Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-01
STILL RIPPING RAUN.
The Commissioner Now Resorts to a
General Denial.
REPUBLICANS WERE PREFERRED
Wherever There Were Appointments b be .ads
Indiana, Very Close Staie, Gets More Than
Her Share Ram Di~lains any Political
Fayorihsm in Granting Pensions

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 3i.-At
the beginning OF the Pension Office In
vestigation to-day Mr.. Euloe asked OF
Commissioner Raum question he has
been putting To the Commissioner for
several meetings past, namely, where
Mr.. Lineaweaver, one OF the Commls-
sioner's confidential clerks is, and
where he had been. The Commissioner
responded to-day that Mr.. Lineaweaver
had returned 10 Washington.
Mr.. Payson. General Raum's counsel,
said IL had been by his advice the Com
missioner had declined TO disclose Mr..
Lineaweaver's movements, as publicity
might defeat the purpose OF the trip,
which was perfectly Justltiable, and
also had no connection with the inves,I-
cation so far as IL had gone. The mat
ter was passed over for the time.
The inquiry soon took decidedly
political cast when Mr.. Enloe asked u
the bureau was not used for political
purposes. The commissioner replied
that he never wrote letter TO medl
cal board or TO examiners requesting
the performance OF any political act.
Mr. Enloe-If you found examiners were
using their places to aid the Democratic
party what would you dot
Mr. Raum, decidedly-Call them In. The
| Commissioner added When came 10 make
a reduction In examiners gave preference
10 Republicans. because this Is a Repubh-
can administration. When / have n dis
erection 10 exercise In the appointment aud
assignment OF men, | prefer men OF my
party. / am not using the offico as n ma
! chine 10 do any political act
Mr. Euloe-In the administration OF the
| pension laws. you think II perfectly properi
Mr.. Raum--No, sir: ] have always made
il an absolutely lnfiexible rule that politics
shall never enter into the administration OF
! the law Democrats have as good chance
as Republicans in the administration OF the
law. but when II comes 20 assigning men
20 duty in the field, make IL point 10
/ know their politics. Take medical boards;
| you can't find a good doctor who has no
political opinions. and | give Republicans
the preference. To MIR. Enloe he denied
that more appointments were made In
doubtful districts just before elections than
at other times.
Mr.. Enloe-Dont you grant more pom
sions In districts where votes are most
! needed than in districts where there Is not
so much needi
Mir. Raum-I don't.
Mr.. Enloe-Don't your office adjudicate
claims more rapidly In close Congressional
| districts than where there Is n decided ma
| jority one way or the otheri
Mr.. Raum--It does not. Now II Just hap
pened for "A number OF years that In the
State OF Indiana more pensions were al
lowed than in any other State.
Mr.. Enloe-Did IL 'just happen" or was
] il not desgni
MIR. Raum You may ask General Black.
don't think IL was design. think IL just
happened | know General Black was
very much exercised over IL aud made
close and searching investigation a. TO bow
10 occurred. ! accounted for Il by the fact
that Inclana was close State. and every
one there Is "blowing" and striking for
the old soldiers.
Mr.. Enloe wanted 10 know how II was
that In States where there was no doubt
about the Democratic majority II was so
exceedingly difficult To- get even a call
answered, 10 say nothing OF getting case
adjudicated.
! The commissioners response was that
| in the present state OF business II was ex-
ceedngly difficult 10 get any calls answered
because OF the great number made. They
had averaged about a thousand day this
Congress.