Omaha daily bee., 1892-03-04
CONTINUING THE INQUIRY
Progress Of the Pension Bureau Investiga-
tion-Bussey on the Stand.
ANTl-sILvER DEMOCRATS ASK FOR AID
They Seek 1t In the Ranks of the Republican
Party-New Postal Law Proposed
News and Gossip from
Washington.

WASHINGTON, ID. O., March 3.-Asslstant
Secretary Bussey OF the Interior department,
to whom the supervision OF matters relating
to the pension office are referred, testified to-
day before the special pension investigating
committee of the house. Bussey said that
Secretary Noble told him he thought the
good of the Office demanded Special Examiner
Taylor's resignation. The secretary told
witness he thought Taylor had been furnish
ing matter TO the newspapers. Bussey said
he thought that ono or two other persons
were dismissed from the pension Office on the
ground that they had been furnishing
matter to the newspapers. Wit
ness told Enloe that he pever
before today heard that young Raum, wner
appointed clerk, collected notary fee of 25
cents from each person appointed and pro-
noted in the pension Office aud did not know
that 1t was q fact. -F
Rcrating Pensions. r...',~
The subject Of rerating pensions and max
ing their rerating claims date back TO the
time of original disability and then taken
up, Bussey said, was discovered IN the pen
sions Of number of the employees of the pen
sion Office being rerated. Bussey said that
the practice was in violation OF de.
partmental decisions and violation of
the law. The practice had been stopped. and
he defied any man to show a case rerated in
violation of the law under Commissioner
Raum's administration. Under General
Black 1700 rerated cases were found and
under Tanner 1900 cases. Witness had esti.
mated that If the reratings were generally
followed they would cost $500, 600, 900. Not
all of the pensioners rerated had been re-
moved, but only men responsible for the
practice. None Of the money received IL
legally had been recovered. 1t was found
that the pension money could not be recov-
cred, nor could salary be attached, SO all
that had been done was a Recommendation
for congress to enact law covering the case
General Powelrs Pension.
Mr.. Payson asked about the reports in cir
with the re rating of Powell, au Illinois pol :
itican, by Commissioner Black.
Representative DUNCAN of Ohlo--Was that
| General Powell, Secretary Mobiles candidate
| for commissioner of pensionss
Mr.. Payson-And this very thing, when
| attention was called to it, was what knocked
| him out.
Mr. DUNCAN asked il Secretary Noble had
| by letter requested Commissioner Black to
| favorably consider Powells case.
Mr. Bussey could not state.
MIR. Enloe asked how it was that General
| w. w. Dudley had been rerated without the
| facts appearing ON the record.
| Mr. Bussey said that General Dudley was
| legally rerated under an act increasing the
| pension for loss Of leg at the knee joint.
| The rerating did not 20 back to the date of
disability. but to 1856, the date of the act in
creaslng the pension. Why the record did
not show this rerating he did not know,
unless it was because the claim was for a
| specific disability. .. .--.
| One of the Greatest Abuses.
To Mr. Enloe Mr.. Bussey said the greatest
| abuse the pension office had to contend with
was the practice of congressman in pushing
| pension claims. He did not see how the
| practice could be stopped except by law. 1t
| greatly increased the work Of congressman
| and also Of the pension office.
Mr.. Enloe asked if 1t were not possible tc
use the pension office as political machine,
and if it would not be better to take 1t out Of
politics.
Mr.. Bussey said he had never used the
Office for political purposes and did not see
| how it could be readily converted into q
| political machine. His orders were that all
pensions should be rated ALIKE He believed
Commissioner Raum had managed the Office
with efficiency and integrity, and If an in
vestigation should demonstrate anything to
the contrary, he should be glad Of an oppor
| tunity to remedy matters. .-,o-