Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-01
POLITICAL PENSIONS.
General Raum Admits That He Gives
Republicans Preference
WHEN he HAS OFFICES VACANT.
Not Quite the Only Admission Made BY the
Commissioner
DURING A DAYS WORK ON THE RACK

the Commissioner for several meetings past,
namely, where Mr.. Lineaweaver, of Com
missioner Raum's confidential clerks, is,
and where he had been. The Commissioner
responded to-day that Mr.. Lineaweaver had
returned to Washington.
Mr.. Payson, General Raum's counsel,
said it had been by his advice the Commits
sioner had declined to disclose Mr.. Linea-
weaver's movements, as publicity might de-
feat the purpose of the trip, which was per-
feetly justifable, and also had no connec-
tion with the investigation so far as it had
gone. The matter was passed over for the
time.
The Commissioner admitted that an exam
iner named Sprosser was brought to w. sh-
| ington to observe the movements of a man
named Fleming who, the Commissioner
thought, was engaged in intrigue against
him. Witness regarded it as proper to en-
ploy Sprosser in this work, and have the
Government pay his expenses. The Com
missioner denied having given directions to
| examiners not to press testimony too close.
Mr. Enloe asked if man in ex-Represen-
tive Cannon's district, in Illinois, had not
| been dismissed because of the character of
| testimony he brought in.
AClerk Politically DisagreeabIe.
Commissioner Raum replied that it was
| believed that the man had been Influenced
bv political motives in conducting the case.
Mr.. Cannon also had said he was politically
| tiisagreeable.
The inquiry soon took decidedly politi-
cal cast when Mr.. Enloe asked if the bureau
was not used for political purposes The
Commissioner replied that he never wrote
letter to medical board or to examiners
requesting the performance of any politi
cal act.
Mr.. Enloe-If you found examiners were
using their places to aid the Democratic
party, what would you do?
Mr. Raum decidedly y)-Call them in.
The Commissioner added: "When came
to make reduction in examiners, I gave
preference to Republicans, because this is a
Republican administration. When 1 have
discretion to exercise in the appointment
and assignment Of men, prefer men Of my
party. I am not using the Office as maj
chine to do any political act. You Ito
Enloe) are here because you are a Demo-
crat. am in my position because I am a
Republican.
Mr.. Enloe-In the administration of the
pension laws you think it perfectly proper?
Republicans Given the Preference
MI. Raum-No, sir; I have always made
it an absolutely infe1ible rule that politics
shall never enter into the administration of
the law. Democrats have as good chance
as Republicans in administration of the law,
but when it comes to assigning men to duty
in the field I make it point to know their
politics. Take Medical Boards-you can't
find good doctor who has not political
opinions, and 1 give Republicans prefer
ence.
To Mr.. Enloe he denied that more ap-
ir,1 I'm icfr iofa
Just before elections than at other times.
Mr. Enloe-Don't you grant more PEN
sions in districts where votes are most
needed than IN districts where there is not
so much need?
Mr. Raum-I don't.
Mr. Enloe-Don't your Office adjudicate
claims more rapidly in close Congressional
districts than where there is decided ma
jority one way OF the other?
MI. Raum-It does not. Now, it just
happened for number of years that in the
State of Indiana more pensions were al
lowed than in any other State.
Mr.. Enloe-Did it 'Just happen" or was
it not design?
How Some Things just Happen.
Mr.. Raum-You must ask General Black.
don't think it was design. I think it just
happened. I know General Black was very
much exercised over it, and made close
and searching investigation as to how
it occurred. Illinois and Ohio
each had probably $4,000 more
soldiers than Indiana, and yet got
fewer pensions per week. 1 accounted for
it by the fact that Indiana was close State,
and everyone there is blowing" and "strik.
ing" for the old soldiers. 1t is a fact that
since the meeting of this Congress, members
of Congress from Indiana have sent in
Il, Is f1r CD nf,rfa
the Senators and members of illinois, You
must ask them-all but two are Democrats
whether it is politics. The Office has no
control over that. If knew anyone in the
office undertook to discriminate between
the soldiers in one district and those in
another 1 would instantly take steps to have
him dismissed.
Mr. EnIoe wanted to know how it was in
States where there was no doubt about the
Democratic maj jority it was so exceedingly
difficult to get even call answered, to say
nothing of getting case adjudicated.
Too Many Calls to Have Answered.
The Commissioners response was that in |
the present state of business it was exceed |
ingly difficult to get any calls answered be-
cause of the great number made They had |
averaged about thousand day this Con- |
gress. 1t took about three days a week to |
answer them, and the effect of making it a |
practice to reply to each was to stimulate |
the Congressional calls for statutes until |
they had run up to 1000 day. 1t was so
before last election. Not more than 25 per
cent of the calls could be answered without
stopping the business of deciding claims,
and so he had directed work to proceed on
applications. Had he not stopped the prac-
tice he would probably have ISSUED $4,000
less pension certificates than he did last
year.
Mr.. Enloe asked if the real reason for the
Commissioners action in turning So, 900, 900
over to the Treasury last summer was not be-
cause the Treasury had been reduced to
financial straits.
Mr. Raum said that he had had the bal
ances in pension agencies reported by wire
at the close of the fiscal year, and as he
could not use them on the next fiscal year,
he had called on the Secretary of the
Treasury and informed him he could trans
fer S., 900. 900 to him by wire. The Secre-
tary had said he would be glad if it were
done, and the Commissioner gave the neces-
sary direction.