The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-04-22
FRAUDULENT PENSIONS.

The present charge on the Treasury
for pensions is sixty niillions of dollars.
1t exceeds by ten millions one.half of the
annual interest on the public debt, and
is nearly one.half the cost of running
the machine of government, on the basis
of the regular expenditures. Such fig
ures may we'll excite serious attention,
because they are the growth of years OF
reckless appropriations, and also because
bills are now pending before Congress
which, if passed, would swell this enor-
nous aggregate many millions more
We pay six times as much for pensions
as England does, and about eight times
as much as France or Germany does.
There are now, in round numbers, a
quarter of million of pensioners on
the rolls, and the stock is increasing
daily. Perhaps there is no branch OF
the public service in which frauds are 80
constant and com mon as in this. They
have been estimated by competent au-
thority at twenty per cent. of the total.
According to recent report Of the Sem
ate. twelve hundred and ifty-two pen
sioners were dropped from the rolls in
| 1877, 1878 and 1879 Of this number
eight hundred and sixty six-more than
two thirds-were never entitled to re-
ceive any pension whatever, but yet
drew from the Treasury nearly million
of dollars. The remainder were entitled
to pensions when they were allowed, but
continued to collect them after their
right had been forfeited by remarriage
and by other causes under the law.
In the test cases taken by the commit
tee of the Senate for investigation, it
was found that five hundred claimants
had fled 4 49S afidavits and certificates,
9l7O of which were false, and 16 of them
we're forgeries. OF the false afidavits
$50 were traced to officers of the regular
army, who are still wearing their epau-
lettes. and are rather proud Of their per
juries.
Experience has shown that these
frauds are systematically organized. and
the prosecution of such claims has be-
come business in many parts of the
country. 1t could not be carried on 80
extensively or successfully without col.
lusion in the Pension Office, and in fact
such colusion was proven by an inquiry
ordered because the testimony Of corrupt
partnership was overwhelming. With
that exposure there was a relapse of in
difference, and the system was renewed
even more effectively than it had existed
before this crime was detected.
Both parties are afraid to touch the
pensions, or to explore the frauds vigor-
ously, from the dread of being misrepre-
sented and put in false position, This
is particularly true of the Democratic
side in the Senate and House of Repre-.
sentatives, where the majorities are
mostly made up from the South. The
Republicans claim to be the peculiar
friends Of the pensioners, and utilize that
pretension by voting the largest appro
priations, in order to get support at home.
They seem not to be disturbed at all if
five or more millions year are stolen
from the Treasury for the benefit Of
Ring of professional perjurers and forg'
eTs.
Thus, between the timidity of one
party and the treachery Of the other, the
Treasury is plundered of millions, and
the taxpayers are saddled with heavy
burden, not a dime of which goes into
the pockets of honest pensioners, who
indeed are subjected to suspicion and to
hardsh. ps when prosecuting just claims,
in consequence Of these fraudulent prac'
tices. These facts, and others still more
astounding, are susceptible of proof, but
no effort worthy of the name is made to
stop the glaring abuses. The great busi-
ness before Congress is President-mak
ing, and not useful legislation.-M Y
Gsis,