The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-01-31
A SENSIBLE PROPOSITION.

congressman Chas. IL. farwell, one ol
Chicago's representatives in the national
house, has offered proposition calculated
to meet in very practical and sensible
way an admitted abuse, and if adopted
would doubtless prove an adequate rem
edy. AS every reader we'll knows, the
arrears ofpension act, while congress seems
disposed to pass it, Notwithstanding the
allegations that fraud is wrapped up in it,
has been eliciting much unlavorable com
ment, and there is little question but
on the lists are hundreds, or even
thousands of names of fctictious or UNI
worthy persons. But they are inter
spersed with the good, and an investiga-
ton such as would weed out The fraudulent
and false would demand more time and
money than the government could well
stand. AS q consequence, the knayes are
proiiting by the good company they keep,
and the government of the United States is
footing their iniquitous bills. OF course,
any way to get out of the trouble at once
promising speed and success ought to be
! adopted and acted upon. So, Mr. Farwell
comes to the front with proposition, that
annually the government have prepared
aud published correct list or lists Of the
names and residences of every person claim
ing and receiving Il pension from the United
States and the reason for such pension.
These lists should then be distributed in
those localities where the pensioners pur-
port to live. We not only think this
timely, but sensible, practical aud per-
iectly feasible plan for reaching an evil
seemingly otherwise incurable There al
ways has been and always will be found in
any and every community sufficient num-
Der of citizens interested in learning who of
their neighbors are doing well and who
are not, to insure tie closest scan
ming of the lists and the speediest
report to headquarters of all cases of
discovered fraud But let the government
once publish to the world who are
its pensioners and it will be but short
time before those only receive public aid
who are entitled to it. Mr.. Farwel's pro-
position has the merit of relieving the
United States government as such from
hunting up series OF numberless and wide.
spread frauds and enlisting gratuitously in
such service the whole people. And when
once populace at large is turned loose
upon hunt, backed by the press It's seldom
that results are found to be unsatisfactory.
We cannot see that any valid objection can
be offered to the measure, and it strikes.
in the cheapest and most expeditions way,
directly at the root OF the matter. An
other excellent and important feature
in view of the great growth of
pension claims in late years, whenit would |
be supposed all such would have been pre-
sented years before, would be the preven-
ton it would insure to the filing of addi- |
tional fraudulent ones. 1t would be a
pretty bold man who would dare present or
file false claim in the face of published
lists wherein the name, residence service,
etc, of the pensoner had to be inserted. |
Those rghtlully entitled to the care of the |
government, those who did honest service
and received honest wounds, or were shat
tered in health, need have no fear from
the same to the world, and |
indeed, could not, with any reason, object
to the proposition. Indeed the
idea is meeting with approba-
ton generally throughout the
country and is of sufficient Importance and
magnitude of scope to receive earnest and
honest consideration by congress. If it be
possible by measure to save two or three
hundred millions ofmoney it is certainly
worthy ofattention and general interest,
and far more significant than the thousand
himsy, demagoglcal motions, resolutions
and bills the consideration of which usually
fills up congressional day. What the
country is more particularly interested
in at present is the lcssening of the
burdens of taxation, but this can only be
done by curtailins the expenses
Of government. Three hundred
million dollars is an immense amount of
money, and saved out of n fraudulent pen.
sion pay roll, and lifted from the taxes oil
the country, would be OF incalculable ben
eft to the people at large. We have no
doubt that by proper investigation and
management sum sufficient to pay the
annual expenses of the government could
be saved from what are now but glaringly
fraudulent charges. There would be no
necessity for any additional retrenohment
or economy If there We're only genuine re.
form-if, in short, those only got the public
moneys who were entitled honestly TO
them. 1t is in view of such reflections as
these that the scope and import of Mr..
Farwell's proposition to publish the pen.
sion lists is seen. Before the adjournment
of congress we hope to see it meet with
such general favor as to become law.
A DISPATCH was sent from this city under
date of the 9th inst. to the Republican at
st. Louis, calculated to do the Chicago.
Texas 4 Mexican road great iuiurv Tho