New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-17
GIVES SERVICE PENSION.
WITHOUT LEGISLATION.
Under Ne,c Order Al Tetcrans OCcr
SiUty-t5cO VIII Be Pensi0ncd.
IFRov TIE TRIBUNE RrzrAr.1

l
=. change in the administration Of existing law
The object sought fy the administration and the
/ Republican majority I'm Congress will he accom-
/ plished by order Of the Secretary Of the IN
terror, which win become effective on April H.
1904. This order. issued to-day. is to the effect
that in the adjudication Of pension claims under
the act OF June p. 1890 as amended. If shall he
considered that when a claimant has passed the
age of siXty-two years he is d!sa bled one-haf in
ability 20 perform manual labor and is entitled
70 hn rated at Sc a month; after sixty-ive years
al $ month. after sixty-eiEht years. at SO
month. and after seventy years at So month.
. Allowances not exceeding S12 a month will CON
tinue to be made as heretofore where dsabili-
ties other than show inability 10 perform
manual labor.
This Interpretation OF the law will have the
effect Of modifying the former rules Of the Pen
sion Office fixing the minimum and maximum 1T
sixty-five and seventy-ive years respectively. I
which veterans are entitled TO service pensions.
1t was discovered I'm the first week in March
/ that. as the maximum age Of seventy-nve was
regulation made by the Pension once under
existing Law. there was no reason why the age
limit could not be reduced and a graduated scale
established under an executive o~der. The
practicabIity Of this plan appealed strongly 20
those who desired recognition OF the services Of
veterans and an exhaustive examination CT the
provisions Of tho law showed couclusively that
Il was strictly within its limitations.
Under this order any veteran sixty-tyro years
of age who served for ninety days or more in the
civil War IS entitled to a pension on arpli~a-
ton without an examination This viii largely
avert the necessity for extended investigation
by special agents and modify 20 a marked de-
/ gree. the cumbersome red tape Of the Pension
/ Office
! SOLUTION OF PROBLEM COMMENDED.
Various estimates were made as 10 the amount
/ it would he necessary 10 appropriate for -
| operation Of n service pension law. There was
| wide diversity of opinion. but IL was generally
| conceded thar it would necessarily run up into
A the millions and hc an enormous drain on the
4 Treasury. Because Of this uncertainty con-
. siderable opposition developed 10 the proposed
legislation though ar no time was there any dis
position manifested on tho part ~ the majority
4 in Congress to deprive -hc veterans of just rec
oguItion. For these reasons this solution Of the
problem IS commended I'm administrative and
. Congress circles. Il is regarded as just and
equitable Interpretation # "a law which can be
+ economically and satisfactorily administered.
. The text Of the order promulgated to-day by
+ Commissioner Ware. which IS considered the
most important pension ruling issued I'm a long
4 time, IS as follows:
ordered. In the adjudication Of pension
. claims under said act Of June -. lNFl as
amended. il shall be taken and considered as
/ an evideutial fact, If the contrary does not APP
pear and IL all other legal requirements ar .
! properl. met that when a claimant has passed
. the age Of sixty-two years ne Is disabled ono
. half I'm ability to perform manual lapoT' anu -
/ entitled 20 be rated at S. "A month; after sixty
I five years at s. month; after slNty -e,sll t,5
years at SO MONTH ANA after S'V AT 81 d
/ month. Allowance at higher rate, not eNceedlh1
So q month. will continue to u*. made As mere
forore where disabilities otEer than age show
a.. Of ina In
bor. This order shall take effect April Is I.''t,
. and shall not be deemed retroactive ! ne I'IlIl'
I rules OF the office. fixing the minimum 5-t s
maximum at siNty-fVe years anu NO ~ ~, -
years. respectively. are hereby MODIFIED as a'''e
EXPLAINED BY COMMISSIONERS WARE.
preamble to the order after citirg the law
/ saws the Pension Bureau has established WIN
/ ,aasorarla Certainty the average nature and eX-
tent of the inarmlty OF old age. and that thirty
nine wears after the Mexican War, Congress IN
1857 rlaced on the pension roll all Mexican War
soldiers who we're over sixty-two years old
o,or,r,issiouer Ware just before starting on
trim 10 the South for his health spoke as follows
ror,arlin- The order which he said would save
both the old soldiers and the government d s'V'
. deal Of money and time.
"r ,,iirn age limit, Sl2 FOR seventy-nve years
This made during Mr. 1'eIp ] SiS-a fudge
a., MINNESOTA The sixty-ive-yeaT minimum llIil'T
n Ions -
mas t Det 5vised by whom was established nor is
A. particuary material. since 1t met Win eeieidI
be act Of Congress which passed in , the
-. 60, ~ January 1887. and approved by Presl-
49, C!icrslaI,d uut all the Mexican War veterans
- ~. nor sion roll thirty nine years eNaCJy @ttsI
tre end OF the Mexican war ne ..AI'fjil w. ", a.
ended oH5ciaIlv by treaty or tuauaupe IiIu'lEo
f1Fr1,ar 1ssS nlthough hostiliueS hed ceased pc
fore that time according TO the capture o. I'e
- NevIco n would that II, thirty nine yeaLS
Sftar the expiration OF service. Mexican War sol
.rfftInd O a pension ar Sixty ASaIiag
80 no other requisite for drawing pension sL,'.A
xisr except age that soldiers Of the civil War.
,.bo fougbt vastly and longer: az IeaS as
rood a rule ought to apply. Inc MeNCSA W.. ".
ii-,if OF siNty-two years was PIopAoIy ntouslt
tbo5f by the well known army limit OF Sky -l"o
H. be n general consensus OF HIl-i'4 ma d.
- ears the disa biIities OF old az" nave SCI IN
The order could not hare been issued carrier, pc
-. - 81 only now that the thirty mine years
80 IN fbe congress limit has been reached
-rl,a civil War ended on April - 1902 ana IN eh-
li-,v,ants In the loyal States those VINO ehlStGl
,t.t.o 5urtng the War Of the R"belliOu Hence
~ tbfrfv-nine years expire on the 18Th OF next
month and il is very proper that the order should
~ issn,e5 Hxing the sixty-two years as the mimi
mum age limit. ana lhc l'-.i-'al '--Le-7O'0 anu
ten maximum -.-,.-- -. a.. -,,.
,-Ss-t I'm The use OF this order because every old
,iier who has reached the age 4 sixty-two years
a. stla 10 rrove almost without possibility Of doubt
"a, he is oue-half disabled from earning his sup
mort hv manual labor This being 50. u seems uh,
transportation 10 90 10 IItSe NngIe d neIlC A.
bopr6 can examine him. 10 find that fact out ana,
On The other hand. il seems unnecessary Tor the
,-ovc-nuleut TO keep boards established and then
- & for the examination OF a soldier, when the
result Of the examination can be so accurately
toIe % of the o,inion that this order will
49, goZ,e~nrreut a good deal Of money. OF the two
bu-f-ed thousand examinations in the last year, II