The National tribune., 1891-08-20
POLICY OF THE PENSION BUREAU.

IoLlSA OF THE TENSION BJIkAI.
COmrade J. d. Cochrane, 18th Ky, Lincoln,
Neb, sends us an alleged interview with
Gen. Raum, which has been going the
rounds, and writes:
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Your attention IS
called 10 The Enclosed Plan Of Gen. Raum" You
have Ia your columns. in hundreds Of instances,
declared that there is 40 Partially shown ia the
Pension Department.; that there is absolute justice
being done in regard 10 every claimant taking his
regular turn Ia he adjustment OF claims.
But here is one Of the statements ina which you
have been educating ms old veterans, in regard TO
the workings OF this Bureau, proven false, If this
clipping is correct.
Thousands Of old veterans who served three aud
four years, who are just ready 10 step into their
graves, who have been getting mere pittance IN
view Of their diseased condition, who have had
their increase claims pending for years, must, ac
Cordng 10 ihis stand aside and wait until the cases
referred 10 hcren-a majority Of which are 30 days
and six months men receive their pension.
Then when these are disposed Of can get rid Of
Dot 81 those clerks" etc, aud the claims Of the
oid veterans will be attended TO-
Now. ia the name OF justice to the most deserving
class, those who enlisted ia early 81 and served
for years, and have claims pending for increase.
we say let them have their equal chance with the
man who went 10 the war for big bounty. thou
sands Of whom never saw the front, aud many Of
whom never left their native State.
This Is the class Of men, the soldiers OF 'Gl, who
should come first, il any; and they have not been
slow in selecting TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE one
Of their chooe Of papers, and will expect that old
standby TO speak out in defense Of its old teach
ing: " No pariihlty in the Pension Bureau"
We do not know how accurate the inter
view is, for there are so many things attrib-
uted TO the Pension Bureau and its Commits
sioner which have no basis of truth that we
accept every statement with caution. But
we DO know that it has been the constantly
expressed intention Of everyone having
voice in the management OF the Pension
Bureau,-the President, Secretary Noble,
Assistant Secretary Bussey, and Commits
sioner Baum,-while neglecting 80 class
Of claims, 10 put forth unusual efforts TO
clear the docket OF the great accumulation Of
old cases. This is something which all COM
rades will approve. One of the greatest
scandals of the previous Administration of
the Bureau has been the length Of time il
tool, to get a claim through. 1t took on an
average longer than il did 10 put down the
rebellion, for the average was over five years.
The report Of the Commissioner two years
ago showed that Of the $500 cases which
had been allowed that year, $4,000, OF more
than one-half had been pending from five
TO - years! ii has been felt by the present
Administration that this condition Of things
must be reformed. The men represented
by these old claims have had 10 wait entirely
too long already. Decency, mercy, justice,
good faith and proper administration de-
mand that they shall be required to wait no
longer. The result was seen in the report
Of the Commissioner of Pensions for 1890,
which stated that Of the total amount Of
S10G 1913 s9O19 discussed for pensions, $780,
as Sails, or nearly one-third, went for
arrears in the first payments to those whose
claims had long been pending. II will at
once be seen that it is not only just and
right to settle with all speed these long
waiting claims, but that it is good policy in
other respects; for the moment they are
cleared from the docket, one-third Of the
entire pension expenditues-whch now 90
for these arream-will be available FOR other
pension purposes In other words with
these old cases out OF the way, there can be
an immense addition 10 the pension.roll, in
the shape Of increases and other pensions,
without increasing the total disbursements.
This we believe 10 be the correct policy,
from whatever point Of view it is regarded