The National tribune., 1880-04-01

sloh Vi congress. Inc NUMBER OF DlllS presented 10
Congress for pensions soon made it evident that
remedy must be provided. 1t was and is, utterly
mpracticable for Congress to investigate this large
number of cases, amounting to three thousand,
and rapidly increasing. If the entire time of the
Pension Committee during this session of Congress
should be devoted to this work exclusively but a
small proportion of these could be investigated
and reported to the House.
This led to very unsatisfactory mode Of invest-
CATION All can appreciate how slowly reports In
cases could be made if the entire committee should
attempt to consider each case. That was entirely
lmpractcabe. The work is then subdivided, assign
ing to each member of the committee one or more
States This mode of investigation would facilitate
the disposition of claims, but is subject to serious
objections. 1t did not equalize the facilities With
out any fault of any member of the committee, or
any dsparagement of the diligence ability, and de-
voton the interests and labors of the committee,
of any member, the result was an undue advantage
to certain claims. Some of the committee re-
ported cases enough to occupy it, maybe, this ses-
sion of Congress. Being first on the calendar must
be first disposed Of and thus practically all, or
nearly So of the cases that possibly be reached
and disposed of this session will be from State.
Then the report when made is the judgment of one
man, under the pressure of very limited time with all
the other duties and responsibilities resting upon
every member Thus great injustice may be done
the Government or the applicant for pension.
Large numbers of meritorious cases may be re-
iected, and cases without sufficient merit may be
favorabIy reported, and large numbers unreasona-
bly, delayed
TO work the cases through Congress will require
years Of time, equivalent in many cases to denial
OF justice.
The Congressional mill grinds slowly. Each
case must pass both the House and the Senate.
Whatever cases remain undsposed of in the Senate
at the close of the present Congress, must be COM
menced and go through the same course
again. This may, and doubtless would, produce
intoerable delays. We may be compelled to trans
nit to posterty the National debt or part of it,
to be paid but that policy should not be applied to
pensioners To be Of any service to them it should
be paid soon. They are rapidly passing away
Those that remain are most of them absolutely de-
pendent upon this act of justice for their daily bread
The groans of these applicants come to from all
parts of the country. Their shouts of triumph
during their years of military service welcomed
by the Government they struggling to save
and deaf ear must not be turned to their just
appeals for help
But the strongest obligation possible rests upon
to afford prompt relief to the widows and orphan
children Of the men who gave their lives sacrifice
for the country Now, when We are enjoying the
fruits Of their sacrifice and the rich blessings show
cred upon by the institutions they died to main
tain, it would be criminal unnecessarily to delay
single day to provide the means for the support of
such widows and orphans, or to add to the incon-
venence or expense of obtaining the dues which the
honor of the Government is pledged to secure
The provisions of this bill will afford relief that
will cheer and bless thousands of our countrys de-
tenders
The first section Of this bill creates the courts
composed of three judges learned in the law This is
essential to the efficiency of this tribunal They will
he men of such WelknoWn legal ability as In sacnre