Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-02
COMMISSIONERS RAUM CENsURED.
Minority Report of the House lnvesti-
eating COMMITTEES.

The minority report of the House committee
charged with the investigation OF Pension Com
missioner Raum has been made public. though
the majority will not be ready to report before
next session. The minority report complains
Of the refusal OF the commissioner to produce
books and papers that might throw light on the
charge that refrigerator stock was sold to PEN
sion Office employees end states that, notwith-
standing the sweeping assertion OF the commits
sioner that the lists he did produce contained
the names of all the stockholders. il appeared
from Mr. Smyser's testimony that other per-
sons not named did own stock Therefore re-
greet is expressed that the commissioner felt it
necessary to withhold from the committee and
the public the best possible evidence on the
point
PASY
1t is stated further that it vas not until near
the close of the investigation that the minority
discovered that there WAS subsidiary refrig-
Grating company organized by Gen. Raum,
Bradley Tanner and other persons not named
Bradley Tanner received no pay for his services
from tho corporation, but was promoted during
the period of these services by Gen. Raum,
with an increase OF salary from 81 GOO to 81 800
without the assignment OF any new duties The
report adds:
We very much regret that Gen. Raum has
considered 1t necessary to play upon the dis
tinctlon without a difference in nome nc lature
only to withhold and conceal the real status of
his refrigerating company and the relation of
Bradley Tanner thereto. We declare for q full
investigation Of this branch of the subject and
lament the conduct of public Official who in
vokos the fine tcchnicalities of criminal law to
screen h imseh from proper inve stigation. and
to hide from pubic view the details Of u busi-
ness which Is being conducted from one OF the
government bureaus, and concerning tho
character OF which SO many and such damag-
Ing charges have been made"
TIE COMPLETED FILES ORDER.
The report recites Mt length the circum-
stances connected with the adoption of the
completed files system and the Endorsement
of Gen. Raum's notes for S12. 900 by Mr. Lemon,
the pension agent,who was seeking to have this
system adopted. Comment is made upon the
evidence that the completed files" order was
made January last. and that on the following
day Lemon became the surety of Commissioner
Raum for $4,000 and that the arrangement for
borrowing this money was made at the Pension
Office.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
In conclusion the report reads: i'Thus il
seems to US that the Commissioners of Pensions
has not properly esteemed the delicate duties
and serious responsibilities of his great office;
nor has he measured up to that high standard
OF patriotic consideration for the public Scr
vice which should prevail in this department,
adjudicating the disbursements of nearly one
third of the entire revenues OF the government.
The Pension Office il altogether too sacred "a
place for the development of the personal thrift
and enterprise manifested i'll this record. 1t
was established that the nation might properly
care for those to whom it owes q gratitude too
sacred for trifing. 1t is n monument to the
muniicence of grateful people and its hun
dreds OF employees should be ministers of
mercy. not stock gamblers. That place thus
hallowed should have been used for stock Job
bling or speculation. converted into a spawning
place for corporations and stall for barter
ing doubtful patents is reflection upon our
governments degradation of the public service
which we think cannot be too strongly con-
demned"