The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-10-13

itself. There is one other point: i
you will divide the amount of tn,
appropriation year by year with its
corresponding year of allowances
you will find the difference in the
cost of settling each case. In 1866
the average cost per case was So IA
for the clerical force and to pay the
Commissioner OF Pensions and other
officers of the Bureau. In 1876 il
reached the enormous figure OF
$40 y.
Now there is another thing that
will show this change and that
should be mentioned. If YOU go tC
the files YOU will find nearly 100000
cases which he unsettled, and upon
looking at them YOU will find eases
filed as far back as 1862, and in
every year from that day to this
and if you look at these old eases
you Will find the back of the jackets
are black with endorsements they
have come to be great bundles filed
with correspondents and afiidavits
and all kinds of papers touching the
case.
If we 90 to the files of admitted
claims there we find the cases adj
mitted from 1862 to 1868, and the
paper, upon which they were admit
ted are there, not thicker than your
finger. This illustrates the differ
ence in the business. When | first
came into the office, four and one
half years ago, once of the first things
| noticed was the great accumulation
of unsettled pension claims, and the
great delay in settling claims. lex
amined into the affairs and found
there cases from 1862; there were
nearly 10000 pending claims in the
office, and | began to hear com
plants of the DELAYS. although not
as many as | hear during this last
year. | examined into the history
and found what | thought was an
explanation of the whole trouble,
and it is that explanation which |
propose to give YOU tonight. Lest
it may be said that / am attempt
ing in presenting this subject to ad-
vocate a scheme of my own, ! wish
You to understand that the plan !
am advocating IS substantially the
plan adopted by the fathers in pen
sioning the Revolutionary soldiers.
1t is the plan upon which pensions
were granted for more THAI forty
years. This plan was presented in
my first, second, third and fourth
annual reports, and | intend to re-
peat it in my forthcoming report,
because | believe that in the adop-
ton of the recommendations which
| have made lies, and in them only,
the relief which the pension claim
ants are entitled to have. Sol don't
believe there is any other permanent
and just relief, and l will proceed to
tell you what it is. In the first
place let me explain the system
under which we are now working.
1t is an erparte system.
If where the claimant makes out
his claim or has somebody make it
out for him, who is his friend or in
his interest. As soon as it reaches
the office, the office calls for evidence
to support it. He does not bring
his witnesses before the Commits
sioner of Pensions or any officer of
the Government to see whether he
and they look like honest men. He
was his friend without the affidavits,
and they come down to Washing
ton. This is the system under which
we are working. Now what Is the
effect of that system ? If there is a
controversy between any two neigh
bors and you take it to court YOU
take your witnesses to testify in
open court, and if the witnesses are
dishonest it is seen by looking at
them and noticing the manner III
which they tell their stories. When
the court and jury meet men face to
face they see by looking into the
eve whether he speaks the
truth. Nature has SO mado up men
that by this personal contact we
read each other and learn the truth;
but if take up paper and 1t Is
written over with a story, 1t Is I'M
possible for me TO know if it is true
or false that is to say, there is no
talisman by which the Commission
er can tell the, difference between
truth and falshood written on pa
per, that is through the paper itself
If you get your witness in your
presence, talk with him, hear his
voice, see his eye, you get the story,
and if there is point which differs
in detail you have only to ask him
questions and the whole matter is
brought to light The system which
we have is a secret system as well
as er parte. The claimant need not
have anybody know that he has
claim for a pension except his own
ftiends and friendly witnesses. 1t
is not brought to light. The neigh
bors do not know it in many cases.
1t is not public. Witnesses testify
without having the testimony tested
by the light of day. So you see the
system lacks publicity. 1t is neces-
sary to settle what are the real facts
in the controversy upon written pa
pers. Now, what is the result ?
The result is natural the Commits
;ioner of Pensions hesitates when
he criticises these papers, when he
sees the affidavits covering the peri
ID of sixteen years as clear as if but
.wo years had elapsed, and instead
Of being satisfied with one affidavit
he asks for two or three. 1t would
ust so with you.
Now what is the effect upon the
claimant? You see it necessarily
makes much correspondence. 1t
makes much trouble. The claim
lnts think they are getting evidence
,ver twice; then they make these
complaints, and sometimes the com
plants just, but the very point of
difficulty is that this erp arte sys-
em does not bring claimants and
witnesses face to face with the per-
ions who Judge whether the state
nent is true or false. | have, there
ore only discussed this er-parte sys-