Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-27
q hc True Snxvariness of the Pension



The remarks OF Mr.. Hubben the other day In
the discussion OF the pension appropriation.
Indicate an awakening TO the true inwardne5s
OF the sweeping pension act OF 1879 on the part
OF those who. two years ago. wished TO capture
the influence of the soldiers for their respective
political parties The people OF the United
states do not object. and The STAR does not
object, TO a very generous remembrance OF
those who defended the national life But that
is no reason why those who vote away the
public money should not know what they are
ABOUT before they do 1t, and no reason why
they should not 50 understand the subject as to
do the greatest amount OF Justice III their
efforts 10 serve their parties. Before the act OF
1873 became a law and while Mr.. Hayes had
an opportunity OF rendering as great a service
to wise government by vetoing this actor
its clumslness OF detail if for no other reason
as his predecessor had done by vetOinc the
bounty bill. we pointed out its effects and In
COngruiLieS. While the sum required to nay,
the arrears TO the pensioners then on the rolls
was very correctly estimated at twenty five
CT thirty millions, 1t vas as apparent then as 1t
Is now that this was but fraction of what the
hill would cost IL Was the sum Involved In
the many thOuSl ndS or unsettled claims then
on le and TO b. filed before July 1st. 1850, that
should have been and was not weighed In
addition 10 all those then pending. there have
been nled since the passage OF the law about
o e hundred and seVenty-fve thousand new
claims In which. when allowed. the payment
will go back 10 the date of the war; Not
withStanding the supplemental act Of March g.
1879 by which IL was attempted 10 evolve order
and Justice out of the original act, the law
stands. and the Pension Office is daily execut.
Ing it. in such wise that one man or woman
can wait nineteen years after his discharge or
the death of her husband. aud then obtain a
pension from the date of discharge or death:
while another man or woman may file the
claim within one month, or one week of dis
charge or death. ana yet that month or week
Will be deducted. This is especially hard on
the soldiers OF the regular army. ana on widows
whose husbands have recently died whatever
the service may have been. II a man died In
1851. and bis widow filed a claim on the 31th OF
June, 1850. her first payment will cover nine
teen years. IL man died on the 18th OF July,
1850, and his widow filed a claim three days
afjerward. she Will lose that three days.
Since the beginning of the rebellion the ag-
gregate amount paid for pensions, including
the cost or disbursement, has been nearly i've
hundred millions OF dollars. The effect OF the
arrears act. aside from settling the s25 900 900
due 10 pensioners then on the rolls, Is TO make
the regular yearly appropriation some fifty or
sixty millions for years 10 come. instead of
twenty or thirty millions Yet there Is one de-
serving and small class OF public servants which
has been heretofore omitted from the pension
laws and should certainly be included. man
VINO attends TO a barometer and reports the
state Of the weather Is pensiOned If disabled in
the line or duty. and his widow and orphans are
penSiOued II his death Is due TO the perform
ance or duty, because the signal service Is a
80
life and health in the life saving service On our
coasts. and their widows ana orphans are not
thought OF by the legislators who scatter our
millions among those whose business
Is TO destroy life. OF course the insig-
ni1cance OF this brave class in politics
has nothing 70 do with It. II Is Ger.
tainly high time that one reform looking to
greater security In the disbursement OF the
millions now passing through the hands OF The
employ g OF the Pension Office should be at
tended TO. Any personal knowledge OF the
merits OF the thousands of claims allowed on
the part OF the Commissioner or his deputy, Is
out OF the ques ion, except in an isolated and
peculiar case here and there. No organization
can possibly make this different. They must
be judged and passed, as they are by suoordl
mates The responsibility resting on the heads
OF the adjudicating divisions is a responsibility
fol millions on millions of dollars The ludg-
ment, the executive ability, the honesty, the
tact, the firrnness. the vigilance, the industry
required OF them, are such as are required of
but few mel In the service OF the government.
Their signatures take a perpetual stream OF
money from the Treasury. Yet they are but
common clerks ranking no higher ON payday
than some OF their own subordinates. Such
condition or things would not be thought OF
anywhere else in The government service. Uncle
sam does not deserve such service as he requires
OF them on such terms. Ii is not simply unjust:
II Is dangerous