The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-12-14

tNNls Vt tut WiloiN hNihNNi VI Cltl1lito
settled There are now pending for
settlement 265 $40 original pension
claims, 227 ,040 of which were filed prior
to July / /, 1880. These, when allowed,
will involve the payment of arrears from
the date of discharge in case Of an in
valid, and from date Of death or ter
mination of q prior right in all other
cases. From all the data obtainable it
is estimated that fifteen per cent. of the
number of claims now pending will be
rejected or abandoned. This would
show the probable rejection of $4,000
cases and the probable admission of
about 1913, 900 claims, all of which in
volve the payment of arrears of pension.
With the present force employed,
the number of adjudicatlons remain
ing the same and no new business
intervening, this number of claims
(l93, ,000), could be acted upon in q
period Of six years, and taking January
l, 1884, as a mean period from which
to estimate in each case an average
amount of arrears, it is found that every
case allowed would require, for the first
payment upon it, the sum of 1850 dol
lars. Multiplying this amount by the
WnOlO hullbCI VI plObdblC dOllllsSlouS
gives $3.50, 900, 600 as the sum required
for first payments. This represents the
sum which must be paid upon claims
which were filed before July
/, 1880, and are now pending
and entitled to the benefits of the
arrears act. From this amount
$3.50, 900, ,000) may be deducted from
ten to fifteen millions for cases where,
the claimant dying, there is no person
who under the law would be entitled to
the pension, leaving S235 900 900 rs the
probable amount to be paid. In these
estimates no account has been taken of
the 500 cases filed since June 80,
1880, and now pending, which must re-
ceive attention as current business, but
which do not involve payment of any
arrears beyond the date of filing the
claim of this number. 1t is estimated
that eighty-siX per cent will be allowed
as has been stated. With the pres
ent force of the pension bureau
- 675 clerks - it is estimated
that it will take six years to dis
pose Of the claims now pending. 1t is
stated by the commissioner of pensions
that by an addition of $50 clerks lin
creasing the adjudicatory force rather
than the mechanical) double the amount
Of work could be accomplished, so that
these cases could be acted upon within
three years. Aside from the consider
ations of Justice which may be urged
for speedy settlement of the claims
now on the files Of the pension office
it is no less on the score of economy
inasmuch as fully one-third of the
clerical force of the Office is now wholly
occupied in giving attention to cor
respondence with the thousands of
claimants whose cases have been on
file for the past eighteen years, The
fact that sum so enormous may be
expended by the government to meet
demands for arrears. of pensions is an
admonition to Congress and the Execu-
tive to give cautious consideration to
any similar project in the future. The
great temptation to the presentation of
fictitious claims, afforded by the fact
that the average sum obtained upon
each application is 81 300, leads me to
suggest the propriety of making some
special appropriation for the prevention
of fraud.
RECOMMENDING APPROPRIATIONS FOR
/ In IGhNAL lhI INV LMEN
1 advise appropriations for such in
ternal improvements as the wisdom of
Congress may deem to be of public inn
portance. The necessity of Improving
the navigation of the Mississippi river
justifies a special allusion to some meas
ures for the removal of distractions
which now impede the navigation of
| that great channel of commerce.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
In my letter of acceptance of the
nomination for Vice-President 1 stated
that, in my Judgment, "no man should
be an incumbent Of an Office the duties
of which he is, for any cause, unfit to
perform; who is lacking in the ability
fidelity or integrity which a proper adj
ministration Of such Office demands u
This sentiment would doubtless meet
with general acceptance, but opinion
has been widely dividedupon the wisdom
and practicability of the various re-
formatory schemes which have been sug.
gested, and OF certain proposed regula-
tions governing appointments to public
office. The efficiency Of such regulations
have been distrusted mainly because
they have seemed to eXalt mere educa.
tional and abstract tests above general
business capacity, and even special fit
ness for the particular work in hand. II
seems to me that the rules which should
be applied to the management of the
public service may properly conform in
the main to such as regulate the con
duct Of successful private business
Original appointments should be based
upon ascertained fitness.
The tenure of office should be stable
Positions of responsibility should, so fal
as practicable, be tilledby the promotion
of worthy and efficient officers. Tht
investigation of all complaints, and the
punishment of all official misconduct
should be prompt and thorough.
The views expressed in the foregoing
letter are those which will govern m,
administration of the Executive office
They are doubtless shared by all intelli
gent and patriotic citizens, howeve