Year: 1877

tions by skilled surgeons who have interest adverse
the Government.


''The most simple and efficient and at the same time
economical plan which able 10 suggest, Is follows
divide the country into districts OF such size, considering
both the territory and population, as that one surgeon
evotng his whole time TO the duties would generally be
able TO make all the medical examinations In any district
which the pension laws might require Appoint many
hghlyqualihed surgeons there are districts with rea
sonabe annual salary all TO be under the direction Of the
Commissioner of Pensons one surgeon be assigned
each district subject be ordered from place place
within the district, and TO be changed about from one
district to another the emergencies OF the service might
require One competent clerk should be sent 10 each
district to act in conjunction with the surgeon. sep
araely as his duties and the regulations OF the Commis
soner OF Pensions should from time TO time require
These two should constitute commission on behalf OF
the Government to make the required medical examna
tons in any case and to receive the paro testimony
offered In its supports aud to that end the claimant with
his principal witnesses, should appear before them and
submit themselves TO crosexamnation behalf OF the
Government. IL material witness resides In another
dstric his testimony should be taken by the commission
of that district and forwarded to the commission having
the In hand. When the claimant has furnished all
the proof he desires to furnish, and submitted such
aminatons required, the whole to be trans
mitted TO the office for final settlement.


This commission may be generally charged with the
special investigation in the district.


In case it should be found that work accumulang
IN any district faster than the regular commission could
dispose OF It, clerk could be detailed from the office for
a limited period to aid in bringing it up


This plan IS simple and its methods and detail equally
simple and direct.


'when application for pension is received at the
once, Adiutaut General
and Surgeon Generals offices bearing the case would
be obtained and together with the application forwarded
to the commission of the district where the claimant
sides. He will at the time be notified that the
is ready to be proceeded with and to present himself with
his witnesses to the commission for examination.


1.-THE principle upon which this plan is grounded. Is
universally adopted in civilized communities for the settle
ment of doubtful contested questions of fact and the
plan itself is not entirely new; at most it is but the
application OF an old plan to new class of cases. 1t is
suggested by ancient precedens well by the modern
practice OF the courts both of law and equity, in referring


The objections to this new plan readily occur
and will be discussed at length at another time
We are of the opinion, however, that such an
arrangement would work to the disadvantage of
the great majority of pensioners, although it
would save a few dollars to the Government.
1t would reduce the rate of pension in many
cases, and cause thousands of honest pensioners
to be stricken from the rolls.


1t would seem a better plan to increase
the efficiency of the service than that suggested
by Commissioner Bentley, would be to add a
sufficient number of clerks to the force on duty
in the Surgeon Generals Office, to bring the
work up to date; to make corresponding in
crease in the Pension Office, to apply the evi-
dence as rapidly as received from the Surgeon
Generals Office; to rate the clerks in the Pension
Office as examiners, and assistant examiners, as
in the Patent Office, with corresponding salaries;
increase the pay of examining surgeons to three
dollars per case, and in obscure cases to five dol
lars; increase the pay of the Commissioner OF
Pensions to the same amount as that received by
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; give
him largely increased special service fund, to
pay for the proper investigation of suspected
frauds. Give him these additional facilities fo1
the transaction of business, increase his discre-
tionary powers, and make the Office more perm.
anent, by removing it from politics.


II Should be Repealed.