The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-11

70 tie President;

h1Ah Inc AhOlS pAooolnS hioSVSAS SNAA@~NN
ed with your entrance into Office having now
been disposed Of, or put in fair way to be, we
respectfully beg leave to call your attention
to some which are of vital Importance to tens
of thousands Of those in whom you have
deep and abiding interest.
There is no pretense of larger understand
ing or of stronger affection in what we are
about to say We simply assume that in
the career of great and useful activity you
have led since the war, you have not had the
time oropportunity to become familiar with
certain phases of very intricate system,
about which there is more malignant and
wilIful Misrepresentation than any other
within our knowledge. We refer to the
pension system, the proper administration of
which directly affects more people than
probably any other that can come before
yOu.
That your heart is right upon this impor-
tant matter is beyond doubt. Your own dis
tinguished service in the field, your course
since the war, your public utterances, leave
no question as to this. You have given ear
nest of your right feeling on the subject by
the appointment of gallant soldier as Sec
rotary of the Interior, with another soldier
of brilliant record as Assistant Secretary,
while MANNED veteran, in fullest accord
with his comrades, has been placed at the
head of the Pension Bureau. So far, moth
ing could be better.
The proverb says that thing well begun
is half done. Would it were so in this case,
for the beginning is so good as to deserve all
praise But long experience with the Pen
sion Bureau has tendency to temper our
exultation over good beginnings. Bright
dawn and fair promise have too frequently
turned to bleak and bitter afternoon.
0ut of the abundance of experience we
want to offer the respectful caution that
more even than proper sentiments and good
appointments Of high officers are necessary
to secure that reform in the administration
of the pension system which we all desire
The Hindus have a proyerb that though
you anoint it with oil and bind it in splints
yet you cannot take the curl out of dogs
tail 1t would sometimes seem that the sci
toward obstructiveuess and technicalism
given the pension system in its earlier year;
is equally hopeless of cure. In the course
! Of years it has become so saturated with in
fuences adverse to the interests Of the sol
+ diers that nothing but the determined, per
sistent and concerted efforts Of all concerned
; in its administration yourself included
VIII avail to lift it out of its rut and give i
!. the Just scope and action which it should
d have. No one man, acting alone, can do If
no matter how important his position ma,
be- This has been repeatedly demonstrated
There has rarely been lacking, in the histor,
: Of the pension system, men who have en-
u tered upon its administration, in one hig
position or another, with determination t
reform it to what it should be, but the in
+ grained, Obstructive hostility encountere
Is has blocked their efforts, and secured the cor
= tinuance of the cruel technicalism and al
h surd circumlocution which have inficte
4 such measureless hardships upon the We
'e Grams and their dependent ones. This hi
frustrated the object and intent of the Ian
passed for the benefit of those much deser,
er ing ones.
4. In support, Mr.. President, of our assertion
a that, as a rule, the administration of IL
10 pension system has defeated the intent of Il
laws, and been pitiIessly unjust to the vete
ans, we invite your attention to the FOLLOW
y, ing facts, the truth of which can be asce
u tanned by reference to the annual reports
the Commissioner of Pensions:
Tho +ir,a raouired IN eaor-a a, !, IL