Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-28
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The Pension Frauds.

The Pension Frauds.
The increased, lavish and corrupt ex-
penditures about the White House dur
ing Hayes's administration, the star
route frauds in the postal service, the
petty larcenies permeating the treasury
department, and other disclosures of
waste and fraud in the four years of the
last Republican regime, have caused the
people to look with great distrust upon
the condition of the various departments
Of the federal government under their
continuous management of the last
twenty years. 1t was never so emphati
cally the popular conviction as now,
that the real condition of things at Wash
ington, the prevailing system of
peculation and the scandalous waste
there, will never be fully brought to light
until after the entire change in the per-
sonnel of the administrative force which
would ensue from the entrance into
power Of Democratic administration.
OF late there has been some misgivings
felt and expressed about the pension de-
partment, and various rumors have
gained circulation affecting the integ-
rity of its management. The old COM
missioner, who is said to have incurred
the enmity of the claim agents,
makes way for a notorious Indiana
partisan politician of the worst
stripe, the pressure for whose re-
lection by the Senate was suddenly and
mystcriously withdrawn after loud
threats Of his defeat had been prOmul-
gated. Why was this? Unless the pro-
posed investigation into general govern
mental abuses shall be suppressed, or in
the event of their prosecution under
Democratic auspices, we look to see a
fine crop of disclosures i'm the abuses OF
and frauds upon the pension service.
Time out of mind the fabrication OF
bogus pension papers and the ccntinu'
ance OF the roll Of dead pensioners have
furnished employment and profit to
forgers and spectators. The large
increase of business since the last wal
has enlarged the field for the operations
of this nefarious business but no such
special Incentives to fraud and imposi'
tion were ever offered as by the bill to
provide for payment of back pensions
under which those who now are declared
to be entitled to pension can get the
entire back pension, to the same amount
rs if their status had been fixed years
ago. The big stake thus attainable in
the chance to secure payment down
of sum running up TO thouS
ands of dollars offers wonderful
Inducements to the unworthy to impose
their claims upon the government, and
to claimants and agents TO make utterly
bogus claims and forge evidence to sup
port them. Our citizens would be sur
prised to hear the names of men in thi:
community who have such claims III
course Of prosecution or preparation
and they may be shocked some of these
days at disclosures relating to them. II
government officials want to strike ;
rich lead of profitable investigation
let them go into the pension business. Il
will afford employment for the best de
tective talent. Graveyard insurance il
chill's play aside of it. SUPERFICIAL fel
lows are beginning to find ont, aftel
years of health and stout service in every
cause requiring physical eNertion, tha
they were wounded or disabled in th'
army ; and where evidence is lacking
means ale readily found to supply it
Has the whiskey ring gone into the pen
siCn business ?