Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-07
Very respectfully,
HIM. ATKINSON,
| romsission.r
Hon. GKoRoE A. JEsKs,
Hour Of Reprsseniaiires .

Hon. oronor A. Jrsrs ''''
Hou'e Of Representatives.
In other words, there is an item Of
1885, 1913, which you cannot find
any account OF in any book without
going over every claim that has been
paid. Now ! do not call this fraud
there may be fraud in il; but do not
know il; and do not propose TO as
sert that there is negligence in it, neg
ligence Of the most hagrant character,
that demands attention at onr hands.
! might extend these illustrations of
negligence almost beyond limit
But there is something even worse
than this. There has been steady
growth in the expense OF this Bureau
from tho time it did its most efficient
work until the present time. For in
stance, in 1866 this Bureau granted
about fifty thousand original pensions.
In that year the Bureau, from the best
information l can get, was working
honestly and well. Last year it grant
cd what would be equivalent TO 1880
or $1,000 original pensions. In saying
equivalent" / mean this; An in
creased pension claim is not so labori-
ons TO adjudicate as an original claim.
From the best information | can get,
person can adjudicate from eight to
fifteen increased claims to each origi-
nal claim. | take the lowest estimate
and divide the number Of increased
claims by eight; adding the result to
the number of original claims, the
amount is 1880 adjudicated this year.
The number OF clerks employed this
year was four hundred and twenty,
that is during the year ending Both of
June, 1875. The number OF clerks en-
ployed in 1866, when fifty thousand
claims were adjudicated, was one hun
dred and seventy-five. That is the
labor has diminished in inverse ratio,
and the force has increased proportion
ally. This being so would need expla-
nation in this way, that the claim TO
be adjudicated as you get further away
IRON the time OF the occurrence Of an
event causes more labor because it
takes more evidence to do the work.
You have to call two witnesses to
prove fact when at an earlier time
perhaps one would do. That will ex-
plain some portion, but not one fifth or
one tenth OF the discrepancy, so we
must conclude there is great deal of
waste labor in this Bureau.
/ called the Clerk, and inquired of
what use was the finance department
consisting Of forty-eight and he said
that If the Third Auditor Of the Treas
ury was up with his work there would
be no necessity for continuing it.
Now, there are barnacles fastened
on this machine all over. 1t has been
used as the place in which the polti-
clan might put his proteges when they
came here after he had been elected to
Congress. This is all wrong, and
should be obviated by this Congress.
But there is another view than this.
| wish to call the attention of the
House to the appropriations tor differ
ent years. There has been steady
increase in the expenses of this depart
ment in this wise: The appropriation
Of second Of March, 1865, for this
Bureau was S237 ,920 on the I'D OF
July, 1866, 1t was s236,34O, and on
March 2, 1867, it was s257, 1920. 1t
still goes up from this on, as q rule.
The next year there was a Presiden-
tial election, and II you were looking
out right sharp for things you might
expect for that year the appropriation
would be increased, and in that ex-
pectatlon you would not be disappoint-
ed. The next year the appropriation
for this Bureau was s34S, ,24O, an in
crease Of nearly sl00.0OOi That may
have no significance, and it may have
q good deal l am saying this not for
any purpose to attack the Republican
party, but to attack its extension as
political office, and to maintain the
principle that this is an office which
should not be used for political pur-
poses either by the Republican or Dem
ocratic parties. If it is 30 used, then
let us withdraw it as soon as possible
from any such temptation at least.
The appropriation for this Bureau
to increase until for the last
year it amounted to s52S,5SO. This
increase Of appropriation re-
luires consideration at our hands
When there is less work done there
are more employees, and with an ap-
preparation more than doubled, is it
not the duty Of the House TO inquire
this Bureau is where it should
be or not? | ask you to consider it
honestly as men and not as politicians.
There is another feature TO which l
wish TO call the attention Of the House,
which seems TO me to be most flag
rant violation Of law by this Bureau.
The indications so far have been cases
If negligence but what am now COM
ng to is fraud-nothing more and
less than cmbezzlement under
he statute-and that is the misappro-
priation and division of public fund
rom the purpose for which it was
granted TO another and different pur-
pose. John Stiles was called before
the Committee on Invalid Pensions
md testified that he had been employed
N the service OF the Republican Con-
yressional committee during the sum-
ncr and had been paid out Of the Pen