The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-03-28
Rack FAY AND BOUNTY CLAIMS.

OepdTtiHeHt Has hoW unuSE WY NAV
settlement of a number Of claims un
der new departure in routine which
will t.c of much interest to large
number of veterans. The Sundry Civil
Appropriation bill. approved March 4
1907. contains the following clause:
Back pay and bounty: For payment
of amounts of arrears of pay of two Of
three-year volunteers, for bounty tc
volunteers and their widows and lega
heirs. for bounty under the act Of Jul,
%, 1866. and for amounts for com
mutation of rations to prisoners of wal
in rebel States, and to soldiers on fur
Tough. that may be certified to be due
by the accounting officers of the Treas
ury during the fiscal year 1908. 5000
900: Provided, that in all cases here
after SO certified the said accounting
officers shall, in stating balances, follow
the decisions of the United States SUI
preme Court or of the Court of Claims
of the United States after the time fol-
appeal has expired. IL no appeal be
taken, without regard to former settle
ments or adjudications by their prede'
cessors."
This affects the following cases:
"a Under the revenue act imposing
war taxes upon the salaries Of all off,
Gals the pay of all officers in the Army
was taxed three per cent. up to Aug
81, 1864. and after that five per cent
The act expired July 1. 1870. The
Supreme Court and the Court of Claims
have decided that in the case OF re-
musters-that is, musters OF officers
which took place subsequent to the eX-
piration of the act, and which corrected
the musters of those who had been
denied muster with their proper rank
on account of being absent in prison
or in hospital, their commands having
been reduced below the legal minimum
or for other causes-that the tax was
imperative, since the remustar occurred
at time when the law was no longer
in existence. 1t has been the custom OF
the Auditors Office to deduct this tar
in making final settlements with such
officers as were remustered for the
causes named and who came within
the scope of. this decision. Consequent
ly the amount SO deducted is now due
those officers, and can be collected upon
presentation of a claim to the Office.
(2) Many men enlisted after the
bounties were raised in October. 1853
when a General Order gave q bounty
of $500 to those so enlisting and $40o
to veterans. At that time they received
an advance payment Of $50 upon en-
listing. of which $25 was part Of the
bounty. When these men were pro-
NOTED to commissions, before serving
two years, there was deducted from
their pay $2s for the advance payment
of bounty The courts have decided ad-
verse to this. and consequently all those
who have had the SIS deducted under
the circumstances named can recover
that amount.
go Under the additional bounty act
OF July 70. 1856. limitation was made
upon applications which was finally ex-
tended to July 1, 1880. Consequently all
claims for additional bounty filed sub
sequent to that date have been rejected
The courts have decided adverse to this
also and consequently anyone who was
cefved It can now obtain It upon appf-
cation to the ONCE. The Injustice Of this
has been apparent TO the ON
-cials of the Auditors once for some
years and they have tried to get bill
thru Congress aboiishing the limitation
and restoring the rights Of those who had
suffered from It. This Is now accom-
piished in another way. There are only
q limited number Of veterans to whom
this will apply. but It IL . very jusi
measure, and there never should have
been any limitation placed. The men
who served their time in the early
years Of the war when the bounty wa,
only $1o9 were placed at . disadvan.
tage with those who came in later. wher
the bounty had been raised to $3ee
In effect the Government fined then
$500 or more for being SO prompt In
eniisting. This bounty act was intended
10 cure this injustice In some measure
but It was accompanied by . time umi,
which has now been removed.
Before applying for this. veteran
should carefully examine their dis
charges ana other papers, and see 4
there is not evidence that this addition.
81 bounty has been already paid them
No attorney. or agent Is necessary. t.
make the above collections. II the,
arc due they will be settled upon appIi
cation directly to the Auditor OF tn.
Treasury for the War Department
Washington. d. c.. "
(l) The Controller Of the Treasur,
has now under consideration SOM
questions relating to ths beginning O
pay At different dates OF officers In tn
volunteer forces, such a. entranc,
into the State service, entrance Into tn
United States service and tins OF Join
Ing command. Whsn this decision q
made 1t will BE- published In The Ma
tional Tribune.
The States have always had unques
tioned power to regulate baaks-esDec
tally savings banks. where poor peopl
deposit their small accumulations.
State Is severely blamed that docs no