The National tribune., 1885-10-01
THE PENSION BUREAU.
Some Remarks Upon the System which has Grown
tp i'm lis 0nera:iOns.


sion Office system:
1t must be confessed that the cr-pdrte atfi
davit system upon which millions OF dollars
are paid, Is system that violates all rules OF
law, Is open at every point to attempted ana
successful fraud and is the worst system that
could possibly have been adopted Had the
country been divided into districts and court
held i'll each, before which the applicant with
his witnesses could have appeared, long be-
fore now every soldier entitled to pension
would have been receiving it, What | wish to
submit Is, that an Inefficient ystGm having
been adopted, absurd rules, more absurd un-
written customs, and general course o! busl-
ness have grown up i'll the Pension Once,
which have been III the past and must continue
III the future to be direct distractions to the
granting OF pensions; and IL Is more than ap-
parent that IN the usual run OF the Office, un-
der these rules and customs more than an hun
dred thousand soldiers viii 90 to their graves
with applications pending.
Waving party clamor, every obseryant per-
son must know that one set of men will come
as near rendering due and efficient service
as another set, and ii there Is anything
wrong III the Pension Office, that these wrongs
must be ascriued 10 a had system, and not to
the dishonesty of the Commissioner or hlS en-
plOyeeS.
With every Commissioner, high hopes of the
dispatch OF business have arisen only to be
cising the Pension Office, let us so TO the root
of the evil aud attack the system.
As say, no one viii deny that the ef-pGrte
system Is dangerous in its opportunities for
fraud To combat this danger, little by little,
perhaps without direct intention, have arisen
the following errors III the present system:
First. Every soldier is regarded as scoun-
drci, seeking to rob his Government
From this has arisen:
Second 4 demand for too much proof.
My conclusions nave been made up from
few applications made by myself for pensions
and from numLeriess consultations, a lawyer,
with soldiers who have come 10 ME in utter
despair, to give them some advice as TO what
TO do in their efforts to get their pensions al
lowed.
A claim is presented in due form, the appli
cant identified, the atiidavits of facts duly
sworn and subscribed, and instead OF an allow
aDce under this l3.'tnlE- -fdcje case, comes a COM
bat with the Department. The applicant sup
posed that he mad established when, where,
and how the disability was created, and is ut
tcrly astounded TO receive from the Depart
ment a circular calling for the very proof which
he supposed he had furnished. No mention Is
made OF the proof on file. The applicant is IN
utter darkness whether it is or Is not sufficient,
or If detective, i'll what particular
In this state of the case have recommended
applicants TO retakc their proof.
The dragS its weary length, and each
witness receives a personal letter asking what
he knows about the case, though he has told
ali he knew III his affidavit. \ confidential
letter Is written TO the Postmaster of the Coun-
tyseat, asking him for his private opinion on
The merits of the case
Should he, through personal enmitY, respond
uniavoraDly TO the applicant it will take five
straight years TO remove the influence OF his
malicious communication.
Ii = rnItp A. rfoiD that ma how lirppf
the evidence, the soldier will be called upon for
the affidavit OF his regimental Surgeon. This
seems to be the rule, no matter how Well the
case is made oHt by other proof.
In the County OF the writer's residence the
18th Ky. was organized. Applicants have been
compelled TO travel 200 miles into the interior
OF Illinois to obtain the affidavit of the Surgeon
OF that regiment, only to fmd that an old man
past 10 years OF age, feeble IN body and mind,
could neither remember the applicant nor his
disability. But so the Pension Office decreed,
ANA the applicant went 10 his grave, waiting,
waiting, waiting on that office.
In violation OF ali the known rules of law,
Gases have been rejected for want Of medical
evidence When there is a failure of medical
evidence the question in law would be- is the
case made out by the other proof in the cause.
This is not The law of the Pension Office.
Again, an applicant must show his physical
condition during every year since ms discharge.
This is at once unreasonable and unfair. An
applicant establishes that measles settled on his
lungs in 1oG4, and that he never did duty
thereafter. Ills examination shows in 1884
that precise state OF case. Is not his case made
out? In decemcy and i'll law most assUrediy
SO, but not IN the Pension Office.
Ana so / might enumerate numbericss rules
that violate both law and justice. II is suiti-
cient now to say that no claim is allowed until
established by an astounding preponderance of
proof. 1t may be assumed that these things
have grown up i'll the Pension Office without
the direct order of any one, and as a result Of
attempted fraud on the Department. That is
10 say, because of the wrong Of few bad men
every soldier Is deemed a scOundrel and not
entitled to pension until established by evil
dencc which IN amount would clear a man for
murder.
In any event, Commissioner Black did not
build up this system, and as the system does not
depend Oh law for existence, recommend that
lac make the following changes:
First. An applicant should not be compelled
to show that he was sound when he enlisted.
Second. He should not be compelled to show
his condition during every year since the war.
Third. The practice of corresponding with
witnesses and of writing for the private opinion
o. a postmaster or other person should be dis
continued.
Fourth. If a case is not made out by the
proof presented, the Office ought 10 indicate in
what particular the proof is deficient.
Fifth. Too much importance is attached to
medical evidence, and this ought not as 4 rule,
hc demanded il other evidence establishes the
claim.
Sixth. On the whole case the claim, when
made prima tace, should be allowed
Seventh. An overwhelming preponderance of
proof should no longer be demanded.
These matters are within control oi the Com
miss oner, and if he Will occupy his time in.
pruning the system instead Of making partisan
removals he will place a jewel III lis crown
that viii light 10 their graves a quarter OF 4
million Of men disabled in the cause Of their
country.-E. HUBBARD, Hartford, Ohio Co.,
Ky.
PENSION TALK.