The Washington times., 1904-02-05
PAYING PENSIONS
HAS NO ENDING
Claims of Revolutionary
War on the List.
CASES ADDED EVERY MONTH
Emplsye Estimates That Work VIII
Continue for a Century Without
Another War.
CASES ADDED EVERY MONTH

When will the Government cease
paying pensions?" asked Times re-
porter OF a prominent official of the
Pension ONCE TODAY.
'When?'' was the surprised answering
inquiry. heaven only knows We are
sun paying pensions TO widows of sol
diers OF the Revolutionary war, which
has been over for 12O years. IL we have
To pay Spanish war pensions as long
We still will be paying pensions way into
the next century. and that without a
In examining tile pension report one
hnds that there is a daughter OF Rev
olutionary soldier in Boston, who, at
the adNnnced age OF l03 years, is still
receiving aid from the Government aid
birth.
Besides her there are two widows az
Revolutionary soldiers, Esther S. Da-
mon, Of Plymouth Union. Vt and Re-
Decca Mayo. OF Newburn, Va, who are
Surprising" said the pension official
that We had the case of a soldier OF
the spanish war who contracted lung
trouble in the service. He may live
thirty years. and toward the close Of life
ne might get married TO a girl of six
teen Then he might die. leaving her a
WIDOW. and she might live fifty years
more. and we would have eighty wears
or pensions to pay In that one case.
Veterans Dying Fast.
"Of course. the old soldiers are fast
disappearing. last year at the rate OF
$1,000 and this year at the estimated
rate Of 5000. theoretically, in fifteen
years the veterans of the civil war
would be all dead, though we know that
they will not be all dead then. and We
know that those dependent upon them
VIII not all be dead This death rate
49,, ~oei9, ~ Congress did not continue TO
leEfElattun- dppraa b., .
money That the Government would have
70 pay, but there Is new legislation All
- .b elnie, ana az TINS keeps US pretty near
Vow as 70 the Spanish war veterans
are getting calls from them an the
time. but we turn down more than we
pass: We have had over 50 600 ORIGINAL
applcations and 13 600 other Applicant lions
OF which we have admitted 1900 and
IeJeSStteo 1V;Ooo. the others being still
cost little over So 100000 in i've wears
which Is small when compared with the
money spent in other pensions.
Few Turned Down.
Comparatively, few veterans of the
civil war are turned down. and then they
have an admirable chance 10 prove their
case. which few people understand We
have special examiners in the field and
when a veteran is rejected we send
10 10 MN ana get list of his witnesses.
so with our examiners and listen to the
evidence. He has the right to appear
~ counsel. or IN person, or both. and he
III tOilOW our agents about from place
90 place II he desires. II he does not
want 10 do that he can have the t1rre-
tw y evidence sent 10 him and refnte
II as he may see fit.
me examiner acts as n master In
SSLs@hcery. Then If he Is turned down
ne can appeal directly to the Secretary
81 the lnteror and try for u pension be-
tore the board OF appeals, And finally
II ne falls there he can 90 to Congress
ana get a special act in mis- case. So YOU
in the cold.
Another matter Of Importance to the
Pension Office Is the interference of the
law sharks. They adopt every known
method 20 learn who gets pensions. how
70 ma them. and how to get their
money II, for instance. 4 pension law
was having a hard time getting a pen1
sion he would be after him tooth and
nail II he could learn just how to
reach the man who got a SIS pension. he
would try to convince him that he
should have had SIP. and might get an
.. OF the - In trying TO get the So. And
the applicant would be pestered not
only by one, but by hundreds of these
attorneys
Check on Information.
This used 20 be so. but Commissioners
Ware has stopped giving out the in
formation that the attorneys want. and
giving out nothing till every one vital
~ Interested In each case has been
notified, including the applicant. As
soon as pension is granted the Con-
gresham concerned Is told Of it. the
applicant is advised and the attorney
Ia the case, IL there be one About a
month later list Is given out BY
States. and no one can learn Ia what
town John Smith. who has just been
granted a 81 pension, lives. Nor can
James Brown, who Is getting Sc, learn
that Charles Jones is getting 50 or SIS
and thus become Disseminated with his
allowance.
Speaking OF this the other day. Com
missioner Ware said he was compelled
70 do II 10 protect not only the pen
siOner. but the Government but he
-oldnt know but he should stop pub
fishing any list at all as they do no
enc any good.
The Oldest Revolutionary pensioner IS
Hannal Newall Barrett. Of Boston, who
was pensioned by a special act Of Con-
gress- She was the daughter OF Noah
HeirOd, who served two years I'm a
Massachusetts regiment, and performed
valiant service