The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-26
A REPUBLICAN FALSEH00D.
ATTACKING THE PENSION BUREAU.
why Indiana Leads in the Number of PEN
sions Granted-The Claims Filed and
Allowed-Comparison by States-A
Statement From Gen Black.
[wash. Coz. s.. Loui, Repuhlic. l

wash. Cor. st. Louis Republicl
Not long ago at a republican meeting
held in Franklin county, Missouri, the
charge was made by one OF the speakers,
and printed in the Globe Democrat the
next day, that the pension office, for po-
htical purposes, was allowing more claims
in Indiana than in any other state. The
attention OF Senator Cockrell was called
to this charge, and he made an inquiry of
Gen. Black, the commissioner OF pensions.
The latter, in reply, forwarded to Senator
Cockrell the following, which will be
found OF great interest, and which will
show that the charges against the pension
Office were groundless:
SENAToR-I hand you herewith memoran-
dun prepared by Col. Mclean, to whom | re-
ferred the subject matter of your communica-
ton, and the charge made, if charge it may be
called.
l. declare that such charge, in so far as it
intends or pretends to make a charge of unfair
discrimination, is utterly false and misleading
2. 1t Is the invariable rule under which
have practiced ever since my appearance in
TINS ONCE, that when n case is complete and
ready for admission, it shall thereupOn be adj
united. The law favors the diligent man: and
he who makes haste TO ret his case ready for
admission should not be required to wait the
slow turns of him who does not get his-case so
ready for admission. Your own experience in
the courts of Justice will at once establish in
your own mind the fairness of this rule. Cases
are perpetually disposed of without waiting
the call of the calendar during the motion
hour in courts when they are shown to be COM
plete.
do not disturb the order OF precedence by
the admission OF eases which are complete
when they are called TO my attention.
This disposition of cases is made whenever
either by application of the claimant his at
torney, or any friend, the case is shown TO be
complete upon call. The only way to prevent
this result would be by failing or neglecting to
pay any attention to congressional or other
calls, and to begin at the beginning of the
docket and run through until the end is
reached, then returning TO call them over
again, and so on, with the regularity of
circle.
Your own knowledge of the work Of the PEN
sion office will show you that this would
amount at least to very grave injustice and
hardship. 80 long rs members OF congress call
up cases and bring them to the attention OF the
commissioner or his deputies, so long such cases
as they call up which are complete, WILL from
the necessity of the situation and from justice,
be promptly admitted.
With this general rule in sight, an examina-
ton made OF the memorandum furnished me by
Col. Mclean, herein inclosed to you, will ex-
plain the situation adverted to.
There is no law in force in this Office by
which | can discriminate against Indiana
claims. They are upon the same broad plane
with others, and if their congressman are more
assiduous in calling up cases, which they,
probably by reason OF correspondence with the
claimant, know TO be ready for adjustment
that is an advantage claimants have in their
representation, and the discrepancy complained
of is due TO no other cause.
The only remedy for such condition of
affairs is the passage of a law or the adoption
of a regulation which will prevent an answer
TO be made TO a congressional inquiry AS TO
whether the congress of the United States will
pass such law you know. AS to whether
shall adopt such regulation know. | can
not adopt such a regulation. Very respectfully
and truly yours, JOHN c. BLACK.
Original claims filled: