St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-05
Mobiles Active Assistant Is
Not Making a Brilliant
Record.
The Investigating Committee
Searching for Facts in
Dead Earnest.
Attorney Lemon and Raum's
Bureau Worked Smoothly
Together.
House Committees Cut Down
Army and Navy Appro-
priations.

inatiOn of Assistant Secretary BuSSey
of the interior department was con-
tinued today by the special pension
Office investigation committee. Mr.. En-
loe, after eliciting the information that
there were number of complaints from
pensioners of delay in DISQUALIFICATION of
their claims. asked if an order had been
issued practically taking the office force
from work under the old laws and
putting it to work on the adjudication
of cases under the dependent and dis
ability act of 1890.
Mr.. Bussey denied that the whole
force was so employed, but added that
a large number of claims arising under
the old law. in which the evidence was
insufficient to meet its requirements,
had been adjudicated under the new law
through an order issued by himself to
the commissioner. He may have stated
yesterday that no such order had been
issued because he did not then recall
the order.
Mr.. Enl0e then examined Mr.. Bu5Sey
with reference to the completed files"
order, which, it was charged, had been
issued at the request of Pension Attor-
ney Lemon. and gave Mr.. Lemon con-
siderable advantage in prosecuting
claims. Mr.. BusSey said he believed
the order facilitated the adjudication
Of claims. 1t was true many claims
were found by the board of review to
be incomplete, but were put on the com
peted files; but no cases
Known in Advance
to be incomplete were put there. Wit
ness did not know from whom the order
originated. He had heard that before
it was issued an experiment had been
made on some of Mr.. Lemons cases.
Practical experience, Mr. Bussey de-
clared, had demonstrated that, under
the completed files order, greater eff
cheney was obtained than under the for
mer method.
Mr.. EnIoe asked what effect the or
der had upon claimants who mad no at
torneys. Mr.. Bussey replied that the
secretary had issued an order directing
that in all cases where claimants had
no attorneys they be notified of the evil
dence necessary to have their claims
put on the completed files.
Mr.. Enloe-Then the pension offic
acts as an attorney for claimants
who have no attorney? Mr. BuSsey re-
piled in the negative, and said that no
preference was given to either class.
Mr.. Bussey did not believe the order
gave Washington attorneys an advan-
tage over country attorneys. He
had heard charges that Mr.. Lemon
received all advantage from the order,
but did not believe them. Mr.. Lemon.
from his experience, made a practical
I.c.
influence in securing its adoption.
Chairman Wheeler asked if that order
did not go into effect Immediately, and
if Ill that way an advantage was not
given to local attorneys who knew of it
in advance of other persons. MIR.
BuSSey said he believed that the order
was telegraphed all over the country
the day it was issued, but Mr.. Wheeler
called attention to the fact that Commits
sioner Raum had testified that it was
five weeks before it became generally
known. Mr.. Bussey SAID there was
No ssSnap Judgnento
aoout the order, and that he had it un
der consideration a month before is
sued. Chairman Wheeler asked if the
witness had heard OF a business trans
action (the indorsing of a note1, be-
tween Commissioner Ranm and Mr..
Lemon the day after the order was is
sued. MIR. Bussey SAID he had no
personal knowledge of 1T. MIR.
Lemon had given the Office less
trouble than any other attorney.
Mr.. Little suggested that perhaps the
pension Office had given Mr.. Lemon less
trouble than other attorneys. Witness
Informed Mr.. Enloe THAI he did not
know whether or not Mr.. Lemon put
in 1000 claims at once af ter the order
was issued, involving fees OF 100000.
Referring to the board of pension APP
peals, which passed Judgment finally on
complicated or troublesome cases. Mr..
EnlOe asked if any persons practicing
before that board were sons or relatives
of the members. Mr.. Bussey said he
did not know, and with some heat pro-
tested against promptingS from imam
of that character" pointing to man
behind Mr.. Enloe. Mr.. Enloe retorted
that he did not know that that was Mr..
Bussey'S business. ana the chairman
said that the committee would get in
formation from any source that was re-
liable. Mr.. Bussey said he did not ill.,
tend to reflect on any ones character,
but when his board was criticised he
wished the charges made specific and
not by inslnuatiOn.