The National tribune., 1881-03-01

duty then the mere question as to whether he
contracted disease be proven by the record any
exists by his comrades, by physician or by persons
who know the fact and say that all this evidence
not be believed is broad statement that think ought
not TO be made by any who is friend to the man
who is dccep and disabled and diseased on account OF
service to his country.
again to ntimatons made in reference 70 the law not
being competent authority for the purpose Of making
aminatons in pension The Commissioner of Pen
sons his rt of the 30th of Jule $780, after speak
ing of the amounts says
e e. nat The s rates a. which The
What average? The average that he made for the SEN
ate and House of Representatives when the act
passed
upon the whole i555 two mills
the dollar which, under the circumstances OF the adjustments
fully yindcates plan adopted for rating
sE CLERKS employed upon and par
ters todching the settlement these
Now put the two statements of the Commissioner to-
gether In he says the evidence is such that they
cannot bring themselves believe it. In the state
ment he follows it up His last report to the Congress of
the United States is that is only cent and few
mills his estimate and he is proud oft he bIags of
his report and calls attention TO the fact of how well
the officers have adjudicaed these claims ask if there
is any consistency in this if there is any reason why
these statements should made reference to the pen
laws and the pensioners for these facts that he
has recently stated.
gna who has retired because of all the interest
he in this is passed after he has made his speech
be Of very great value far as his figures
cerned but desire call the attention of the SEN
ate to the present law because the great objection made
is that frauds cannot be detected Let read from the
report OF the Commissioner of Pensions himself made
the 30h of June, $780, where he said
out Of $4,000 to pay the expenses q the
expended crowded condition OF the office rendered
and The same operative
n ns H Sn ma whose @RS 60 % we're n n 10 m
esgation ample as possible under the system
which might tend suspicion
attached.
There the Commissioner Pensions $40 900 given
to investigations He says he has only expended
$2600o of it, and he says for four years these nvestiga
tions have been thorough and thorough to be salts
factory the pension claimants and the Pension Office
If these investigations have been thorough be
satisfactory ask then what is the matter with the law
under 1uioa inyesg made desire
to examine the law, which, have said before in the
Senate is ample for the purpose Of making these inyest
cations and for the purpose of doing Justice both to the
Government and the pensioner There may be some
amendments necessary but that the whole system
be changed entirely unnecessary The proof proposed
is entire change of the system for the proposition
made by the Senator from Virginia repeal every
ton that gives any authority of examinations any author
pensioners, and substitutes and dssimlar mode for
that purpose. In reference navy pensions Of 1912
find this to be the law
s the the ees 5 Sgoo Ro The be
made nadet sqG % I as the Secretary Of the Interior
~ The n enea 10 lensio under
the Interior stricken from the pension roll the
OF whenever satisfactory
roll through
lent representations
There the Secretary Of the Interior ample power to
investigate every case known the of pensoner of
the war of 1872, and to strike any from the roll
There not necessary to prove disease
sary prove wound disability but merely the fact
that the party either survivor of that war having
been soldier in that war; that the applicant was
widow of such soldier. These facts being established
the law entities the party to go upon the pensionro
but the Secretary of Interior has power under this
law at any time to strike from the roll any person that has
been put there either fraudulently or by mistake.
Now what more power is desired in reference to pen
sioners of the of 1912? The least suspicion would
authorize investigation The least investigation
~oul prove the fact to whether the was soldier
not, and i'll not he would be stricken from the
roll. There then, is full power in that case Now let
follow the subject up in reference to pensioners who
served in the Union army during the late war; or rebel
lon it is commonly called. Let see now whether
the Commissioner has ample power To nyestirate