St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-18
THRIFTY PEOPLE THERE

There is no occasion for surprise that
the efforts of committees in this con-
gress have produced trifing results in
their investigations Of the head of the
pension bureau. They were inspired
by the spirit Miss WILLARD expressed
i'll reference to the Chicago banker who
did crooked work and wrecked the
finances of the confidIng. She would
not have his name aSpersed, because he
was pillar in the sanctuary. Commits
sioner RAUM has stood by everything
that had the party label on, and if he
has organized family thrift he has the
highest authority for the belief that the
man who does not provide for his own
household is worse than an iniidel. The
coming congress, however, will be of
different texture, and not only the
mead OF the bureau will come under
searching review, but bacilli hunt
will extend through the entire pension
system. Others may be allowed to look
inQuiringlY in that direction when the
New York Tribune, with its editor,
high functionary under this administra-
ton, is able to discern the popular feel
ing ''Ihat the pension system has be-
come a machine for plunderIng the
country" 1t does not attempt to abate
this impression, but with view to
determine how far it has rightful basis
would have thorough sitting to see
how much cheat there is with the wheat.
ItSuspects the lists are swollen "by
collision, by fraud, by neglect, or by
cunning and dishonesty;H but as loop
hole for RAUM and his ilk, the Tribune
intimates that 1.-The best officials could
not always detect the fraud. The COM
mittee probably found that it was a
mere coincidence that RAUM had his
paper Endorsed for S12,500 by LEMON,
the millionaire claim agent, after his
cases had been ordered on the special
list for rapid results. Other queer CO.
medicines might be found. The COM
missioner has one son as assistant in
the pension office, and another who
operates claim agency in Washington
and adyertises special facilities for the
,acceleration and allowance OF claims.
IIhis is matter of special interest to
applicants, as there are a half-million
applications on file and the office
''makes haste slowly" One case is men
toned of lady in Brooklyn who had
her application papers made out by a
friend and filed in complete shape with
out feeling an agent. for whom there
should be no need. She was soon mott
fed by the claim agent son of the
commissioner that his firm could
expedite her claim. 1t was a
coincidence that he learned of tho claim
being on the lists not supposed to be ac-
cessibe to agents. The RAUM tribe is
not apparently losing opportunities for
promoting thrift. This administration
has been singularly unhappy in its Sc
lection to manipulate the pension
bureau. A dubious atmosphere has hung
about them. There can hardly be too
radical an investigation. The financial
stream passing that outlet has swelled
in half-decade or so from about $26, :
100000 to more than S126, 900, and it
is believed that in two years it Will
reach Sl60,000,0O0. 1t may be that
''apOthecary's scales" are inadequate to
the proper demands Of that department,
but it is best to note whether any va
riety of weighing utensils is in use,