The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-22
NO MORE TAvoRITIsM.

NO MORE TAvoRITIsM.
The course Of the Commissioner of Pen
sions, and the investigations which he has
invited from Congress, will have one good
result which has not been generally antici-
pated. This viii be the curtailment if not
the total abolition of thepower Of influence !"
TO affect in any way the allowance of PEN
sion claim. We do not now propose to dis
cuss anything that has been done in the
past; we will not even say that at any time
political or other influence has secured the
allowance of q claim that should not have
been allowed, or prevented the allowance of
one that should have been allowed.
The point that we desire to make is that
the intervention of any sort of "inhuence
in the allowance of claim for pensions is
pernicious, and any system which permits it
is bound sooner or later-and generally
sooner-to work evil It is, we admit, very
comforting to the applicant for pension,
wiz LIDS tliS EOOu W bS iSpiSSSheSN
by an active and friendly Representative,
Senator, or other important public man, to
understand that he has decided advantage
over those who are not so fortunate. 1t is
also quite an advantage for politician who
may be able to secure decided leverage on
the Pension Bureau. Very many public men
are not averse to ingratiating themselves
with their constituents by having it under
stood that they have the power to get a
claim taken up out of its regular order and
fastened through to an allowance, with ugly
obstacles smoothed away or ignored in con-
sequence of word from them.
But the fragrant injustice of such system
is so apparent as to hardly need stating to
be at once perceived. What is to become of
the unfortunates who have not the friend
ship of influential men? What luck will
the politicians have who will not use their
influence with the Pension Office to reward
their friends and punish their enemies?
1t cannot help being wrong in every way
to permit any other consideration than SIM
pie and exact justice to enter into the settle
ment of any pension claim. The poorest, the
humblest, the least influential applicant is
entitled to exactly the same attention to his
claim as the man who has Senators, Repre-
sentatives, Secretaries, and even Presidents
at his call. He is entitled to have his claim
taken up just as speedily, examined just as
patiently and carefully, and decided just as
equitably as the man who can array in his
interest half of Congress. Anything else is
arrant injustice, and if not strongly discou
ragged will vitiate the entire pension system.
Next to the soldiers Of the country no one
should be more thankful for the oblitera-
ton of any idea of favoritism or the power
of influence in the Pension Bureau than Con-
gress men, Senators, and the Commissioner
of Pensions himself To admit that influ-
ence can avail in securing pensions is to
burden every man in Congress or in public
place with opportunities from claimants,
and to embarrass him with the spites and
revenges of those who have failed to have
their claims allowed. 1t would place the
of Pensions in the most IN
enviable position imaginable.
The outcome of the present discussion of
the management of the Pension Bureau can
not help being of signal benefit to all who
are in any way connected with the pension
system.