Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-06
RAUM CRITICIZED.
Secretary Noble Takes Him to Task About
the Manner in Which he Conducts Ger
tain Departments of His Bureau.

tain Depsrtments of His Bureau.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 5.-Secre-
tary Noble to-day sent the following let
ter 10 Commissioner Raum, in which he
criticizes the action Of the latter In CIV
ing precedence TO pensions called for by
members Of Congress.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
"WAsHINGroN, ID. c., March >, 1892. J
"COrnnlissioner Of Pensions:
"SIR:-Reierring to your letter OF the
first inst, acknowledging department
letter OF the twenty-fifth ultimo, calling
attention to the fact that complaints
were coming in OF partiality In the ex-
animation and final disposition OF claims,
you say, In drawing cases from the
files for examination in each class OF
cases, the rule is TO draw those which
have been completed. The rule, how
ever, is constantly broken into through
the courtesy which is extended by the
Office to members OF Congress who call
for the status OF cases, and this has be-
come a matter OF such serious concern
as to require an immediate remedy.
"From December, 1891, TO the 25th
inst, inclusive, 20, ISL calls have been
made by members OF Congress
for the status OF pension
claims. These calls for the
status Of cases by Congressman were
made without reference to the time OF
fling OF claims, and it frequently hap
pens that claims recently filed are called
up upon Congressional slips, taken
from the files and placed upon the Ex-
aminers' desk, where they are found TO
be complete, and are immedi-
ately allowed. thus giving them
precedence over claims filed at an
earlier date, which have not been al
lowed in their order. have made a
careful examination into this subject
and find that claims under the act OF
June 81, 1890, filed as late as October 10,
1891, have been called up in this man
ner. and having been found complete,
have been allowed, which obviously
works great injustice TO claimants
whose APPLICATIONS were filed at an earlier
date and whose claims are now COM
plete and ready TO be allowed when
taken up in their turn
This action obviously works great
Injustice to earlier filed claims which
arc thus passed over and deferred and
was the very danger feared at the time
the completed file system was adopted
and against which my order OF the
twenty-sixth OF September 1890 was
aimed.
THE evil which you point out does
not arise from allowing examination OF
the status OF cases, but in permitting
the examiner to approve completed
cases out of their order when thus call
ed mp. You say the action Is taken to
save second handling OF papers. The
reason is utterly insufficient TO Justify
the wrong done the claimant who Is be-
ing relegated to the rear by this process
and | can but feel that the evil has been
allowed without justification.
"The information as TO the state OF the
case can be given by such force as can
reasonably be spared for the work. But
the case must, even IL completed, be re-
turned to It's former place In line OF
those in like condition.
ut is not a case OF favor TO any, brt
OF Justice to all, and OF obedience to
plain order made and known TO have
been made against just such action. l
am gratified at the favorable statement
of the business OF your bureau, and
hope you may find that the enforce
ment OF this direction will add to the
efficiency and the justice OF It's admin
istration.
Every respectfully,
JoHy w. NOBLE, Sec'y.