The National tribune., 1882-06-24


5;f.39l: beef s12 100000; lard, S33, ,OOO,OOo
and pork, $S,0G00n
In 1880 we had $iO0oG,Oo0 invested in the
manufacture of cotton goods; in 1880 We had
s225 OlO 600. In 1S40 the product 81 our WOODEN
r,arrr,c+orics amounted TO $40 69G $50; in 1850
"a t23i 5S7. .671. In 1S4S &c produced only
e0OOa0 tons of iron; in 1880 we manufactured
7265, 100 tons; had S23O97155l capital in
vested in tho business; employed l40,91S mon;
Maid them wages 10 the amount of S33,A16,I8o,
and the iron produced was worth G296, $50.
And thcse, sir, arc only = few items taken from
the balanco-sheot OF our national progress since
II was settled at ApnomattnN on the @jh N
April. 1855, and The declaration made that this
is a Nation and not y confederation Of sovereign
and ntirpcrdent States.
When We look back upon the grand achieve
mcnts Of tho last twenty years, and forward 10
the sublime possibilities of the future; when
WE realize the dangers We have passed and the
sacrifices NC have msde, VIC are led to cEcIHim,
What but tho patriotism, the cour.Ee, and
stubborn zeal Of our gallAnt soldiers rendered
passible such victory: and what but their
iovaItv and untolA suffrrincs raised cur country
to the proud position shc occupies to-day?
In view, then Of our gigantic growth and
tho immense increase of our resources, due IN
q great measure to the mon who now ask OF
YOU, not charity hut jnstiCo, ! have no fears
that VIC shall ever find ourselves unable to
meet this sacred obligation.
believe we have now, and shall continue to
have money enough 10 Pny off our pensioners,
even if we DO, in spite Of CroakcTs and dema-
gogucs put upon our rolls within the next two
wears the name Of every soldier TO whom
nension is due. Ny convictions EpOn this sub
iect are firm and my opinions we'll settled.
and | am ready here and now to place myself
on record upon this great question.
believe that every soldier and sailor who
was wounded or contracted disease in the mill
tsrv or naval service Of his country in the line
Of dntv * entitled to receive from the Govern
mrnt pension proportional TO his injury, and
that he is entitled to receive TINT pension from
the date of his injury or discharge from tho
service; and in czse OF his death, resulting
from such injury, his widow, minor children,
or dependent relatives should receive the same.
If this proposition is correct then every
hour the Government delays paying these pen
sions. after they are fully proved it commits
= breach Of it's solemn contract 1t this pTopo-
sition is correct then it is the duty Of the Gov
erumcnt to do all in its power to settle these
claims and pay them off at the earliest Prac-
tiCablc moment
Now, sir. what are the facts with regard to
this matter?
out of the whole number of claims filed IN
the Pension Bureau since April, 1-6l there are
now remaining unexamined and unsettled in
that osicc 2S5, ,O0n
These claims, which have been on file from
one 10 fifteen years, Src many Of them due to
poor needy mon, who with their families are
actually suffering for the money which the
/ Government uniustly withhOlds from them,
and which it Cauld pay * any time. IT . uu'i-
! ness man should conduct his Affairs IN the nah-
! ner this rcnsion business has hcon carried on
/ he would Ire called foolish as well Ss dishonest.
! Colonel Dudley, tho head Of the PeRsioA
/ Rureau with the present limited number OF
/ clerks has been able since nc took charge Of
/ the Office ia July last 70 so organize his fierce
/ as 10 greatly increase the number OF claims
/ digrosrd Of Within the last six seven months.
/ And even if his present force Is not increased,
( he hopes to be able to keep up 18th current
! business and work Of the 266,0 900 ponding
claims in from siS 10 eight years, but thoSo
| lces sanguine fear is will take him ten, and
! perhaps eleven.
/ Now. sir. I an opposed to compelling Colonel
/ Dudley to work away Wirh his present force
! unC r this mountain Of claims, but nIn in favor
- ,uhing his effective force; if not in mum
st leaF in brains and working capacity,
1T double the nUfnbcr of c1scS rey be
-cd of: and this IS understand it, is pre-
what the Commissioner Of Pensions
eS and what the CumnlttCc on Invalid
ions and the Select Committee on the Pay
Of Pensions. Bounty, and Back Pay have
amended to the Committee on Appropria-
and which is Incorporated into the eXecu-
legislative. and julicial appropriation bill.
lc plan is. as | have already intimated, to
Nv vincrrase the force in the Pension Bureau
authorizing the appointment Of three or
hundred special examiners for tvId-York
at least rs many more for the work in the
a all Of whom shall possrss talent and
city sufficient to examine and pass upon
C. pension claims: and then, If necessary,
ease the number Of lovcT-Crade cicrkS
ricnt to prepare the Cascs and Keep force
least seven or eight hundred men At work
Examiners. This increase of force in the
sion Office necc5sitates an additional force
ne hundred and sixtv-siI In the Surgeon.
erals Office, one hundred and 81 sIty.5even
he Adiutant-GcncraI Oiicc twelve in the
'r of the Secretary OF War, eight in thc
Second Comptroller'S Office twenty in the
Second Auditors Office, and twenty in the
Office Of tho Third Auditor. This additional
force is all provided for in the bill making
appro3riaHons for the Legislative. executive
and Judicial expenses Of the Government now
pending.
Since July I, 1876, zoos cases Of all classes o
pension ciaims have been investigated by the
Pension Bureau, and out of this num3er , 2IS'
Were dropped from the rolls, and 1915 were
rejected.
Why those pensioners were dropped, or why
thcae claims were rejected, is not stated, but i
is certainly not fair ~ presume that they were
all found 70 he fraudulent.
Many Of them may have been dropped or re
iectcd for other reasons, and probably were.
We have now on the TsnSau-rolls the names
of 2CS,71 pensioners and pending clailn
amounting to 266 coo; making in all $3.50
Now, ogt Of this vast number the Commits
soncr Of Pensions daring tho past fscal yea
caused to be investigated COS cases, and out O
these only 2GS were dropped after the mos
thorough and searching scrutiny.
II scens To me that these figures, instead o
being alarming, furnish ground for CNngTatu
lation when only 2'FS cases are found to be bad
from all Causcs in trausACtion involving th'
dist ribution Of S50GGO0FH, among more than
half million men. The present C0mmissiono
Of Pensions, since he took charge 0fthc bureau
has done everything in his power, not only t
prevent the allowance Of fraudulent claims
but also to detect fraud if any exists, in thos
already granted or now pending.
| If Congress will 90 as | have suggested viii
reference to tho Bureau of Pensions and th
Adiutaut and Surgeon q encraIs Offices, thcI
one man will he able 10 DO W hat it takes h(tteI
or twenty to do now in furnishing these sol
dicrs' records in the pending claims, and they
can all be settled and settled honestly by tn,
Pension Office in three years, besides dispOsint
OF the current business as it shall come in.
This, sir, is what | should be glad TO Sc
done, and what am now ready to vote for.
| would do this because think it right anC
Just and because ! believe that every traudu
lent pension paid is a standing insult and out
rage to every true soldier. 1t is not ncccssar,
for me to inform this House that my frcndshi
for the bravo mon who carried our flag to vic
tory and preserved this grand Republic is stronj