The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-12-29
SOLDIERS kND PENSIONS.
How 30 Much Pension Money Has Been
Wasted On Ninety Days Men,

Wasted On Ninety Days Men,
Among the numerous and interesting
press comments upon the frauds in the
pension Office, L notice that no one has
hit the nail on tho head In stating where
the crime ia reference to the act of June
81, 1890, or the Dependent Pension bill,
is perpetrated by Green B. Raum. The
act of June 81, 1890, says:
"That all persons who served ninety
days or more in the military or naval
service OF the United States during the
the late war of the rebellion, and who
have been honorably discharged there
from, and who are now or who may
hereafter be suffering from a mental or
physical disability of permanent char
acter, not the result of their own vicious
habits, which incapacitates them for
the performance OF manual labor in
such degree as to render them unable
to earn support, shall, upon making
due proof OF the fact be
placed upon the list of invalid pension
ers OF the United States" &c.
Now, under al the original acts for
pensions it is provided that II q soldier
is wholly disabled for manual labor he
receives $30pe month, provided he was
wounded or disabled in service in line
of duty. When the Dependent bill was
passed, onthe act OF June 27, 1890, our
legislators meant to say that any one
VINO served ninety days In the war, but
who subsequently became disabled SO
as to be incspacitated for any manual
labor, should have SIP a month, to cor
respond with the $50 in the original act,
for those wholly disabled by reason OF
wounds or disease contracted III the
army during the rebellion.
Now see how Green B. Raum has
acted upon this wise provision of the
act of June 27, 1890. In the tirst place
he increased the number of medical
boards throughout the United States
from 400 to l,200, in every case u pattl-
san board. these rated nearly every
man under the Dependent act at Sl2,
and he had his willing tools here in
Washington to confirm this rating.
This shows where the money has
goLe, not to the real soldiers who were
wounded and disabled in the field dur
ing the war, but to men who never saw
| q skirmish or battle.
Raum's theory was that these ninety
day men had SONS, all of whom and the
| old man would vote for the g. o. p. If
| the old man got a pension of Sl2 o
month for services he bad never rem
deIed.
There are 500 in this city who are
now on the rolls at $l2 a month who
| never crossed the Potomac during the
war, put served as guards To the public
buildings for three months in 1861 and
1862. They are table, bodied men, and
under the law of June q, 1890, they are
not entitled to pension, but Raums
construction of the lava perversion
| of the Intention of COngress-has plac-
ed their names on the rolls and some
agent or favorite got q SSi0 fee for every
case allowed. Congress should take
| action to enforce the law as IL passed
! Very few are entitled to SIP under
that act. or the 500 in the District OF
Columbia receiving it, it is safe to say
that 4T5 of them do daily labor, or, be-
ing able. bodied, ARE too lazy to work. 1t
Is the same in every Northern state
where men were enlisted for the
emergency when Lee invaded Pennsyl.
vania and John Morgan Ohio and In
| diana. Ii Raum's construction of this
law Is continued, in short time oul
yearly annual pension payments viii
reach $3O0,000,000 The law properly
construed is not at fault, but the mis-
creant is Green b. Raum;
EX SOLDIER.
Washington, ID. G., Dec. 10.