New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-30


whose duty it is to examine and pass upon u. Any
other hypothesis would involve the rdicu'ous pio-
position that the officer Is held TO no rcspoiisoc
for the decisions which he make. ana tbe neccs-
sarily result ng ore that every person VINO nahce
claim for pension shall receiveit whether the tes'
mony which he produces IL true or false.
AN INADEQUATE SYSTEM
Under the system which has been provided the
testi nouy 10 prove every fact necessary to es'ap
lish pension claim is presented to the comlnls-
soner of Pensions in the form of written afdavlts.
which are prepared W the claimant or some one act
ing for and in his interest and-so far as the COM
missioner is concerned-n secret. The witnesses,
their character for truth and the grounds OF their
knowledge, beng entirely unknown to him. he is
gwen no opportunity whatever for questioning
them. and is provided with no authority to call
i'm other witnesses either to controvert or
explain thc testimony presented by the cIaiinant.
lie has only one resource, and that is 10 cohsuit
such records as the Government may have preserved
of the soldiers history, which'n view or the lac.
that these records are seldom full and complete ana
are often imperfect and sometimes talse ana III very
many instances show nothing Whatever peaIlns
upon the questions lie is to decide-are OF compara-
tvey little value IN determining the truth OF lastly
Of the claims which are presented.
Again the reports made by surgeons appointed Dy
the Commissioners of Pensions are often suspicious
and nnsati factory From among the local practi-
tioners throughout the country, some l,|OO nave
been designated To make examinations, ana IL thuS
happens that in nearly all the cases the cxaniina-
ton is made by neIghbOr, ana IN large percentage
of the cases by friend and family physician sup
pose instead Of the Government paying these pen,
slOnS they were to be paid by some wealthy deceased
friend or neiGhbor the residue after sati7Iylng tne
pensions to belong 10 the executor OF the estate,
w0uld II be- claimed for moment that tue executor
or the Orphans Court settling the estate shouIn
aclnow ledge aad pay these requests upon such tes-
tlniony As ~ pre5cntcd to hun, upon which he ~ 10
settle the pension claims {. No. The legatee would
expect to 90 before tbe court with his witness I'd
prove his title. the executor beng present 10 es
hy pertinent qIcstons thetruth of the teslimoyaud
no one would for moment tilink oi questioning tnc
proceedings az uncaIled-t0r or improper. IL would
seem 10 need no argument 10 prove tlat the system
utterly inadequate 10 the proper settlement OF 'le
many and important questions OF iact ana medical
science which arise III pension cases ,
speaking now entirely in the interests OF tne
meritoIi0us claimantsfor theirs above all. Is the
supreme interest the system Is All outrage upon
their just rights. and often operates as dehai Vi
justice.
PROPOSED REMEDY.
The Commissioner set forth at length the efforts
which have been made during the last three years
to bring these matters to the attention OF Congress
and secure action upon them, resulting last session
in the preparation of the bill which Is now pending
in the Senate, with prospect OF early and favor
able action next session. establishing pension COM
mission to take testimony in each Congressional
district. He then referred to the inquiry, which
has so frequently been made, why larger clerical
force is not employed in the Pension Office and ex-
under the present system however large or of what
ever character. could furnish more than temporary
relief The capacity of the records in the Pension
Office is limited they not planned for go great
business a the pension business has grown to be,
and working it to Soo Its dsv iu and capaci nisbi
the work IN that branch has fallen behind
so that there are probably 10000 claims which
await their first entry As many persons are now
employed in the Bureau as can piohtably be hept at
work without divls.On of the MES ana the crca,
tion of a new set of records IL Congress would
provide for the employment OF educated lawyers III
pioyed, 1t would afford temporary relief and this
Congress has been asked TO do. ,
In regard to discovered frauds, Mr.. Bentley sald
that during little than three years. begin
ming July /, 1876 800 fraudulent pensioners were
disc overed and their names dropped from the rolls
affdavits. OF these. 30Sf were utterly false and
of the false afiilavts 3S6 made by officers be-
longing to the commands OF the soldiers VINO
made the claims. There were also 92
forgerIes committed Before these fraudulent
eases were discovered the Government had pad
upon them 1927, $50 13. When 1t is remembered
that the Commissioner IS not autsonZcd 10 search
among the pensioners for fraudulent claims but
must walt until some circumstance throws Suspicion
upon them 1t will readily he seen that these are not
ALL nor more than very small percentage, OF the
fraudulent pensions.
The Commissioner then explained very fully the
provisions of the bill pending IN the Senate. show
ing the advantages which VIII accrue to all pension
ers and claimants when IL becomes law,and saying,
in conclusion that the opposition to 1t had arisen
solely from the persistent Misrepresentation OF "a
class of persons whose private interests rs prac-
are PAID from the pockets of the pensioners will be