The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-04-24
The Pension Trace DIV.

which ought to move the feelings of right-minded
man, and especially of an American legislator. like
the stories which come to Us, day after day, and
week after week and month after month. and year
after year. OF the hope deferred of the poverty, the
sorrow, the agony of these men and the widows
and orphans of the men who have given their life
and health and strength and the best part of their
manhood TO the safety of the country. We have
done something to relieve this pressure in the
Pension Office, but it still continues, and it is
proaeh and disgrace to American legislation and
American administration that it does continue
Senator Hoar. of Massachusetts.
The expression is none too strong. 1t is,
indeed, a reproach and disgrace that nineteen
years after the war there should still be
pending in the Pension Office 24i505 origi-
nal claims to pension without any prospect
of their immediate adjustment, and it is
high time that the cause of this delay were
definitely aseertained and effective measures
taken for its removal. Let us see, if by
eliminating from consideration the causes
which are clearly insufficient to account for
such a state of things we cannot arrive at
the true cause of this delay.
In the first place, it must be admitted,
that this delay is not in any sense due to
the lack of funds to settle these pending
claims. OF the sum appropriated for PEN
sions during the present fiscal year, amount
ing to S126,000000, the Commissioner of
Pensions estimates that 5000. 900, or more
than one-half of the total, will remain unex-
pended at the close of the year, showing
clearly that allowances of double the value
of those actually made could have been
paid, had he granted them.
In the second place, this delay cannot be
attributed to the lack of clerical force in the
Pension Office, since Congress authorized
the employment of all the additional clerks
that the Commissioner demanded, and the
latter has since then indicated that he has
now more than he actually needs.
In the third place. this delay cannot be
consider the claims pending before it, for
the Commissioner reports that the Office is
fully up with its work, having reached a
point as he says, when nothing further can
be done in about 235, 900 claims, out of a
total of about 244,000 pending, until the
claimants produce the requisite evidence
called for, or reports called for have been
received from the Departments or witnesses,
or a special examination has been had at
claimants home. Indeed, the Commissioner
specifically declares that the responsibility
| for delay, save only in the IA 500 cases in
| the hands of special examiners, is, therefore,
shifted from the Pension Office to the claim
ants, who are in default for evidence In my
| judgment, the force, therefore, may be con-
siderably reduced at the end of the fiscal
year, July 1, 1884"
But if this delay in the 244000 claims
pending before the Pension Office is not due
] l1st) to the lack Of funds wherewith to pay
them, or ed 10 the lack of sufficient clerks
to pass upon them, or (3d) to the failure Of
| these clerks TO give them proper considera.
! ton, what does it result from? Commits
eioner Dudley asserts in the most positive
way that it is solely the consequence Of the
failure Of the claimants to furnish the ere
| quisite" evidence to establish their claims
but we submit that his conclusion is onl,
justified By The supposition that the require
| ments Of the Pension Office in regard II
/ evidence are reasonable and do not exac
| impossbilities from the claimant IF ihey
are not In accord with the spirit and inten
of the pension laws, but are SO eontriyed a
to impede rather than facilitate the deter
mination of meritoricus claims, then mos
assuredjy the responsibility rests with tn
Pension Office and not with the claimants
What are the facts as to that? Are tn
just and reasonable, or are they in the natur
of arbitrary rulings, without warrant in Law
: 1 dAlN NHHi3 tHCll W Lie Ultdu alt
contemplate suspicion entertained by tn
former Commissioner Bentley of the genu
ineness of all claims to pension?
Let our readers, examine the reports @
. the House Committee on Invalid Pension
f in regard 10 private pension bills, which W
print in another column, and Judge fo
themselves They cannot fail TO pereeiv
that it is not because OF any lack Of meri
in these claims, or insnfliciency of reason
able proof, that they are rejected by til
Pension Office, but solely because of the In
. disposition Of the latter To accept any ey
dence as conclusive, that docs not completed
2 satisfy its own technical requirement
What sevcrcr commentary could be mad
D on the course pursued by the Pension Ohio
{ than is contained ia these reports, whic
1 show that the evidence which failed to COZ
: vince the pension examiners that I'll
f claims III question ought to be aiiowel
v was, in the Judgment of commihl
s | Of Congress, sufficient 10 warrant the
. payment without question. Well may OF
veterans demand 10 know why it Is that tt