St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-03-25

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Of health Of members. when incurred
strictly In it, military or naval ser
vice, and to furnish regular pecunt-
ary aid to the families of those whose
lives are thus sacrificed. From this
simple impulse Of justice. manifest
ing itself in the war of independence
has sprung this entire system, now
expanding into proportions perhaps
little anticipated in those early days
In place Of laws for particular emer-
gencies, cautiously limited to retro
spective action, We have now 3
statute which now puts ON an equal
footing each arm Of the service. en-
bracing the future as we'll as the
present in Ito scope, and providing
for regulars. volunteers, and militia
alike.
On February II. 1871. q straight
out service pension act was passed
for the survivors Of the War Of 1912
who had served so days and were
honorably discharged. In this act
the pauper clause. which was written
into the revolutionary act of 1913
was eliminated.
Only q few survivors Of the War
OF 1912 ct that time appeared on
the rolls and 1t was then freely said
and confidently believed that only e
very small number were then living
who would be able to avail them
selves Of the provisions of this act.
Yet, before its creators could go
home to tell about their patriotic
work, the Commissioner Of Pensions
had received and placed on file 3d.
900 claims. About the time the peo-
Pile, the burden hearers, nad become
reconciled to this generous measure.
the Congress on March 3, 1873. pass
ed another, under whose troad pro-
visions all soldiers who had served
II days in the War Of 1912 were en-
titled to q pension and the widows
Of such persons. irrespective Of the
date of their marriage. This meas
ure. not unlike its predecessor. Inn
mediately brought to the Commis-
sioner Of Pensions. $4,000 new
claims. These claims were based
upon services rendered s. years
prior to the submission Of such appli-
cations. In 1873, the year Of its
adoption. we paid to pensioners, un-
der this bill. $1,O63. 590.52. In
1879. one year after its passage, We
paid, In compliance with its liberal
provisions. $3.207,225.20.
Congress, In all human likelihood
realizing that the claim agents an6
pension attorneys were footing the
Federal Treasury through the medi
UNI Of pliable claimants. ON the lytis
Of June. 1878. reduced the fee whict
claim agents were then entitled K
charge for their services in the prose-
cution Of pension claims from $50 t
$40. and forbade the filling Of con
tracts in any case by the Commis
sioner OF Pensions and prohi5itef
claim agents and other persons from
receiving compensation for services
in making application for arrears OF
pension.
The Commissioner Of Pensions in
his report Of June 80, 1873, refer
ring, to the act In question, In part,
said:
The act has met the mos: de.
termined opposition Of . class o.
claim agents who, under the law as
It previosuly stood, enjoyed large ia
cilities for gathering up claims. The
agents ct this class. In support OF
this opposition, have not hesitated
to circulate through the country the
statement that the reduction Of the
fee and the uncertainty Of its col
lection would deter al reliable and
attorneys from aiding
the soldier in the prosecution of his
claim, and thus he would be pre-
vented from securing his own rights.
The provisions which were modi.
fed by this act were contained in an
act passed July s. 1870, to protect
pensioners and claimants from the
and frauds which had
heretofore been extensively practic-
ed upon them by INSCRIPTIONS
claim agents, who succeeded IN many
cases in securing employment to
prosecute pension claims 1-ld to col |
lect pension money At the agencies
for paying pensions.
Hence we observe that the Com
missioner Of Pensions. Of his own
volitton. gave to Congress his esti-
mate Of pension attorneys and claim |
agents. and clearly indicated to Con-
gress the tactics to which these men |
resort In their efforts to himham the
but was It productive
IT the adoption Of any remedial leg
Station? On the contrary. On
January Is. 1879, Congress passed
what is known ~ the arrears act"
Under the provisions Of this mon
'trosity. claims were allowed with
'ut an irresistible incentive to claim
agents and other interested persons
70 present new claims. This was
II course, . veritable Ell Dorado for
claim agents, who were entitled to
'eceive under it, provisions $40 for
zach new claim. Whilst they were
lot to receive any compensation fol
making application for arrears as q
Of right. however, We can
afely assume that they were the
recipients Of little evasive money
whenever they wrested from the
FEDERAL Government Q claim carry
ng with 1t q premium well advanc-
d In the hundreds.
How the Congress can justify the
doption Of tnis legislative prodigy II,
m wholly incapable Of even con-
occurring.
However, the Senate soon realized !
hat the costs OF this act would soon r
the country: consequently
n March 8. 1879, Congress passed !
n amendatory act which, in sub.
lance. provided that no pension :
hould be allowed to cover any :
eriod prior to the date OF the claim