Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-01-12
A Rank Injustice.

\ Rank Injustice.
Previous to the Assembling Of Con
gress there was much ado made through
the press and otherwise over the pension
list, the attacks being brought on by the
annual report of the Commissioner of
Pensions, by whose figures it was esti-
mated that the country would pay out
in arrears before the applications were
all in, the immense sum of between three
and four hundred million of dollars,
with the prospect of large annual
draft upon the treasury for the next
fifty years al least, Much righteous in
dignation was expressed at the time by
that class who trim their sails to the
blowing winds, as well rs by many well
meaning people, who for the time being
could see in every pensioner only party
to a gigantic system of frauds that was
in succeeding years to eat large holes in
the pockets of the tax payers. 1t was
even intimated that an eX-union officer
would rise on the floor Of Congress and
denouGce the whole system as rotten to
the core and ask for repeal of the ar
rcars of Pensions act As the cN-union
officer has not rs vet made his appear
ance it is safe TO infer that he thought
better of it as the time drew near for
The explosion
Since the passage of this act there
has been great deal of talk among the
class who build up what public reputa-
ton they may possess by constantly pos
ing rs economists, before the people
upon the great amount of money that
this act would call from the treasury.
What of it? Eighteen years ago the
same parties were ready and too willing
to put their hands down in their pockets
and draw up any amount that would in
duce these same pensioners to step to
the front as food for the murderous
yolleyS that were sweeping across the
southern valleys. To-day is seen only
the reverse side of the picture. The
danger has passed and the almighty
dollar has once more been enthroned in
the highest seat.
The frauds of which these gentlemen
SO bitterly complain are not a thing Of
the moment They are not, as many
would infer, the direct and legitimate
fruit of the Arrears of Pension bill.
They are not the result Of well laid
plan on the part of veterans of the late
war to swindle the government out OF
the hard earnings of the tax payers.
Such quasi assumptions are not only
false in fact but false by inference.
That there are fraudulent claims and
that many persons who are in nowise
entitled to pensions are drawing the
same from the government at the pres
ent time will not be disputed by any per-
son who has paid attention to the cases
constantly arising, even in their own
vicinity; but for these fraudulent pen
sioaers, from the inception of THEN claim
until the completion of their we'll played
/ rascality the government is alone to
blame. Under the present bungling
system it simply offers premium to
swindlers and what is direct corallery
works in many instances grevious harm
and injury to bone tide and deserving
claimants. This fact has long been
recognized Under Commissioner Bent
ly a remedy was proposed in what was
known as the sixty Surgeons Bill
which divided the United States into
sixty pension districts, each of which
should be under the supervision Of sur
geon and associate commissioner who
should personally examine into all
claims. holding court NJ different places
in their district for that purpose. In
this way, by the personal appearance
of the claimant and his witnesses be-
fore the commissioners, il was hoped
and expected that fraudulent clairris
would be reduced to a minimum. By
some means this bin was defeated and
the country left to stagger along under
lis former load of iniquity, working adj
ditioual wrongs each year to the dcServ-
ing and fauening gang Of sharks At
The expense of the government. Another
direct result of the present mi>manage-
m,nt leaves worthy pensioners at the
mercy of any malicious gossiper who by
a word to the department can stop the
pension of the most deserving and put
them to the trouble Of proving their
claims a second or even third time.
Under system Of districting the coun-
try into convenient districts. where the
claimants could appear in person with
their witnesses before the court of COM
missiouers, their claims once estab-
lished would not be subject to the foul
breath of any venomous wretch that
saw fit TO vent his spleen in sncaking
+ attacks
That the final outcome will be the
adoption of this or similar plan can
hardly he doubted but until such a
change is made TnE HEGNLn earnestly
I protests against inyidioGs assaults up
ON the honor OF that class who freely
offer their bodies rs wall to keep off
rebel bullets, because the lawmakers NJ
Washington win not 10 their duty