Nevada County picayune., 1891-09-03
REVISING THE PENSION LIST

The sentiment is growing rapidly among self-respecting and patriotic members of the Grand Army of the Republic that it is high tune to re- wise pensions, and they begin to see if the system is not reformed it's abuses may create prejudice against it which will result in serious injury to deserving soldiers. Among those who have given public express ion to their views is Maior-G General $. w. Crawford, who, being a crippled veteran. speaks with author ity. He says in letter to the Phil adelphia Times:
 ''In to-day's Sunday Times there is an editorial of the greatest impor- tance, headed "A New Gail for He roism, and it's subject is the ncccs- 1 sity for a review and reform of the present pension system, It is a clcverly written article and in every way true.
 ''As my name is mentioned in it, l have only to say to you that l have long seen what is coming; have ever been earnestly against the abuse of good and just system, and am ready to do anything or take any part in arresting this wrong, and re- forming what exists. A reaction will set in that will sweep away the whole system and tramp it out as the English did the mutiny and the cattle plague. Indicate what ought to be done, and 1 am ready"
 Ma ajor-G General Slocum, General Martin T. McMahon, and others, take substantially the same position. The veterans in Washington have organized society for the purpose of correcting abuses of the pension laws, and claim that third of those now drawing pensions are not en- titled to them, that another third do not need them, and that the remain ing third do not receive pensions as large as those to which they are en- titled-in other words, that the real. ly mertorious are suffering because of the immense demands made by those who have no valid or meritori- ous claim, such as men who saw no real service, short-termed men who did no fighting, men who were dis honorably discharged, men who hold high -salaried positions in the ma tional or State employment, and others.
 Under the operation of existing laws and fresh legislation which will be added to them, the pension roll, which now amounts to S125 ,000, ,000, will be increased greatly within short time. It will not he long, in- deed, before it may reach the im- mense expenditure of S200, ,000, ,000, unless the brakes are put on and some means are found to purge the lists of those who are not rightfully entitled to pensions. It is now good time to begin the work of cor recting abuses. The charge cannot be made that the country is ungrate- tul to to those who defended it. A Government which is paying nearly as much to support disbanded army twenty-seven years after the war as two of the most powerful ma. tions of Europe eXpend upon their standing armies cannot be accused of i forgetfulness of the claims of eX- Union soldiers. Nor can such charge be made if the pension lists are revised and the expenditures are lessened. Under such a process no veteran deserving q pension will be touched. The names to be erased will be those of men who are not en- titled to pensions and who have got their names on the lists either through the prussure of claim agents or by false surgeons certificates. - | Chicago Tribune.