The daily critic., 1890-07-03
ANOTHER SCANDAL.
PENSION CLERKS in AFRAID ON THE
PUBLIC CRIB.
The new Law which Permits Thom
TO Get Their claims in Ahead
Of Deservine Persons.

OF DescrvtnG PERSONA
Uaslfrofoa coyfevoHdeuee Neye Ioyt Tribune.
The clerical force Of the United States
Bureau Of Pensions appears to be
scdulously engaged in preparing for
their unsuspecting Commissioner, as
well as for the Secretary Of the Interior,
an embarrassing official and political
scandal to which the recent "rerating"
imbroelio will be but a petty and insig.
nifeant affair It Is understood that
over hundred applications under the
act Of June 81, 1890, commonly known
as The Disability Pension Act" have
already been fled by clerks in the Pen
sion Bureau
Many Of these thoughtful but enter
prising patriots II Is true, are already
drawing comfortable salaries from the
Treasury of the United States, salaries
much larger, in fact. than they ever
earned in their lives before, or would be
able TO earn If they were relegaied to
the shades Of private life, but with an
eve single to the prompt repletlon Of
their respective wallets, they rush gal.
lantly to the
CHARGE UroN THE PUBLIC CRIB
to pick up such unconsidered trihes as
a pension Of S12 per month with an
unchastened ardor worthy of the stir.
ring days of 1861 Indeed, Il Is stated
that IN a single section of one Of the
smallest divisions in the bureau there
were over half a dozen claims filed by
clerks on Monday last, the first date
upon which such filings were made pos
sible by President Harrison's signature
of the bill.
The ordinary and unofficial mind
would naturally suppose that the civil
service employe already paid by the
Government for his daily labor as its
salaried servant, and who was neither
wounded, injured, nor disabled during
or by reason Of his military service,
could not, under any combination of
circumstances, become beneficiary
under the recent law. Unfortunately,
however, the law itself makes no ex.
ception to that large class Of persons
now employed in the public service.
II provides, under section ,:
All persons who served ninety days or
more I'm the military or naval service Of the
United States during the late war Of the re-
bellion and who have been honorably dis
charged therefrom, and who are now or
who may hereafter be suffering from mem
tai or physical disability Of a permanent
character not the result Of their own vicious
habits, which incapacitates them from the
performance Of manual labor in such de-
gree as TO render them unable To earn a sup
port shall, upon making due proof of the
fact, according TO such rules and regula-
lions as the Secretary Of the Interior may
Ia. r.In 90
pensioners Of the United states, aud be en-
titled to receive q pension not exceeding
sl2 per month, and not less than 50 per
month proportioned 10 the degree Of ina
bility 10 earn a support; aud such pensions
shall commence from the date OF the iillug
Of the application On the Pension Office,
after the passage OF this act, upon proof
That the disability then existed, and SHALL
continue during The existence Of The
same.
Under the official "rues aud rcgula.
tions, published on Friday last, more
over, The "noble army OF martyrs"
under consideration found a further in
ceniiye TO rapid and concerted action,
as said rules-properly designed for the
benefit Of the pensionable classes who
are affected by the law all over the
countTy--gave them In a nutshell not
toward the newly discovered treasure
island" but showed them that, by the
use OF "due diligence" they could
GET THEIR CLAIMS IN AHEAD
Of their less.favoTed competitors at a
distance, for said rules and regulations
contain the following;
All pensions under this act VIII commence
from the date Of filing the application (exe-
euted after the passage Of the actl In the
Pension Bureau.
No application or declaration will be
good II executed before June ~, 1880 date
of the act), OF II not in the form substan-
TALLY prescribed by the Secretary. Dis
charge certificates need not be hled until
called for.
The soldier is entitled to any rate from
80 10 Sl2, according 70 inability to earn a
support.
A pensioner under existing laws may ap-
ply under this one, or a pensiOner under
this one may apply under other laws, but
can draw only one pension az the same
This law requires, IN a soldiers case, Cll
an honorable discharge, CD that be served
al least ninety days, 81 permanent physi-
cal or mental inability 10 earn a support.
but not due 10 vicious habits. IL need not
have originated In the seTYice.l
Among those who have rushed for
ward 10 stake out their claims In the
new Eldorado Is one well known pen
sion clerk who not only draws a fat
salary already, but boasts of being worth
over 500 600, and some short time ago
bespoke the sympathies Of his fellow
clerks upon the ground that he had
made some 5000 within a few hours
in a real estate speculation.
The spectacle, held up before the
country, Of these greedy claimants
rushing forward with itching palms
outstTeiched
FOR NATIONAL AIMS.
While tley elbow from The pathway the
lame, The halt and the blind-thOse
very persons, In fact, whose cases they
are paid and employed 10 adjudicate-
is By no means an edifying one and
must necessarily give Iise % consider
/ able scandal The famous COngres-
/ si0ual salary grab Of 1874, and the
/ excitement which IL caused, driving its
/ beHehCiaIies 10 return the money in
/ frantic haste, and the more recent fer
/ meul stirred up By the bare accuse
/ lion that trusted Government agents
I in lie settlement Of the Oklahoma lands
/ So far forgot their bOunden duty 10 the
settlers they we're sent 10 aid and coun.
SCI as 70 chatter f0r choice entries and
/ corner lots themselves, are cases il
/ point which show the uneuing drift Of
/ public sentiment iu similar official De
| Telicti0ns. Many old soldiers nov
/ serving in Congress, as well as certain
wise and patriotic Government officials
| are. IN view Of these occurrences Sc
H0usly considering the proprieiy OF
/ having Ie-CuaCted The ola repealed las
L Il. IL II. IL. I-.u.l.-. ~ L-.u.rn nm