usual allowances at higher rates con.
tfnuing for disabilities other than age.
The Commissioners Views.
Commission Ware, just before leaving
for trip south for his health, spoke as
follows regarding the order, which he
the government great deal of money
and time: ''There has long been in the
bureau rule fixing maximum age limit
at $12 for rs years. This was made dur
ing Mr.. Cleveland's administration by
Commissioner Lochren, now federal
Judge in Minnesota. The 65-year- mini
mum limit has been q long while In force
in the bureau, but I am not advised by
whom it was established nor is it particu-
larry material since 1t met with general
acquiesenee: The act of congress. which
was passed In the latter part of January,
1887, and approved by President Cleve-
land, put all the Mexican war veterans
on the pension roll 80 years exactly aft
er the end of the Mexican war.
Entitled to Like Treatment.
ut would seem that if 80 years after.
the expiration of service o Mexican war
soldier was entitled to a pension at 62
years, and no other requisite for draw
ing a pension should exist except
age, that to soldiers of the civil war who
fought vastly more and longer, at least
as good rule ought to apply. The Mex
lean war limit Of 81 years was probably
brought about by the well-known army
limit of 62 years at which officers arere-
tired. There seems to be a general con-
sensus of opinion that at 81 years the
disabilities of old age have set in. The
order could not have been issued earlier,
because it is only now that the 80 years
fixed by the congressional limit has been
reached. The civil war ended April Is,
1865, and in enlistments in the loyal
states those who enlisted after that time
are held to have no pensionable service
during the war of the rebellion. Hence
the 80 years would expire on the 18th of
next month, and it is very proper that the
order should be issued fixing the sixty
second year as the minimum age limit
and the Biblical three score and ten as
the maximum.
Will Save Money and Time.
''There is an advantage and saving to
because every old soldier who has
reached the age of 62 years is able to
prove almost without possibility of
doubt that he is one-half disabled from
earning his support by manual labor
This being so, it seems unwise to put q
soldier to the expense of time and trans
porttation to go to place where med
zeal board can examine him to find that
fact out, and on the other hand it seems
unnecessary for the government to keep
boards established, and then pay six
dollars for the examination of a soldier
when the result of the examination can
be so accurately foretold. am of the
opinion that this order will save the
government good deal of money. OF
the 100000 examinationsi in the last year,
If one-fourth of them were saved it
would make 100000, and perhaps an
equal amount in time and transportation
to the old soldiers, who would have to
go and be examined"