Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-10-28
COL REN. WILSON.
The Course He Has Pursued I'm
Regard to Rejected Pension
Claims Commentator from q

Claims Commentator from
Republican Journal.
Parker. burg state Journal. Republican
We referred briefly last week to the
active part taken by Col. Ben Wilson in
the recent discussion on the pension
bills now before Congress. Under the
law regulating pensions it often hap
pens that the Commissioner Of Pensions
finds it his duty, under mere techni'
cality to reject applications for pensions
when there is no question about the
Justice of the claims. In such cases the
only remedy is in the passage OF special
act by Congress. There are some two
hundred such claims now before that
body, and after searching investigation
a number OF them have been favorably
reported by the committee. Gen. War
ner, OF Ohio, with some others, have
been very active in trying to defeat
these bills, while Wilson has been
equally active in pressing their passage,
and the reasons given by him seem to
us conclusive in support Of his position.
The debates upon these bills are long
and We can give only a few passages
from the report in the Congressional
Record.
A Pennsylvania soldier who had been
wounded, but in whose papers there
was some informality, was seeking re-
dress by special act when the oppo-
nents OF such measures interposed OBJ
jec,ions. In the course of the debate
Mr.. Wilson said:
Mr.. WILSON Il had hoped that it
would be the pleasure OF this House to-.
night TO pass upon the merit of every
claim here without the technical plead
ing which my distinguished friend from
Ohio Mr.. Warnerl has been pleased to
interject, had hoped that no gentle
man on this tloor-certainly not a mem-
Der on the Democratic si,le of the House
who bore arms under the Old flag
would raise his voice against granting
pensions TO those gallant men who
fought for their country, her liberty
and her laws.
The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. War
ner) has been pleased to interpose his
objections here, and To say that these
unfortunate men whose applications
have been denied at the Pension Office
shall not receive pensions at our hands
because Congress has not passed some
act BY which claims OF this character
may he discharged in some other triDu-
nal. Why, sir, the poor soldier who
lost his arm in the service OF his Coun.
try, or contracted diseases that will fol-
low him to the grave, is not to be blam-
ed for the dereliction OF Congress. He
h s wrapped at the door OF the Pension
Office for years. He has gone there
covered with glory, his empty sleeve
tes,iving TO his gallantIy on the
field of battle. But under the tech
meal ruling of the Commissioner OF
Pensions ruling which you have re-
quired him to make under the law-thc
claim, though full oi merit, is rejected.
Now he appeals to the sense OF justice
of this House; he appeals to the raw
making power and he appeals to us,
who have the right to take an equitable
view. II the facts are established 10y
competent proof we are not hampered
by any technically. Ii the party was
wounded, or il he contracted disease in
the service, it is within our province,
and it is our duty, to award him pen
sion. hope, Mr.. Chairman, it will be
the pleasure Of the House to night, by
one general order, to approve Of the ac-
ton OF this Committee on Pensions, and
recommend favorablv to the House I'LL
these bills.
On the 18th uit. another bill some.
what similar was under consideration,
when our Congressman explained at
length the existing Law in regard to pen
sions, and the mpossibility OF adapting
il TO cases like the one before the
House. We have room for only brief
extract, but it contains the substance OF
Col. Wilson's argument in favor OF the
measure:
Mr.. Buckner II wish to ask the gen.
tleman a question. Is this Il case rs to
the strength of testimony or what
weight il shall have?
MIR. Wilson, am glad the gentleman
has asked the question. Now, there are
cases where the Commissioner cannot
allow a pension for the only reason that
the proof is not OF the kind and charac
ter that he is required tn get. A party
takes no appeal here; he is rejected
there and he makes his original appiica-
ton before this House. can better ex-
plain my position by an illustration.
Take two men who fought on the same
dav, who were wounded in the same
battle and fell on the same day. One OF
these men had it in his power to prove
by certificate from some officer that he
was wounded, and is pensioned 10y the
Pension Department. The other unior-
tunately cannot furnish an official Ger.
titicate, he cannot get the official proofs
required by the Department, and conse-
auently he cannot get his pension.
Both of these men fought on the same
dav, both fought equally well under the
same FLAG. One is fortunate enough To
get evidence to sustain his claim before
the Department, while the other is un-
fortunate not to have that evicenre.
Mr.. Match-Why not change the law
in that respect?
Mr.. Wilson-Ics, sir; you ought tn
change the law; and when | WAS on the
Pension Committee four years ago
tried and so did the Pension Committee
10 yet thu law changed. BIT the TACT
that the law has not been changed does
not lie at the door OF the man vino APP
plies for pension. The fault is with
Congress. Ten years ago we should
have amended that law. To-day We
should do il. Because Congress has not
amended it you should not prevent
these men from applying here. They
should have that privilege when their
cases cannot come technically within
the requirement Ci the law as admins.
tered by the Pension Bureau, They
have been denied by the Pension Depart
ment; i, is not their fault. Nor are they
denied 10y the fault OF the Commissioner
of Pension, but they are denied because
there Is an omission on the part OF Con.
gress. Therefore, as long as the law has
not been changed, let us adhere to the
practice heretofore prevailing in Con.
eress. We have authority as wide and
unlimited as the wind TO pension whom