The National tribune., 1883-11-08
The Hue and Cry a Failure.

country were declaring with the fereeness
OF inVective, explainable only on the theory
that they were actuated by personal malice
that the pension list was honeycombed with
fraud, and when Senator Beck succeeded in
prevailing upon the Senate to adopt his
resolution, calling for the publication in book
form Of the entire pension list, they ap-
plauded that action as certain to bring about
such revelations OF fraud as would startle
the whole country, ard neeessitate radical
revision of the whole pension list. That
publication has been made, and nearly
month has elapsed since the printed pension
list was given to the newspapers and the
public What has beeu the result? Our
readers know well, that, with an alacrity
that was almost fendish the newspapers
which had been raising this hue and cry
against our pensioners hastened TO republish
this list Frequently leaving out, however,
the record of injuries for which those On
the roll had been seyerally pensioDed, and
giving merely the pensioners name and ad-
dress), confident that it would be immedi-
ately followed by shocking and shameful
disclosures of fraud. They fairly gloated
over what seemed TO them long-expected
opportunity to substantiate their charges of
fraud and debase the soldier pensioner in
the eyes of his country.
Well, what has been the result? Where
are the frauds with which they have
bounded our pensioners? For month, as
we have said, the list has been before the
public. 1t has been submitted to the
scrutiny, not merely of the newspapers
whose fondest hope was that it
might prove to be "honeycombed with
fraud" but to the keen examination of
neighbors, friends and personal acquaint-
ances; and yet, instead Of this involuntary
re-exa,nination Of the claims of our pension
ers resulting in scandalous revelation Of
wholesale fraud, it has had the effect of re-
establishing in the opinion of every just and
patriotic citizen the absolute integrity of
I the pension list We have looked in vain
through the columns o. the newspapers, and
Commissioner Dudley himself has had the
same experience. for the name of sin
! gle pensioner whose claim TO pension has
been shown to be groundless as the result of
the public inquiry instituted through the
/ publication Of the pension list. So far as we
know, not one instance Of fraud has been
brought to light On the contrary, this
publication has had the effect OF convincing
the public that the charges brought against
our pensioners was conceived in malice and
brought forth in partisan hatred.
Says the Oregon (I1.) Independent OF
October 18th:
The names Of ali 0gie county pensioners appear
IN this issue They are On the whole an honorable
and deserving list. A pension, in most cases,
means disability, even though II be not apparent to
the world. Disability l. the result OF SERVICES and
the service such as deserves reward. For our
part we would like to see all soldiers, who served
through the war and arc in need OF IT, on the pen
sion list There are millions of dollars squa5dered
in other quarters every year which had better be
paid 10 the faithful rank and fle who carried the
nauslset and knspsaci-, even though they were not
fortunate OF unfortunate enough to receive q
scratch or breed lifelong disease. If there be q
soldier who Is heavy Taxpayer, we know that he
would never say no, were every man vino wore
the blue to receive his small monthly dues from
Uncle sam while he lived, aIId surely those who
made slleir wealth in the North. East and West
while the cannon doomed in the South, would mol
dare oct of shame. 20 raise protest. We hope ths
list viii increase tin every needy and deserving
soldiers appears on the roll there TO remain
till one by they quietly meet their last foe ans
leave the ranks 70 join those who never came baei
for pay or pension.
IL the same tenor are the comments of thu
Richmond (Ind.) Independent, which says:
For some time people Of prodigious love 0
country have been making extraordinary com
paints because Of so many OF the surviving soiden
Of The Onion have applied for and been granted
pensions. They have predicted the destruction 0
/, the country, asserted that national baEkraptc,
was inevitable. and much more cheap and windy
ssnf. They demanded that the Pension Burear
publish the names Of such soldiers as were drawing
pensions. Cannot our readers remember hov
boisterous these gloomy patriots were and how
they asserted that one-third Of the pensioners wer
able-bOdied men who secured the allowance b,
perjury and forgery? Il IS now about week sine
the pension list has been penetrating to The resnot
est corners Of the land, every newspaper havn,
assisted to give 1t publicity. and YET where is til
prophesied cyeloneg
: Gould anything more conclusivelY shov
at once the groundlessness and malicious
: ness Of the hue and cry against the soldier
that for fully year has reyerberater
through the country, than this utter an
e absolute failure Of Senator Beclz's scheme +
; justify the charges brought against our pen
d sioners. Instead Of proving, as was pre-
z dieted, that the pension list is honey
i combed with fraud" and thus enabling th
i Government to effect retrenchment il
d pensions, this publication has shown beyon
= the possibility OF denial, that the pensio
# list is as sound and free from fraud as th
record Of the Investigations in the Office c
the Commissioner of Pensions preyiousl
showed it to be, and the ffty-odd thousan
dollars it las cost, is, therefore, so far as fl
object fox which it was expended is COZ
: oerned, an idle waste OF InoSey. Howeve