The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-06

Wy Sue, il6 Opinions OF the OODlIllSSiOliGE
and his subordinate, as found in the formers
report TO the Secretary of the Interior for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1888
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY. CHIEF MACK
am and have always / am of the opinion
been convinced that the that Limitation should
people of the United be provided (say 1886 or
States who are enjoying 1857 after which parol
the national prosperity evidence should not be
and content dearly accepted to establish
purchased for them by claims not sustained by
the blood of the dead record. 1t is true that
Union soldiers, and by occasional eases would
the suffering and hard arise when a just claim
ships endured by those might be defeated but /
who surviyed-sineerely can scarcely imagine ore
desire that every soldier where reliable evidence
who contracted disa- can he obtained by any
bility in the service and method twenty or TWEEN
line Of duty, and every ty-five years after the
WIDOW and minor or event upon which the
dependent Of those testimony is supposed to
whose lives We're sacri- be based when the cir
feed. should receive a cunlstances were not SO
lsbcral pension. As their unusual to impress
steward have endeay the fact upon the wit
cred 10 distribute this nesses' minds. Up. "A.
bounty gTaeiously and
speedily. Ep. Isl
Ella 3
On July J. Iss2, as Soldiers are personally
shown by my last an just rs good and just
nuai report, there were bad as other people, and
1880. 90 living veterans the temptations and op-
Of the late war who, poT;untes for loose
having served their swearing 10 imaginary
country, and many OF facts are by the present
them incurred pension metl1d SO great as to be
able disabilities, now wholly demoralizng.
engaged in peaceful There is not in my opir-
cations Of civil life, and ion, class Of men ON
have never applied for the face Of the earth who
pension On the LIST day live in such high moral
q hay. 1865, tie grand atmosphere that major
army Of the Union ity could resist the temp
sisted of l.0Oe5i6 men tation to at least en-
anc officers. The COM large upon the truth
paTison suggested by when sums of four or 1--WE
( these figures Is strik- hundred to many
ing one, and challenges Thousand dollars could
respectful attention from be obtained few
all. but more especially aiIidavits elandestineIy
from those who feel in made lp. IL
ciined 10 fiippanfIy and
thoHghtiessly denounce
ali applicants for pension
As fraudulent I'M
worthy. and all ex-soi-
diers greedy for pen
sions. ready 70 Ell their
pockets from the public
treasury. up. . %.
~ /
i glad 10 say that The exceedingly small
the means taken to pre- death-rafe Of persons on
vent the successful the pension rolls as inva-
summation Of fraud are lids is to my mind the
reasonably efficient to strongest argument that
that end and il may be could be advanced In ia
easily demonstrated vor of increased caution
think. that such claims as TO the methods of tax
10 be found mostly in ing ailidayits and depo-
our rejected files. Up. p sitions. Up. A.
Vas there ever such an anomaly? Here I
is subordinate who has the audacity not
only fatty contradict the statements of
his superior. but to actually cast suspicion
upon the character of his administration
at the same time that Commissioner /
Dudley expresses the opinion that the |
/ people Of the United States sincerely de-
sire that every soldier VINO contracted a /
disability in the service and line of duty, /
and every widow and minor or dependent of /
those whose lives were sacrificed, should re-
ceiye liberal pension, this vain possessor
Of little brief authority has the hardihood |
to demand that after a certain date they
shall be denied the right to produce the
testimony of their comrades to the merits of
their claims.
At the same time that Commissioner Dud-
ley cites the number of soldiers who yet
survive and have not applied for pension,
toshow the groundIessness of the suspicion
that all applicants for pension are fraudu-
lent or unworthy, this employee of his in
sinuates that for the sake of getting PEN
sions of from four OF five hundred TO as
many Thousand dollars the latter would
resort TO penuryi
At the same time that Commissioner Dud-
ley declares his belief that the means taken
in his Office to prevent the consummation
Of fraud are reasonably efficient. and that
fraudulent claims are mostly to be found on
his rejected files, Commissioner % Mack
sneeringly refers to the exceedingly small
death rate of persons on the pension roll "
as evidence Of its fraudulent character and
as proof Of the necessity of exercising in
creased caution as to the methods of taking
aflidavits and dispositions"
What are our ex-soldiers to understand
by this? Has this monstrous assault by
Chief Mack on the character of our pension
ers, the integrity of the pension roll, and
the efficiency of the Pension Office, escaped
the attention Of Commissioner Dudley, or is it
TO he inferred that Mr. Mack's sentiments are
shared by his SUPERIOR and that the whole
Pension Office is an organized suspicion?
Heaven forbid that the latter should be the
case. 1t cannot be possible that the claims
Of our ex-soldiers are at the mercy Of man
who although once a soldier himself and
now a member Of the Grand Army, thus
brands his old comrades as frauds, impugns
their veracity, and instead of showing con-
Germ on account Of the long delay TO which
: they have been subjected in the settlement
5 of their applications. seems TO take mali