The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-07-07


now that the seven or eight hundred ad-
dtioual clerks voted to this bureau n
year ago we're not needed, aud have new
ct been used TO any advantage. A his
tory of the Pension Office, its workings, |
aud the peculiar cases that have come
before it would be quite an interesting
chapter. 1t is estimated that consider
ably over half the pensions granted now
are for chronic diarrhma and diseases
arising therefrom. Cases belonging 10 |
this class are among the worst the PEN
sion Bureau has to handle, and they have
been allowed to accumulate for a long
time, until they constitute n majority Of
tue applications yet undisposed OF. In
ptaking of this phase Of the work an
old examiner, now in othef business,
said; Il Lave every reason to believe that
there is one agency, at least, and perhaps
others in this city, where dishonest APP
plicants who have doubtful claims
against the Government in this class are
put through n regular course of training
and reduced to any stage of emaciatiou
that may be deemed essential to success.
To such perfection has the business been
studied that an applicant who has been
in training for few weeks can deceive
the shrewdest examiners, strong, healthy
men being quickly reduced in weight
amazingly, and given the appearance of
hopeless invalids of years standing. To
be sure the training is liable to be fol-
lowed by serious sickness and even per-
manent disability, but men are found
who will take the risk of that for the
81, 900 or SO 600 and the monthly sti-
pends that are at stake. 1t Is practically
impossible for the bureau people to guard
against deception of this sort unless they
should come into possession of informa-
ton bearing on particular case by ac-
cident, and interested parties are very
careful to cover their tracks skillfully.
OF all the ways of money this is the most
peculiar ever heard Of, and thus far
one of the most successful in O small
way"
The new Commissioner of Internal
Revenue is in hot water, but his friends
say he does not mind that-that he is
used to it. Whether Mr.. Evans is salts.
lied with his own work or not, it is pref
ty certain that President Arthur and the
Administration people generally do not
feel very well pleased, though there will
be no interference at present, Mr. Evans
succeeded to thoroughly well organize d
and efficient branch of the public ser
vice, and all that be had to do was TO see
that the machinery of the bureau was
Kept in perfect rnnnIng order. But il
-eems that that simple performance oi
duty did not at al! suit his views. Il
was not with any such old-fashionod idea
that he took the Office What he wanted
vas, not TO have the revenues of the
Government collected witt the greatest
nonesty aud efficiency, but TO have the
pleasure of distributing patronage. He
seems to have followed in the footsteps
OF the late Speaker Klefer, and his fir,
movement was the removal of four of the
most skilled special agents of internal
revenue and the appointment in theii
places of four men from his own State O,
Kentucky, two of whom had been preyi.
ouNly dismissed for cause" from lik,
positions. the other two being untried
inexperienced, and presumably, unquali
lied men. When the newspapers com
mented upon this latest outrage against
public decency, and against the priuci
ples of civil service reform, Mr.. Evan,
'hec'ed TO see in that condemnation o
us course merely the spitefulness of the
newspapers and proof of the ''baneIu
'unuence of sectionalism.' He has offer
h'd' he said, "tilts with the press, anC
uad always come outahead." Kentucky
had not had her fair share of such offices
and he Was determined that she shoulC
have. That was the sort of man b,
was Besides, he had the President
authority for what be did. These wer,
the considerations which he assigned IL,
his action. The last Of them is the onl,
'e, of course, which had any prope
levancy u the matter, and it app ear
that this had no just foundation in tact
He had merely obtained the President
general approval to suggestion that h
intended TO remove some OF his subordI
, mates for ineffioiency. Aud he has b,
this time learned that that was very ia
from an express or implied sanction t.
play duck and brakes with the heads O
experienced and faithful officials. Tha
is not the sort of man the President is
Mr.. Evans should realize and act upol
that conviction. Dom PEDRO