The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-14
UNITED STATES PENSION LAWS.
Comprehensive Digest Pension Legislation From the Founda.
ton of the Government
Copyrighted. 1904. by The NATIONAL TRIBUNE

and Philippine insurrection; both classes
of claims formerly considered by the Old
War and Navy Division.
| RECORD DIVISION
| The Record Division is charged, in gen.
eral, with the duty of keeping a record,
both numerically and alphabetically, Of
all applications for pension and bounty
land received. and of distributing the same
, to the proper adjudicating divisions. 1t
also notifies claimants and attorneys Of the
| receipt and numbers of original claims.
1t is also charged with the duty of MAX
ing proper record of all attorneys who are
| admitted to practice, and makes proper
| entry of all executing officers, such as no.
| taries public. justices Of the peace, etc.
| noting the dates OF commencement and
| expiration of their commissions. 1t also
examines and passes upon, in the first in
stance. all applicants, contracts for fec,
| powers Of attorney, certificates of official
character of executing officers, etc, as to
formality of execution.
| 1t is also charged with the duty Of OBJ
| tanning the names and Post Office adj
| dresses of officers and comrades of the diff
fent military organizations also of the
Navy and Marine Corps, also of Surgeons
| of the United States Army and Contract
| Surgeons who were in charge Of or on
duty in. the general, post, or field hospitals
throughout the loyal States during the
| war, or with batteries Of light artillery and
| other independent commands, also of
| Union eX-prisOners Of war.
These records Of this division are
kept upon service cards, giving name. late
rank. company, regiment dates Of enlist
ment and discharge. and present Post Of
| flee address, and are filled by company
regiment, State. and arm of service. These
| cards are constantly renewed and corrected
| by correspondence with comrades and
Postmasters to learn of any changes in
| Post Office addresses
| Claimants and their recognized attorneys
are. upon application, furnished with the
| names and Post Office addresses of Off
GERS and other comrades to aid in the pros
ecution of pension claims.
CERTIFICATE DIVISION.
The Certificate Division is charged, In
| general. with the duty Of preparing and
| distributing to the proper pension pay
agencies, pension certificates and other
necessary papers in all allowed claims.
| whether for original pension, for restora
| ton, increase, reissue, accrued, duplicate.
| etc.
1t is also charged with the duty Of ad,
| Indicating all claims for duplicate of lost
| certificates: also attends to the transfer
| ring of names Of pensioners from the roll
Of one agency to another upon the change
of the residence of the pensioner: also at
| tends to he issuing of permits upon
which to draw pension money when pen
sion certificates are either lost or mislaid.
FINANCE DIVISION.
The Finance Division is charged in gen.
eral. with the consideration Of all mat
tiers pertaining to the financial affairs of
the Bureau.
STATIONERY DIVISION.
= xh, -,
general, with the duty of supplying the
| officials Of the Bureau, and also the
United States pension pay-agencies, and
the Examining Surgeons, with the neces-
sary stationery, and keeping proper rec
ord Of same.
MAIL DIVISION.
The Mail Division is charged. in gen
eral, with the duty Of looking after all
incoming and outgoing mail, and of stamp
ing incoming mail on the date Of the re-
eeipt Of each application, affidavit, letter
or other communication or package Of
whatever nature.
This Division also attends to the sort
ing and distribution Of all mail matter to
the various other divisions of the Bureau.
ARMY AND NAVY SURVIVORS DIVISION.
BY order Of the Commissioner of Pen
| sions dated March 3. 1901, the Army and
navy SURVIVORS DlVlSlOu Oh the IeUSlOH
| Bureau was abolished and made q part
| Of the Record Division.
APPOINTMENT OF PENSION AGENTS.
Section 477S Revised Statutes, pro-
vides:
1.-The President is authorized to appoint,
by and with the advice and consent of the
| Senate, all pension agents, who shall hold
| their respective offices for the term Of four
years. unless sooner removed or suspended.
| as provided by law. and until their sue
cessors are appointed and qualified"
Section 4710, Revised Statutes, pro-
vides:
"All pension agents shall give bond
with good and sufficient sureties. for such
| amount and in such form rs the Secre-
| tary of the Interior may approve"
Pension agents above referred to are
not pension attorneys. but agents of the
| Commissioner of Pensions for the payment
of pensions.
TEMPORARY PROVISION FOR VACANCIES.
The act of March 8, 1873. provides:
"Whenever during a session of the Sen
| ate q vacancy shall occur in the Office
of pension agent by reason of resignation,
death. removal, or expiration of the term
Of Office, or where any such agent law
| fully appointed shall have failed to quail
| ify and assume the duties Of such Office
| the President may, when the public ext
gency requires it, designate any officer of
the United States to perform the duties
! OF such Office but such designation shall
| not be for longer time than 20 days, and
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