The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-01-01

iRthtS hhae Nhg' AhV iNtpupllcdus Tedliy
want it. In the first place, they don't in
tend to let new congressional apportion-
ment bill be passed by the present Congress;
yet IL is important To have il passed early in
the spring before the State legislatures ad-
journ, MS in many States only biennial ses-
slnns are held, aud the districts must be
formed in time for the congressional elections
OF sS2. Another point TO be gained by an
extra session is possession Of the House pa
tronage, which amounts to about half
million dollars per year. Democrats gener-
ally are berating the indifference and inac
tion of the majority, which seems likely to
cause an extra session, aud employees of the
House are especially distressed. They can't
visit watering places next season and draw
Fat salaries from Uncle Sam If the new Con-
Cress is organized now. One bright door
hanger said he supposed he would have to
school all next winter through the usual
follies of the Democrats in Congress.
The efforts 'of Pension Commissioner
Bentley to effect changes IN the method Of
determining pension cases have been re-
newed. and will be redoublcd upon the re-
assembling OF Congress after the recess. The
Commissioner has assigned to himself the
role Of reformer in this matter, and it is
therefore, fair TO question whether his
propositions are likely to prove genuine re-
forms or not In former letter gave
some OF the arguments advanced by Mr..
Bentley in favor Of his bill now before the
Senate, the massage of which he is quietly
but urgently pressing. The theory OF the
Commissioner, at bottom, is that large
proportion Of the claims presented are
fraudulent, but in this he casts broad re-
lection upon the soldiers of the late war
hardly warranted by the facts. In prepor-
tion to the number of claims for pension
| filed under all the acts Of Congress about
! 800 ,OO0,- few frauds haye been attempted
aud fewer still successful. Human nature
among these claimants averages about the
same as human nature in general, and now
and then dishonest claim has been pre-
sented; but, as said before, the percentage
is small. And the question is whether Mr.
Bentley's plan is less susceptible to Graudu
lent practices than the existing methods
From my present understanding OF the sub
feet believe it is far more so.
The measure known MS the sixty. surgeoni
bill, brought forward by Mr.. Bentley las
after an investigation into its probable work
ings, there was an almost unanimous opin
ion that it opened the way To enormous
abuses. And the Commissioners new bill
though different Ia some of its provisions, il
open to precisely the same objections on ever
a larger scale. 1t establishes a sort ofcour
or commission IN each of the 293 congress
innal districts, ami the commissioners 81
three times year at each county seat. They
are allowed fees OF various kinds, and ex
penses They are empowered to visit sicl
with SO fee in each ease besides traveln.
expenses, witness fees, etc. Would iher,
not be lots of sick claimants in every district
and would not this sort of thing cost roun'
sum? With all this, these commissioner
have no power to get the testimony of wit
nesses residing in other States and no powe
to determine the merits of the eases examin
ed by them. They merely gather such eyi
dence as is within their reach and fnrwar,
il to the Commissioner, who is the final ar
bitter the same as now and who would hly
about as much labor tn prelorm as al present
The arrangement would add an ennrmou
bill of expense to Uncle Sans pension bur
dens. Congress has lately passed a bill ap
proprating fifty millions Of dollars to tn
pavment Of pensions the current year and
J Is estimated that after the arrears are paid
about twenty five millions per annum vii
be required for the neXt forty years. Thi
ia heavy tax upon the generosity of tn
country. The pension laws are very libera
and il would be an unrighteous tmEg 3
saddle the execution Of them with a system
Of machinery entaiIing expens. amountin
to probably half Ms much as the pension
themselves The Citizen Soldier, week.
; paper published here, is about the only ol
! gan of the soldier element taking natong
, view of this subject. Any reader interest.
= can get copy by writing for it, and sti
: further information may generally he ot
: tanned by addressing your member of Cor
grrss.
3 The advance guard nfthe Salvation Arm
which has been sent on to this city to 81
: nut the land anl ascertain If il would be az
visable for the comlnander-in chief and h
i forces, who a'e now carrying on wurinI
+" in Philadelphia, to come here, complete
3 their work Thursday and returned tn Bait
u more. The advance Guard is not fnrini,
{ able IN appearance. but attracts attention
e the red baud fastened around their hat
+. eiring the name oi the organization up,
y it in gilt letters. The advance guard expe
Is to come back here agaiH in the early part
= January and begin an active oampaig
d Weaver and Sparks will he lnoked after.
" TIE Inauguration ceremonies are Ike
G TO be the most elaborate of any that ha
,e preceded them. The military display W
be very large, and the eil'rt IN procure
representation Of the volunteer and milil
organization of every State, and each one
the large cities, is likely to be wholly su
cessful. Accommodations and quarters ha
already been arranged for over $1,000 M
i belongng to military and political orga
izatinns.
=, Washington soeiety has hardly as yet q
|, sumed it's winter activity. IL is the geu,
~ al statement that there has seldom been
little interest manifested as is the case up
the present stage the current season. An
q the holidays everything is expected to |
;, come more lively. DON Pedro.
NEW YORK