The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-03-22
NEW PENSION RULING
All Civil War Veterans Over o.
Years Entitled TO One.
THE PAY is RATED ON ass

Commissioner Ware Says New Rule
viii Save Both the Old Soldiers
and Government Much Money Ey
Abollshing Examinations.
Washington, March H. - Comm.3-
siOner OF Pensions Ware. with the APP
prevail of Secretary Hitchcock his
promulgated the most important pen.
sion ruling that has been issued In a
long time. II directs that. beginning
April 10 next, If there is no contrary
evidence aud all other legal require
ments have been met claimants Tor
pension under the general act ot June
p. 1890, who are over 60 years old
shall be considered ~ disabled one
half in ability to perform manual labor
and shall be entitled to 81 month;
over 60 years to s.: over GS years 10
$40. and over ~ to $l2. the usual al
lOwances at higher rates continuing
for disabilities other than age.
The order itself Is preceded by a
preamble which. after citing the laws.
says the pension bureau has establish.
ed with reasonable certainty the aver
age nature and extent OF the inhrmity
of old age: that 80 years after the
Mexican war congress. in 1887. placed
On the pension roll all Mexican war
soldiers who were over 81 years old.
Commissioner Ware, just before
leaving for a trip south for his health,
spoke as follows regarding the order
which he said would save both the
old soldiers and the government a
great deal of money and time:
There has long been In the bureau
n rule fixing a maximum age limit. at
sl2 for - years. This was made
during Mr. Cleveland's administration
by Commissioner Lochren. now a fed
eral Judge in Minnesota.
"The act OF congress which was
passed in the latter part of January.
1887. and approved by President
Cleveland. put all the Mexican war
veterans on the pension roll. 80 years
exactly after the end OF the Mexican
war. The Mexican war ended OIL
claly by the treaty OF Guadalupe III
dalgo. February .. 1915
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 Is
sued earlier because II is only now
that the 80 years fixed By the con
eressiona limit has been reached. The
civil war ended April 49, 1865. Hence
the 80 years would expire on the 18th
OF next month and IL is very proper
that the order should be issued fixing
the 80 years as the minimum age
limit and the Biblical three-score and
ten as The maximum
There is an advantage and saving
to the government in the use of this
order. because every old soldier who
has reached the age of 81 years IS
able TO prove almost without posi-
bllltN OF uONbi iUdA ~ - biif-Nhii 'i'
abled from earning his support by
manual labor This being so. IT seems
unwise to put a soldier to the expense
OF time and transportation to go to
place where a medical board can ex-
anime him TO find that fact out. and on
the other hand il seems unnecessary
for the government to keep boards es-
tablished and then pay 81 for the ex-
animation Of a soldier. when the re-
suit OF the examination can be so ac-
curately foretold.
Il am of the opinion that this order
will save the government good deal
OF money OF the 100000 examinations
in the last year, II one-fourth OF them
were saved. It would make 100000,
and perhaps an equal amount IN time
and transportation to the old soldier
who would shave to go and be ex-
AHMED"