Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-04

Commissioner of Pensions Black makes
the announcement that he has discovered
on the pension rolls of several pension
agents-notably on that in the Office OF
Miss Sweet of Chicago-manv names
which are improperly and frandulently
retained and he urges this as an impera-
tive reason for the immediate removal of
the agents. Mr.. Black is either attempt
ing to practice a deception upon the pub
lie, in making these charges, or
else s he is ignorant of the regulations
of the pension department In every pen
sion office, there are necessarily upon the
rolls u few names not definitely account
ed for; and the presence of such names is
so far from being an evidence of fraud on
the part of the agent that among the
rules governing the pension service is one
relating to the time during which such
names shall be retained. In some cases
they may be the names of invalids suffering
from total or partial disability, who are
entitled to pensions for life, or while the
disability continues. In case of the death
or recovery from disability of such pen
sioner, notice is not always given to the
pension agent, who, perhaps, learns in
directly of the event, and transfers the
name to the doubtful list. The laws of
the department provide that, until the
fact of the death or recovery of the pen
sioner is absolutely established to the
satisfaction of the pension agent, these
doubtful names shall remain upon the
rolls for three years from the time of the
last regular payment, and that arrears for
any period less than three years shall be
| paid on demand, with the usual proofs OF
identity and of the other facts upon which
! the continuance of the pension depends
After the lapse of three years without de
mand for the pension, the name of the
pensioner is dropped from the rolls and
cannot be restored except by act of Con
gress.
Another class of names found upon the
doubtful list is that of soldiers widows,
who are entitled to pensions until death
or remarriage. Many widows of soldiers
remarry, but somehow omit to include
among the friends to whom they senC
marked notices, one who is peculiarly in
terested in the event-namely, the pen
sion agent. The agent may become sus
pcious of the remarriage, but he is Obliged
by his instructions to retain the name up
on his rolls for three years, or until abso
lutte proof Is furnished of the remarriagc
or death of the pensoner. Thus it happens
that considerable number Of the name,
on any large pension list cannot be strict
ly and with certainty accounted for. The
pension agent, being in doubt, has sus
pended payments to such pensioners. bu
has no right to drop their names from tn,
rolls, under the rules. The retention of sucl
names, of course, affords no good grounc
for the suspension or removal of worth.
pension agents. The reflections upol
Miss Sweets character, in particular
which are being circulated by the Demo
cratic press, appear to be both unjust ant
unkind. In an Office transacting so larg
a business as the pension Office at Chicago
there must be large number of names OF
the doubtful list. 1t would be a much surel
evidence OF fraud or connlvance, if ther
We're few or none such. Either the com
missioner does not understand his busl
ness, or he has a mistaken idea that nc
body else does.