St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-09-26
THE Grand ARMY AND PENSIONS.

Editor of Caledonian Seeing in
your paper lately large amount OF
space devoted to the Grand Army
in Politics, Pensions" etc, | con-
clude that it is a matter of public
interest, and this is my excuse for
troubling you with this communica-
ton.
Sept. 3 you say that the public
debt is increasing (although that is
now denied by Secretary Window
and NEARLY $1O,OOO,OOO more is ac-
counted for by Corporal Tanners
inroads on the surplus. That is $25,-
100000 were paid for pensions in
July and August 1888, while $35,-
100000 have been paid in the same
months this year. While the Cor
poral is responsible for this large
expenditure, etc, etc.
The above statement was a sur
prise to me, so | wrote to a friend in
the pension office, asking if it was
true and received the inclosed which
| believe to be correct statement of
the matter.
The following statement bearing
upon disbursements by the pension
office during July and August for the
past two years was given out at the
pension office yesterday:
The amount advanced to pension
agents during July and August, 1888,
was $24, 100000, and the amount
disbursed by agents during those
months, 81, S4O,577 The amount
advanced during July and August,
1889, was $34,7OO,OOO, and the
amount disbursed during July and
August last, was 81, 4S6, POS.
"More than half of the disburse-
ments during July and August, 1889,
were in payment of cases allowed
during the past fiscal year, ending
June 80, 1889, and were not paid on
account of a deficiency in the appro-
priation for that year, making it
therefore necessary to pay these
claims out of the amount appropri-
ated for the current fiscal year. This
accounts in every particular for the
apparent increase in the payment of
pensions during July and August,
1889"
In the last campaign, POSSIBLY in
previous ones) it was the object of
the party then in power to make the
expenses appear as small as possible
and the ''surplus," so-called, as large
as possible. AS future expenses are
measured by the appropriation for
them, they appropriated" a much
less sum for pensions than the COM
missioner estimated would be neces-
sary for the purpose, leaving the bal
lance to be made up out of next
years allowance, after the election
was over.
The Grand Army is forbidden by
its Ritual to interfere in politics. No
nomination for office can be made
and no political question can be dis
cussed in its meetings. | know that
the rule is enforced in Vermont, and
believe it is in the whole Union. 1t
is true that Gen. Alger was a presi-
Dental candidate last year, and it is
true that he was the first choice" of
two of the Vermont delegation to
Chicago in June 1888, neither of
whom was a member of the @. A. r.
History shows that the position of
ommander-in-chief, has not been a
stepping stone to future political
preferment If Mrs Gen Logan de-
sires TO help her friend, Gen. Alger,
and uses her influence to promote his
election, it is something we cannot
help, and are not responsible for.
She does not belong to the G. A. r.
think Col. Veazey is better off to-
day in his position of railroad COM
missioner than he would have been
L 4 Z L
G. A. r.
There are no doubt, more than
three times as many republicans as
democrats in the G. A R., and the
reason is plain More republicans
than democrats enlisted into the
army, and most of those who enlist
ed as democrats came home republic
cans. There were several democrats
in my company, but at the election
for President in 1864, every vote in
the company was cast for Lincoln
In every society and every form of
civil life the active, energetic, work
ing men come to the front and are
elected to the leadership The same
qualities of activity, push. persist
ency, etc. which made a person a
valuable soldier, and brought promo
ton, now operate in a large degree
to make him prominent in G. A R.
Posts, and in civil life.
In your issue of Sept. -, you copy
an article from the congregational
lst, because, | suppose, you approve
of it. The substance of it seems to
be in this sentence: What we object
to is the squandering of the money
raised from taxes which are largely
paid by men who suffered heavily in
the war, and who receive no pen
sions, upon fraudulent and unworthy
claims" l suppose there is no one
who wants fraudulent and unworthy
claims" paid and l claim that the
percentage of pension claims which
are fraudulent and unworthy" is no
larger than in other kinds of business,
and not one fourth as large as was
paid during the war to contractors
etc.
Each claim has to be proved accor-
ding to rules laid down by Congress
and the commissioner of pensions,
and it takes on an average about
four years to get one through. All
aff1davitS have to be sworn to, and if
false the signers can be prosecuted
for perjury. In every community the
fact that person is applying for
pension is known, and any person,
his enemy or otherwise, who thinks
the government is being imposed up
on, can so inform the department
and not be known in the matter. In
fact, | know of no other business in
which this assassination can be so
easily done, and with so little danger
of exposure A large corps of special
agents at great expense are kept
travelling about the country, seeing
the claimants in person. interviewing