Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1880 — Congressmen Tired of Acting as Claim Agents. [ARTICLE]

Congressmen Tired of Acting as Claim Agents.

The pension business is growing to be so important that it is absolutely necessary that some means should be devised to relieve Congressmen from the labor involved in looking after the affairs of applicants from their districts. A good many members are nothing more than claim agents before the Ptension Office, not willingly art, but every one wanting a pension sends to his member instead of employing an attorney. Moreover, under the present system, if a man is not entitled to a pension under the law, he insists on a special act, so that there are before Congress bills for pensioning teamsters, scouts, and even civil employes of the Government. Congressmen can see no end of the burden of work that is piling up on them. Already some of them* are obliged to keep a regular set of books of accounts with their constituents. The Committee on Pensions has reported a bill to take this kind of work out of Congress. ■lt provides for a “Court of Pensions,” to .consist of three lawyers, whose term of office shall be three years. The duty of the court is to consist in examining all claims for pensions, or increase or arrears of pensions. Its decision is to be final, except in cases of fraud, or where the disability for which the pension was granted has been removed. If the case is not provided, for by existing law, the court is to examine it, and, if found equitable, to recommend to Congress the granting the applicant’s petition. No laws are txobe passed except on sueh certificate. . What seems to be a bad feature of the bill is that it permits the reopening by the court of all disallowed pension cases. These have been examined and adjudicated upon, and have grown so stale that the opportunity -to reopen them will make possible all manner of frauds upon the Government.— Washington letter. A thorough investigation of every portion of the Winter Palace, at St. Petersburg, having at length been completed, and the police authorities having satisfied themselves that no danger of another attempt upon the Czar’s life within the walls of his town residence is at present to be apprehended, he now resides in the palace again, sleeping, however, in a different apartment every night,