The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-30
GENERAL BLACKS FALSE CHARGES
He Has Been Doing Exactly What He Charges
Against His Predecessors.

49, HASA
was furnished to the press associations on
Wednesday,. has not only aroused Indignation
among all Republicans who know anything about
the past management of the Pension Office. but
has provoked much harsh criticism among those
Democratic representatives who personally know
how disingenuous and untruthful are some of the
statements it contains. In the paragraph referred
to, General Black specifically charges that under
his Republican predecessors pension claimants
were required. in addition to service in the field,
to submit to and support the Republican party
before they could obtain their pensions. Not
always, but often was this true writes the
physical wreck" now at the head of the Pension
Office. He also asserts that sthe enormous
array of medical boards established in every
quarter was solidly partisan" and declares In
sweeping terms that no persons, except Repub-
licans, were employed in any branch of the pen
sion service. Referring to his charge that claim
ants could not obtain pensions unless they
yielded their allegiance to the Republican party,
a Democratic congressman said:
am astounded to learn that General Black has per-
mitted himself to make such an unjust accusation. 1
know that no such test was ever applied to my own
district. Why, it never occurred to me to ask whether
a pension claimant was a Democrat or Republican,
and the same thing is true of the former Commits
sioner of Pensions and his subordinates. 1t is most
unfortunate that General Black has allowed himself
to father so preposterous a charge. 1deplore it.
The man who said this represents a Western
district in which a large number of pensioners
and pension claimants live. He is an active and
sturdy Democrat. Other Democrats who repre-
sent districts in which large numbers of pension
claimants live can give the same testimony that
he does.
Now as to the medical examining boards. For
fifteen years, at least, until General Black took
charge. these boards had been non-partisan SO
far as appointments and the tenure OF Office
we're concerned. The question, SIS the applicant
or incumbent a Republican, was never asked.
The only tests were those of fitness and profes-
slonal experience. Other things being equal.
men who had served as surgeons in the Union
army were preferred and for a sufficient reason,
for the duties of a medical examiner
are of a most delicate, important and respon-
sible nature, and a man who had gained
experience on the battlefield or in the hospital
was better fitted to guard the interests of both
the government and the claimant than a man
who lacked that experience. But one of General
Blacks first reforms" was to ''reorganize" the
examining boards on a partisan basis. An ex
animation of the applications filed in his Office
since last March by persons who desired places
as medical examiners will show that in a vast
majority of cases the applicants have set forth
the political services rendered by them to the
Democratic party as one of the chief reasons
why their claims should be recognized. 1t was
publicly announced by General Black that he
proposed to have two Democrats and one Re-
publican on each examining board of three mem
bers, and not many weeks ago a Democratic
newspaper ~gleefully declared on his authority
that he had already appointed twelve hundred
Democratic members of such boards. In a great
many cases he has "reorganized" the boards on
a solidly Democratic basis; in very many cases
the new appointees are young men who We're
babes in the cradle when the war began
and who were wholly without experience
in the necessary qualifications; in q number
OF cases the examining boards in important
places like Boston, Cincinnati and st. Louis
have been permitted to remain in a state of dis
organization for weeks, if not months, thereby
subjecting pensioners and pensions claimant to
vexatioUs delays and great unnecessary expense.
In some cases the delay has been caused by the
respect paid by General Black to the protests
and counter protests of hostile Democratic
bosses" and factions, and his consequent dis
regard of the interests of the pensioners. In the
case of the Boston board. the attempt to force
upon it men with whom such respectable Dem
ocratic physicians as DR.. Morton Prince-a son
of F. 0. Prince-and DR.. Gavin refused to be
associated officially, became a public scandal.
The truth is, SO far as the examining boards are
concerned, that General Black has tried his best
to make them ''solidly partisan" whereas, under
Republican administration, political considera-
tons were disregarded in the composition of
those boards.
Now as to the Commissioners declaration that
only Republicans were employed in the pension
service before he was placed at the head of it. In
the Pension Office itself scores of clerks who were
Democrats have been employed ever since the
war. and some OF them were not disabled soldiers
or sailors either. For example. General Black
removed, only a few days ago, the efficient and
capable chief clerk of his bureau, Captain Fish
or, whose face bears the deep scar which shows
S"O etoNN " hSPSA NikSt II Olu Gc0 W Ills
place Dominic /. Murphy, of Pennsylvania, who
is an active Democrat. Mr.. Murphy has been q
clerk in the Pension Office for nearly fifteen
years, and has been promoted from time to time
by Republican Commissioners. Three years ago
Commissioner Dudley promoted him to the grade
OF principal Examiner, at a salary of So, 600 a
year. Mr.. Murphy is said to be a good clerk,
but he never served in the army or navy. Com
missioner Black has removed the medical ref
cree, who had the benefit of thirteen years ex-
perience: the assistant medical referee, and the
three other assistants in the same Office. All of
these men were capable and efficient, and all had
served the Union cause. Five inexperienced men
have been appointed to the vacancies because
they are Democrats.
1t is not yet forgotten that Commissioner
Black several months ago applied in an irregular
and unauthorized manner to the Attorney-gen-
eral for an opinion as to whether the appoint
ment of certain examiners. authorized at the
last session of Congress, must be made under
the civil-service rules. On the stat 1ent of the
case made by General Black, the "ney-gen-
eral gave all opinion in the negative, but on a
proper presentation of the facts to the President
by the Civil-service Commissioners, Mr.. Cleve-
land promptly decided the other way. 1t is as
serted, on what seems to be trustworthy author
ity. that General Black subsequently, obliged a
Western Democratic senator in the following
manner: The senator wanted a constituent ap-
pointed as examiner, and sent for him 70 come
to Washington. The man came, was furnished
by General Black with a note to a member of the
Civil service Commission. saying that the appli-
cant, who resided in a distant State, and was
temporarily in Washington, desired to be exam
ined. The note was duly presented, the man
was examined immediately, and he returned To
General Black, who as promptly appointed him.
There was no competitive examination in that
case, for it was carefully guarded against. 1t is
charged that in other ways Commissioner Black
has connived at evasions of the spirit if not the
letter of the civil-service law.
Louisville's Fighting Mayor.