The National tribune., 1881-04-01
AroosrooK Co., MAINE, March 90, 1881.

ARoosrooK Co, MAINE, March 20, 1881.
Edstor National Tribune
DEAR SIR The agitation for revision of the pension
list made other grounds than that certain ssp
ciops appearance is presented viz the increased amount
OF money required for pensions above the first years
after the close of the In cuTsory view it might
appear as strong presumptive evidence that something
was wrong indeed, it SO appeared to me until after
thorough reflection upon the subject In a recent
ber of The Tribune ably given why this
fact could honestly arise but will repeat except
one point which would emphasize it taies with my
observation viz: That injuries which slight ut
hrst to warrant making claim began TO develop age
orept the applying those already draw
ing ensions and who possesses the accurate data say
that the amount from those may overbalance
the decrease from deaths and the withdrawal of pensions
from minors? Mr. Bentley estimates that four millions
yearly frauCulently drawn Making an estimate on
basis OF full pension that would make nearly AZ 600 auu
lent pension about every eight The ques.
tiOn naturally arises how could such things
to exist? Applications FOR pension made from
viz. wound and dieases contracted in service
Nothing but the most cupable negligence the part of
the Pension Department. could allow fraudulent claim
Tor wound as far as the actual wound concerned
governmental record Of every wound is kept the only
qaeston being to whether caused real disability AS
to diseases contracted admit there greater chance
for deception many diseases do lie papaby open
to observation do Wounds but latter ease the
records lie open from which reasonable Judgment can
be formed whether the character of the service main
ined would be likely TO produce the disease complained
Of Senator Cragin, of New Hampshire, once told me
that in doubtful it the policy of the Government
TO give the soldier the benefit of the doubt In all cases
of bullet wounds passing through limbs or any part OF
the body causing distinct ingress or
aitnOgh t Aaght not cause disability in after
years the chances strongly in favor of causing both
pain and inconvenience And should the soldier i'm
snch have the benefit of the doubt? Probably there
public burden that borne by the people with more
hearty cheerfuneSS than compensation the
disabled defenders believe that nine of every ten
tax payers would say Give the soldier the benefit of the
doubt Granted then, that the soldier receives the ben
eft of all doubts where do all these fraudulent sums come
hom2 They must come from of men not wounded
disabled by disease in the line of duty And So what
commentary it must be Mr.. Beneys administrative
ability. lie possesses tbeanomoous faculty OF benq able
to detect the fact of fraud and yet unable prevent it,
But will have charity for him. and take for granted
that he would not be stupid allow claims for c
thous cases. Then he must find his fraudulent sum
among those pensions classed doubtful In which case
hrs assumption would be going counter Go the magnani
NOUS policy OF the Government and the geneTous5nul
gence OF the people But probably Mr. Bentley would
take refuge behind his pet theory of cousion of
of that as The TRIBUNE and Mr. Edmunds' speech eff
fectivey answers it, In what is this reqson to
be effected? OF course, it would do to employ the
local examining surgeons for if they couied once they
would do it again 1t must be done by foreign bodies SO
10 speak. corps Of examiners be placed all over
the country sufficiently contiguous to cause un
reasonable expense 10 those called for examination They
must be paid by the Government and what an enormous
expense 1t must be- But the serious point of all is
the moral force that must lead such class of exann
They must labor under the continual thought that
they specially appointed TO alleged fraud
and the constant tendency of such thought would be to
press them rgidneSs of decision that would result in
injustice. do not believe that revision could be ef
fected without the most glarng injustice being done But
stops there Let the contemplated Court
Pensions be established and let the Commissioner place
his suspected before them. Such court believe
eosd be trusted do justice the soldier and reasona
bly, protect the Government fom imposition.
Respectfully, E. r.