The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-05
ONLY A POLITICAL MACHINE.
PENSIONERS MADE a FACTOR IN THE
COMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

PENSIONERS hIdDH n FAOJOh IN THE
COMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
Cepsressmsn Cunuipes Describes the Pen
zion once Congressional Inauence No
Longer Available - The Ciaimsnts En-.
tireIy Dependent on tho Agents - Tho
Alleged AID the Real Reasons for the
Change How Close Congressional Dis
the Repubiics.s.
WASHINGTON. D. O.. June "A great temple
OF red brick. covering two squares. 1t looms
up at the north end Of q park carpeted with
grass. marked by winding paths, dotted with
benches. and shaded with foliage To tho
south is the diney old District Court House.
built In tho days OF Andrew Jackson. En-
circlinE 1t are lawyers Offices. boarding
houses, and quaint old residences. Once It
was the most fashionable quarter OF tho ma
tons capital.
The rod brick temple is three storcs high.
1t has cost the people. directly and indirectly.
almost $l.50O.000.00O. From tho exterior its
appearance is striking. but not beautiful.
girdle OF stucco between the first and second
stories encircles tho edifce In the stucco are
formed. In has relief. figures OF soldiers march,
ing to battle, with all tho pomp and circum-
stance Of war. Further along you see cavalry
and artillery on the march. Still further on
tho wounded are falling and the ground Is
covered with the slain. And then you see old
soldiers hobbling on crutchos. sick and
wounded. sad relics Of tho rnvages ofwar 1t
was for these that the tempe was built. For
them our pension laws were passed
The great red brick structure is the Pension
Office. Within are hundreds OF examiners
10 al rHo ,tako ntnl N
employees Of all kinds. This is the Mecca to-
ward which the eyes Of 100000 applicants
are turned. This is the place to which hun
drcds OF thousands Of old soldiers. worn with
the battle Of life. poor widows struggling for
living. and dependent parents whose sole stay
fell in the service OF his country. look for the
means OF support. Over S143.OOO.OOO will
have boon paid through this office for the
twelve months ending Juno 80. 1892. The ex-
penditures for the next year cannot fall much
short OF $3.50. 100000. There are now nearly
million persons carried upon the pension rolls.
This list is being swelled at the rate Of q thou
sand day.
The great brick building. OF so much inter-
est to pensioners and would be pensioners. Is.
II possible. even more interesting to member
OF Congress- A large part Of his labor and
trouble centres here. There are on an average
about 400 applicants for pensions in each
Congressional district In the United States.
In the North and West, the number is much
greater. Some districts contain from 5000 to
10000 Congressman are overwhelmed with
letters from constituents In regard to their
cases and the cases Of their friends. Here are
some such letters:
ALMsHousE. BLAcKwElL's ISLAND.
H.. ,.,. NV YonK CRY. March 80.
DEAR Sir: received the enclosed slip from
you in regard to my pension, claim on March
received the enclosed printed form to get i
filed out bX mHSglstratte and the resident
Hso Ses Ss the Of
n, aSo% a's q %, ss Essse and by
IL an od g.
= S:ss issSSsss and an wanting SaaS
.Thsnkine you for the !favors that you have
constituent . 91 SapFSsi aA,,s.
street and Prs A,sSg
teenth ward: now Of the almshouss. '''A
Here is one from poor widow:
T.. As. cm N.Y. YD9 e. S cs APRIL e. ase
hdn Ss So n beg the s
poor circumstances. with several small chill
~ ps1sop ShlGh s Justly dss me- s e wSlsS
pray that your Honor will kindly, use your
th1s my calm viii not Be- Rsps much onSsr
as | am sadly In need Of assistance.
hdy for th
remain. very respectfully.
Mrs. MARgARET l.. - East Twelfth
street. New York city.
Some OF these letters have humorous
as we'll as pathetic side. One poor fellow.
writing from a soldiers home. says that he is
suffering from o severe fracture Of the right
thigh. and has one side entirely paralyzed He
Is getting So month. Around him are men
who. to use his own expression. never heard
an angry shot," receiving pensions Of $l2 a
month under the " Dog Robin bill" as he de-
dominates tho Free Pensions act OF June 30.
1890. For two years he has been seeking from
the Pension ONCE an order for resxam nation
in vain. Every week Board OF examining
surgeons examines others In the very hospital
whore he lies. He thinks that II "he were q
Dutchman. or hailed from Pennsylvania or
Indiana or Ohio. instead OF being an Irishman
from New York." he would get Justice. He
closes by urging the Congressman to &c vote for
thSs removal oval Of CommlssioneE kaup;"
cations. Each man expects the Congreseman
u make personal visit to the Com mtssioner
OF Pensions in regard to his claim. It Is I'm
possible. however. for the Representative to do
this. No member does 1t, except In extraordi-
nary cases: member who did would have
business the House. No committee work
could be done. His name would constantly
Sergeant; alarms would frequently BIO search
Ing f9r him. Moreover II Congressman were
to calI In person at The Pension, Ofiice in re.
gard to enCh case, as their at r. ax napt
them to do. the Pension Office itself Would
have to suspend business. Tho COMMISSIONER
would haye nothing to do hut to saw Good
day. and shake hands with the army of Con-
olerks gould do nothing but look nm casos for
them; NO regular business could be- trans
H.-THE DAYS OF YoRE
In the infancy Of the system, when the num-
Dor OF applicants was small. Congressman did
call on the Commissioner in regard to the
cases OF their constituents. With the CROWN
ofthe system 1t became necessary to subs,i.
tute letters for personal calls. These let,ers
were referred by q corps OF clerks undar th