The National tribune., 1892-07-14

refused sdmitsauee, although the two persons
were terribly wounded. They were finally
furnished mattress for which they had to pay
Eve dollars. Charges of inhumanity have been
preferred against the keeper of the lighthouse.
and the matter win be investigated. If the
facts be found as stated by the young men Of
the fishing party, the light-keeper must be re-
garded as brute, unworthy of place or emolu-
ment in the Government service; and it is
hoped that searching inquiry will be made
by Secretary Foster, through the medium of
the Lighthouse Board.
80
A lively fight is promised in the House when
the $5,OO0,0OO clause which the Senate has
tackled onto the Sundry Civil appropriation bill
for the Worlds Fair at Chicago comes before
| that body. Not only will Messrs Holman.
McMillin, and Dockery oppose the clause on
economical and constitutional grounds, but Rep
resentatives Fitch and Cummings, ofEew York.
and very likely some others, are prepared
to show that Chicago must have made enough
money out of the Democratic Convention to run
the Fair, without asking for further contribu-
tiOns from the Government or outsiders. The
New York Congressman are said to be prepared
for crusade against Chicago's alleged rapacity
during the Convention, and will reiterate all
the charges that have been made of outrageous
prices for board, lodging and refreshments
during the meeting of the Democratic Conven-
! ton.
PENSION BUREAU INVESTIGATION.
The Committee Will Recommend the Re
mOvaI Of Commissioner Raum.
t The Special Committee of the House which
| has been investigating the Pension Bureau.
will shortly present a resolution recommend
| ing the removal of Commissioner of Pensions,
Gen. Green B. Raum. This resolution will
| accompany the majority report of the commit
| tee. which has been prepared by Chairman
| Wheeler, and will be presented as soon az the
minority of the committee, Messr5. Lind and
Brosius, submit their report. The majority of
| the committee make the following severe COM
| ments on Gen. Raum's conduct of the Bureau
aud unfitness for the position of Commissioner:
The evidence taken before this committee tends
to show aud does show that every act done by the
Secretary OF the Interior has been the line of
pure administration of the Pension Bureau. If
Commissioner Raum were possessed OF that Integ-
riiy OF purpose the line Of rec;itude in matters
of pubic trust has been evnced on the part OF
| the Secretary Of the Interior, the Commissioners
would have no trouble in the administration of his
office. But he has peculiar mental makeup. He
seeks indirect methods instead OF direct ones He
| is eyHsiye and avoids direct issues and direct
questions. His manner upon the stand; his
mode of evadns direct explicit questions; his
want OF fairness and candor; and his peculiar dis
position shown in the of Charles Alfred de
Arnand in the case of Taylor in the case OF Engel
and Howard, and ia the case Of Renaud and others
shows him to he unfit have under his control the
| supervision of 1900 Government employees. His
refusal 10 answer questions in regard to the Lemon
| Endorsement the contradictory statements in his
evidence, the spirit of luminosity which he showed
r.. Cooper,
prostitution Of his office 10 political purposes in
manner before unprecedented. all tend to one con-
clilson, aud that is that he is not fit person TO he
| at the head Of q Government Bureau which dis
| burses annually $40 COO 600 Of the peoples money
| and gives employment to 1000 people.
This peculiar disposition OF the Commissioner
and sense of his unfitEcss for 81 high position
grows upon one day by day AS you come in contact
will, him and his methods. The impression be-
| comes fixed that his actions and methods have no
foundation in basic principles OF integrity but that
he is governed largely by selfish motives. pre-
| judice. aud spirit Of revenge.
After having thus given their opinion OF
| Gen. Raum's unfitness for the position he now
| holds, the majority Of the committee make the
following recommendations:
| ]. That this committee be continued until the
close of the second session of the SD Congress
subject to the call Of its Chairman, but that its
clerical help be dispensed with for the time being.
2. That there be q revision or codifcatfoo of the
| pension laws with view TO reducing the same TO
plain specific. uniform system. for the purpose Of
| doing away far possible with the employ
ment OF attorneys pension cases and to facilitate
| the adjudication OF pension claims.
8. We recommend that attorneys fees under the
law Of June q 1890. be reduced TO the OF s. in
eac, case. without authority to supulate for any
| greater sum-
4. We recommend that cases under laws prior TO
| June 81 1890, be rapidly carried forward to
adjudication, and that there be at least equal
sideration given 10 cases under those laws as to
| those under the law of June q, $780,
5. We recommend that sufficient clerical force
he put on the old aud long pending cases for the
purpose OF determining their exact status. and
whether they have been abandoned or otherwise.
and that some rule be adopted whereby such
claimants can be notified of the defects in their
cases, to the end that the necessary evidence he
furnished to complete the Within reasona>:e
| time 10 be specified. and in default thereof such
| cases will be rejected.
6. We recommend the restoration 10 office of
| such employees were discharged for other
cause Than the reading OF newspapers that criti
| cised the management of the Pension Office.
Z. The evidence in this case shows that all the
controversy between the Commissioner and
within the Civil-Service laws, and we respectfully
recommend that the Special Examiners Division
and such other places under the Bureau may be
practicable be placed under the operation of the
Civ-Scrvice law.
| The resolution which recommends the re-
moval of Gen. Raum, and which the House is
to be asked to adopt. is as follows:
Resolved That it is the judgment of the House
that Commissioner of Pensions Green b. Raum
should be removed from office by the President for
| the following reasons:
i. because he has demonstrated his UBfitneSS 10
supervise and govern large number of employees
on account Of his hasty temper strong prejudces,
and unreasonable luminosity. which impel his &C.
ton in matters of the gravest consequence, evil
denced in the of Engel, Howard. Taylor. Jen-
nngs. Renaud Hayward. Payne. De Arnaud,
Peyton, and others. Commissioners Raum's pur-
suit of Hon. George Il. Cooper. following upon an
unsuccessful attempt to injure his reputation,
furnishes another instance of this character.
2. Because he has prostituted his office for the
purposes of private gain.
g. Because he has prosttuted his Office for pc.
licnl purposes. using the n political ma
chine notably in the matter of furnishing the
facilities of the Pension Office to j. g. Dunbar,
of Indiana at one time candidate for Congress
against Hon. George Il. Cooper.
The report deals at length with the cases of
| the men named in the resolution. Regarding
the Endorsement Of the note of Gen. Raum by
Capt. Geo. e. Lemon, the report says if tho
making of the order to have cases placed in the
completed files had anything to do with the
Endorsement of the Commissioners note by
Capt. Lemon, it is a matter of which the pub
lie have a right to be advised, and there is
enough on the face of the transaction to justify
investigation, and if Gen. Raum was innocent