New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-15
GENERAL BLACKS METHODS
A scATHNG REVIEW by COLONEL DUDLEY
FALSE REPRESENTATIONS ExPosED-sLANDERoUs
CHARGI:s REFUTED.
INV TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUNE.1

/
| THE TRIBUNE called tho attention OF ox-Com
missioner Dudley TO the frat hun'rsd pages OF th'
Democratic Hand Book, which Is devoted to an attaof
uponl tho Republican Administration OF the fensoi
OnIoe and asked II no had examined this matter, ana
what no had to say about It. Colonel Dudley rephea
have examined tho pages you mentiop ana nin con
WINGED from the internal evidence contained In the mat
ter presented that must have been prepared IN the ron
sion Onlce. II seems to be method adopted oy '"'
Commissioner OF Pensions bolster up tho outrageous
charges contained his official report for 1882 ana
undoubtedly his way OF bringing into notice iot o.
questionable evidence and er-pate testimony when ne
attempted unsuccessfuly to bring before the senatotA
Investigating Commit All hts efforts 10 lay neiore
that comritleo this partc evidence or socaed tes'
uony were met by the committee with refusal to re-
ceve the in that FORM but he was reducsteh 20
furnish the committee with tho names and addresses OF AL
the persons whose testimony he wished TO lay beoro tne
committee In tho form OF crp1r afdavts an with an
offer send for tho persons and put them upon Tue
stand order that they might be cross-exanned anu
their testimony serutinzei. Mr. Black seems to nave
resorted 10 this al caDrdm method hoTng thereby 10
poison Il public mnswth statements grossly Incorrect
and perverted without thers being any opportunity for
the public to know the motives which acsnated the all'
ants those who procured their testimony Of Govern
ment expense
AS an evidence OF the utter unfarness OF the whole
production would call your attention at the very outset
to what Mr.. Black calls the conspiracy OF 1880 He
sets out letter addressed By one Burke to the then
Comm 'sloner or Pensions, AMI also an nd'rSement
thereon by tho Secretary OF the Republican National
Committee but not present any evidence Whatever
tending to show that the Commissioner OF Pensions
granted any OF the request preferred In that correspond
He does state that there no doubt in his mind
but that tho requests compiled with
lie cites and dwel uron the Increase of the rorce OF
Special examiners during the summer OF 1894, ana seeks
to tine impression that that force was created purely
for political purposes The truth is that the law author
zng the appointment OF the $50 special examiners was
passed by Democratic House with the provso that the
appointments shouli be made under the civil service
regulations and that examiner should serve IN the
State from which he was appointed Those provisions
inserted the request OF the Commissioner OF rem
sons and rsultet in the appointment OF t"othirus Oh
til newly examined applicants through the
Civil service method without regard to their political
affiliations or anything excert tho standing they had At
iained In tho Civil Service examinations ana ther
peculiar fitness for that peculiar work. wing out OF
their experience in business profess or as soldiers
the late The remaining one third were seleotea
by a detail from clerks experienced In the office.
lie states as notable fact that upon decreasing
number Of hand tor examination the number OF
special examiners steadily Increased. That Is true
the inference be drawn from II Is exactly the re-
verse of tho inference he seeks to convey. The new
force OF special examiners In that year was given be-
cause OF tho great OF assigned FOR special
examination NJ the DOUlcS OF hpphOauS' anu III"
adequacy Of tho existing force In tho Geld speedily
10 complete that work provision Of the law creating
they should he employed but tor one year.
made necessary for Immediate appointment IN order to
get as mucn service possible hon them within the
nsca year tor which the appropriation was available
While Is possible that tho political zeal OF some indi-
vduais may lc them TO oversep the orders VI the
once in that regard. yet the universal testimony
TIN oughou the country has been that they sudiOusy
observed the orers the Commissioner OF Pensions Ia
sued III the 9th of March as follows:
PgNslos OFFICE. wAsHINGToS, ID. G.. March y. 1854.
SPECIAL EXAMINATIONS DIVISION,
DEPARTMENT Oh. INTERIOR
To SPECIAL EXAM As the time approaches when
polite, become be and often the sole topic OF
ca. yersaon special examiners VIII nhh II more uleuls
than ever obey the iuJunctOns lad upon them whoh
gong out that they should In no Wise participate while
duty land EXCEPT when upon Save VI absence lhey
are always Oh duty political discussions ny word OF
act The frpctlons Of special examiners are those Of
judicial officers seeking for the tue acts 10 cases n
salye. tho community In which they respectively
work tue best result to theiI WORK ana them
selves by cot retlcenoe upon all topics OF l"nIoai
character II ped that each examiner Will need tins
timely warning and to sucl elect tht no lust criticism
can DO alleged against him on this ground
''' VILLAIN v DrDLEY. Commissioner.
Every special examiner then IN the service and every
sneca examiner appoB after that date received that
circular and had Impressed upon HIM by tue verbal IN
struclons Of his supeors tlat he was In no manner 10
perform any political service. By the custom Of tue De-
parmeut aud recognition OF the law every Govern
Absence OF thirty days with pay. Most men who cared
for their citizenship ia gears elections occurred
served this leave absence tor the time Of election and
far possible awaited themselves oil the prIveSe 10
20 TO their homes and exercise thet ight OF
suffrage When upon such leave OF aosence they are not
amena Die tho Departments and It has been univers
ally recognized thus disconnected from the office,
ma perfectly proper for Government employees to assist
their political parties by work. voice aud vote This dis
tinction carefully observed In tho Pension Oihce
The soca!led shameless official reports on page "a,
were made by men VINO wers On suen eave VI 90
an of zeal to show that they were working Tor
their political parties.
on the present Pension ONCE force has been used IN
reversing the coantIy seeking to md ignorant claim
ants and putting woIis in their rIonhs by unprinclped
adherents Of presen regime IN order TO secure state
m,nts I'm ambiguous language that might be used to
boer up the reckless charges OF tue head OF the Blu
reau The Senate Committee VIII IAN OF duty II lt
does expose aud bring to the OF tue country
tie gross misuse OF official power ard patroI age whch
been resoIted 10 IN the Pension once III oruss 70
make nolitical capital for the Democratic party This
is shown by the fact that corps OF hlgh rced ad
hghpaid clerks has been Tor SIX months III cu n
ping and editing the refuse matter cohaDeu III ths
document whose services should nave heeh ~ pei so
far "a they OF ans value 10 the settlement VI pom
sion claims AMI the loue-delaed business OF lnat oce
The most casual reader OF the document you refer 10
would rise from It's perusa with the conviction that me
peSsion ice AS neng conducted very little else
than q political machine, presided over 10y genius
,e yense of the manhood OF 1.-THE clerks. at the expense
OF truth with little regard TO decent consideration
~ the feelings applicants for pensions IL was hoped
that the present incumbent himself disabled soldier
chest pension awarded 10 any soldier OF
tne land for disabilities no greater than nose sustahe1
hv thousands OF soldiers as brave aud worthy MS
he wonld prove TIC man for the place III IS 10 be
honed tat when shall have found sufficient time from
ot he regards AS his political duties to devote sope
atten ION TO Interior working OF the once ana the
atotnsrratlon OF the pension laws he Will regret hay
sed 30 much his valuable services IN the prepa
ration of Democratic campaign literature"
CUSTOMS RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14.-The Collector of
c,stons AT New-York informs the Treasury Department
thst steamship companies which obtain the privilege
or allowing their cargoes to remain on the wharf for
fortyeight hours pile the goods In masses upon the
dock much to the detrment OF the Government and the
and no requests authority to refuse permission