Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-11-01
g. A. r. and Pensions.

AT the last annual encampment
of the G. A. R., at indianapolis, the
Committee on Pensions reported
the following, which was adopted
by the National Encampment:
ITO bind up the Nations wounds; to
care for him who shall have borne'the
battle, and for his widow and orphan"
Thus spoke Lincoln the Great, Lincoln
the Just, standing reverently, with un-
covered head, In the immediate presence
OF cruel and devastating war, that had
already lasted four years, the end Of
which, although 80 near, his prophetic
vision was not able to see; speaking TO,
for and by the authority OF the Ameri-
can people, concerning one OF the su-
preme duties of the hour and the future,
when entering for the second time upon
the discharge OF trust committed TO
him by that people.
Within few short weeks that end SO
long hoped for had come; but his dying
eyes were not privileged to see the full
fruition OF his labors, and the work SO
well begun and carried on by him fell ill.,
to other hands, charged with all the trusts
that the condition implied and required;
/ duu LuObo NhO udu bOihO bhO OatbiO
after 80 many days turned their happy
feet toward their oDg-deserted homes"
A grateful nation met and received
them, and gladly showered upon them
the plaudits and honors they had 30 we'll
and hardly earned.
There bearers OF the battle" were then,
In the main, In the prime and vigor OF
young manhood, with all the honors and
of o.. hafN thapo tuith N
the hopes born of lofty courage and pat
riotic and successful achievement beaung
highI in their bosoms; and they little
needed and still less cared for material
aid from the country they had preserved
and made free, save where loss OF life Or
limb or impaired health and broken con-
stitutions were presently visible; and for
such, in the main, ample and prompt
provision was made by that country.
But as the years passed by, middle life
too frequently developed into premature
old age, and youth passed into ripper years
with galloping feet; and alas! soon the
exultant and hearty soldier found that IN
the race Of life there were weights upon
his feet and burdens upon his shoulders,
as the result OF premature and over
heavy draughts upon his vitality, that
oduy lulcilcttu Will buCCCooiul OolPV'I-
tion in the crowd and jostle OF the fierce
struggle for advancement. And still the
nation sought to keep abreast Of the
necessities OF her heroes, and by addi-
tional enactments to measurably make
provision for the necessities OF those
who "had borne the battle"
A quarter OF a century had elapsed.
The young had become old, the middle
aged had become feeble, and the old had
crossed the river. Time, with its ruth
less fingers, had joined hands with the
ravages OF the war, and the two combined
had proved a burden upon the aging
soldier greater than he could bear; and
the cry went abroad that in too many
instances for the credit, honor or good
name OF the nation, many who had fol-
lowed the flag and faced the fiery fur
mace OF battle, had In want fallen by the
wayside, and In the poor-houses were
looking longingly for the relief and CON-
fort Of the grave.
Their sympathising comrades and pat
riotic people, with one accord, voiced the
sentiment that such was not a human
administering OF the sacred trust recog-
nized and announced by Lincoln. AS to
what the remedy should be, mems minds
differed. Many, possibly majority Of
the survivors Of the war, believed that
the time had fully come when the name
Of every honorably discharged survivor
should be placed upon the pension roll.
Others, denying the right that they
should receive aught from their country
through the pension roll, stoutly resisted
the demand.
1t was under such circumstance and
dealing with these conflicting opinions,
hot rannraao tad ha Aioo t,tlffxy
sion law OF June, 1890. This act was
accepted by the surviving soldiers and
by the people In general as settlement
of the question. Under the administra-
tion OF that law, the poor-house gave up
its veterans-he who had borne the bat
tie was cared for; and thus the sacred
trust accepted and left as legacy to the
nation was faithfully administered.
Within few months we hear with
profound sorrow and regret that all this
must be changed that the construction OF
the law has been changed, and the regu-
lations and rules In regard to proof and
ratings, under which more than three
hundred thousand claims have been al
lowed and paid have been revoked, and
another construction of the law has been
established, and new regulations for
proof and ratings, less favorable to claim
ants, have been adopted; that board OF
revision has been organized In the Pen
sion Once, charged with the duty Of re-
vising all these adjudicated claims In
accordance with this new construction,
and such changed regulations as to
proof and RATINGS; that under these
changes, thousands OF pensions have
been suspended without notice and thou
sands OF pensioners have been dropped
from the rolls.
II Is claimed that an adjudication OF
pension settles nothing that the Secre-
tary OF the Interior and Commissioner of
Pensions are invested by law with abso-
Lutte power over the pension roll, and
that It is within their legal authority to
reopen and revise pensions allowed by
their predecessors under regulations az =
opted by them, whenever they see fit to
change the rules OF evidence and the
scale of ratings under which the allow
ance was made; and this In country OF
law, where from the very infancy OF the
government OF the United States, by its
organic law, Is In terms denied the right
to deprive any person OF property with
out due process Of law, notice and an op-
portunity to be heard, and whore In every
other relation and condition In life
fraud is never presumed, but must
be clearly proved, and every person shall
have the right to face his accuser. To
emphasize the viciousness OF the situa-
ton AMI accusation, we learn that 1t is
said, as though by authority, that 1t 10
expected that many OF the pensioners 80
summarily suspended or dropped will be
able to prove that they are still entitled
to the pension Of which they have been
deprived; thus saying In no uncertain
L. &A.N h. t,,~ Ia ,o< ha
party alleging the fraud, but that the
government which they had preserved
shall first brand with infamy by the
charQa then aentence. and after the