The National tribune., 1884-10-30
"The Special Examiner Nonsense"

To THE EDITOR: l was well pleased with
your editorial in The TRIBUNE of the 9th Of
October, under the above caption, and desire
to supplement your remarks with an obServa-
tion or two of my own. / wish, first, to say
that it seems to me that thus far the President
has failed to fully appreciate the Importance
OF the Pension Bureau and to comprehend the
standard of executive, mental and legal ability
now essential to fill the office of Commissioner
of Pensions as it should be filled. 1t is now,
next to that of the Secretary of the Treasury,
the most important office in the Executive De-
partnent OF the Government, and should be
filled by the same standard of ability.
Secondly, it is beyond comprehension-a
matter OF surprise to every intelligent man who
has given the subject attentiOn-that Congress
can, session after session, be induced to pass
any laws asked for, not only by the head of
the Pension Bureau but by any Bureau officer
who gets the idea that he has some wonder
fully trauscendent plan by which to exercise
the functiOns of his office.
Thirdly. one would very naturally suppose
that, if the Special Examiner is the best means
of preventing fraud and insuring justice to the
claimants for pension, competent men would
be chosen; but it is fact that all, OF nearly
all, the Examiners are men who have never
studied the rules of evidence-haye never had
any legal training whatever; and yet these
men should De possessed Of the same legal
qualifications that are required of a master In
haucery,-certainly of no less legal acquire
ments than the young lawyer that the Judge
OF a court of equity would appoint as master
to take testimony in any case brought before
him.
Yet it is fact that Col. Dudley's men ap-
pointed to this important work-tO form the
trareling Pension Bureau, to take impor-
tant testimony in these equity cases-are men
who know nothing of law, and whose only
sEat Tnr nIn
abiities,-goOd penman, good copyists,-and
who have knowledge enough to read printed
question and write down on sheet of legal
cap the answer that may be given to it, without
any regard to whether it is relevant or irrele-
want.
Fourthly, this special examination business
adds almost and in many instances quite,
year to the three or four years now usually
required to look into a claim before it is re-
ferred to the Special Service Division. 1t not
unfrequently happens that the same case is
referred to rs many as three Examiners in diff
ferent localities thus greatly delaying the set
Element of the claim, and in none of these
cases do the Examiners make any haste. They
are autOcrats To great extent they do as
they please, and in many Instances do no more
work in week than should be done in a day.
Some of them, too, prolong the work in conse-
quence of their vices, getting "sick" sometimes
by noon and compelled to s. lie up for repairs
till the next morning. And, again, some do
their work SO specifically that another Exam
liner must be sent out to go over the work a
second time and subject the poor claimant a
second time to expenses which he is really not
able to bear even once.
Filthy, the system is not at all necessary
to prevent fraud and actually costs the Gov
eminent more money than it saves. / think it
can be demonstrated beyond doubt that in
many cases the Examiners salary and expenses
amount to more in the time occupied in the
special examination than the claimants pensi on
would amount to in an entire average lifetime
And / believe it is equally true that there is
now no less fraud perpetrated on the Bureau
with its army of clerks, Chiefs of Divisions,
and Special Examiners, issuing only 1900
pension certi ficates year, than there was when
Col Baker, with less than 200 men, issued
$4,000 certificates per year.
Let us hope that President Arthur will look
into this important branch of the Government,
and as a successor to Col. Dudley (who, good as
he is in many ways is not equal 20 the great
work of the Pension Bureau) appoint some
such able lawyer and brave soldier as Gen. JAS
A. Beaver or Col. NJ. S. Quay, of Pennsylvania.
Both men were in the army and both are
educated men and good lawyers Gen. Beaver
ranking among the most able in Pennsylvania
and Col. Quay having reputation for his
ability as Secretary of State that has never
been excelled.-A SOLDIER.