The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-31
TIT FOR TAT.
Pertinent Correspondence Between Promi-
nent Men.

TIT FOR TAT.
Pertinent Correspondence Between Promi-
Dent Men.
Commissioner Lochren and Representative
Morse, of Massachusetts, have recently ex-
changed some pertinent personal and interest
ing correspondence, which we give below:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, UNITED STATES,
WAsHINGToN, Aug. q, 1873
To HoN. WILLIAM LoCHREN,
Commissioner of Pensions.
DEAR SIR: Under the date of Aug. II your
Bureau advised w. II. Rollins, Campeilo, Plyn-
outh County. Mass. that his claim No. l,l4l7S7
under act of June q, 1890, rejected on the
ground that he not disabled from mammal
labor in pensionable degree. Now, 10 the facts:
On the 18th day of last November while at work
| at his trade, a piece of steel flew from another
worSingman and went almost through one OF his
| eyes The eye WAS taken out three days later.
This mans remaining eye is weak and painful.
and the socket of the one removed is infiamed ana
calls for the of medicine about it every day.
The man has sick family, and has mortnge on
his little home.
Now. if the act of June 81 1890, wasn't intended
to reach like this. pray tell me what it was
for? | helped to make that law and think that
understand it. will expect you TO Immediately
order review and re examination OF this case.
otherwise assure you that shall call the atten-
ton of Congress and the country to this case at the
first opportunity. The Medical Examiners who
examined the man assured him that his condition
was such that he clearly entitled 10 the sl2 per
month under the above mentioned act.
L am sure that this decision OF rejection, II the
facts are correctly stated by me, cannot meet the
approval of the Honorable Commissioner OF PEN
sions and | will expect thnt you will Immediately
correct the injustice done this one-eyed man.
Awaiting your kind acL " ledgment and reply
inclose copy of a letter received from him. Mr.
Rollins. have every to believe that the
statements made therein are true.
Very respectfully, ELIJAH A. MORSE,
Nj. @. Twelfth District, Massachusetts.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Aug. 25. 1895.
Hon ELIJAH A. MORSE. House of Representatives,
DEAR SIR: . tits plain that this disability
not of service origin. The report of the Medi-
cal Board gives the disability as loss OF The left
eye. Right eye normal. No other disability
You add that the man has sick family and a
mortgage on his home. which. though misforiunes
are not pensionabe and therefore irrelevant to the
matter to be considered.
To your inquiry. II the act of June q, 1890. was
not intended TO reach a case like this pray tell
what 1t was for?" you append the statement that
you helped to make that In ~ and think you under
stand it; so presume You do not expect me to
answer the question. You must know, however,
that it applies only to those suffering from mental
or physical disability of permanent character, in
capacitatiDg them from the performance of manual
labor in such degree as to render them unable 10
earn support The only disability in this case of
prominent character, is the loss of one eye.
think you can hardly claim that that would in
capnci.ato man from the performance of manual
labor "a TO render him unable to n support.
II is clear, therefore, that the man. from your
own statement of the case is not entitled to PEN
sion at all under the act of June q, 1890 and that
the action of this Bureau in rejecting his claim is
him that his condition was such that he was clearly
entitled to $l2 per month under the above-men-
toned act. L suppose you base your statement
upon the letter of the applicant. / hardly think
the Board would so far forget it's plain duty as to
make any statement of the sort to any person ex-
aBlined by ID.
You say further that you will expect me imme-
diately to order review and re-examnation of
this case otherwise you will call the attention of
Congress and the country to it at the first oppor
tunity. shall have to submit to this dire alter
native. for / assure you that will not order
view or denomination of the case.
But while you are calling the attention of Con-
gress and The country TO this matter, there is
other matter somewhat personal to yourself. that
Congress and the country. II is this:
On July 20. 1898. in answer to your request for
the status of the claim of George Smith at Taunton
Mass, inclosed you full statement of the
dtion of that case in an official penalty envelope
directed TO George Smith, IS School street, Taunton
character, directed to yourself that you might
that your request had been complied with and be
enabled to forward the result of it to the claimant
without trouble or expense of postage to yourself
This you received at your home in Canton, Mass,
and there wrote letter, 10 which now append
copy, and nclosed the same in this penalty en-
velope, sealing 1t up and putting 1t in the post
Office at Canton, Mars. on July "a. 1898. appears
by the postmark the same. Without stopping
to consider whether you thereby made yourself
liable for the penalty for private use Of this en-
velope under the law of Congress. which, perhaps,
you also helped to make and understand. it might
be we'll for you TO submit to Congress The question
to whether this Bureau should continue 10 re-
spond to the inquiry of member of Congress.
who in such manner abuses and misuses the
facilities afforded him by this Bureau.
have the envelope and your original letter, with
your personal signature. to which l ask your at
tention briefly. pass over your grouping of the
words Cleveland, retrenchment, and REFORM" as
your quotation marks indicate that purpose
give some other demagog the credit for the artistic
work of this grouping. But your statements
" with the Confederstes on top in tile Pension Bu-
reau," and "revoking 10 pensions to every
they grant" are manfestly specimens OF your own
malignant me
with the sordid meanuess which compels you to
brenk the law, and risk the penalty, by using the
Government Dvelope to convey your silly libel for
the sake of saving you the two cents in postage OF
which you cheated the Government, gives us a fair
glimpse OF your character rs delinealed by your
self
After considering it am no longer surprised that
such man should seek by threats 10 compel an
officer charged with the exercise of judicial func-
tion to change his ruling conscienti0usly and cor
rectly made. What may not be expected of "a man
who. being lawmaker, will wilfully break the
law to swindle his Government out of the sum of
two cents?
/ defy your threatened vengeance, and trust you
will bring the matter before Congress. This cor
respondence will then, perhaps, adorn a page of
the Record. and show you you to the aCmira-
tion of future times j, myself. will aid you in
bringing the matter before the country.
Yours WILLIAM LoCHREN.
Commissioner
The letter to which Commissioner Lochren
refers having been sent by Mr. Morse with
out payment of postage was as follows:
ELIJAH A. MORSE NJ c.,
Residence Canton, Mass.
When Congress Is in session address
The Shoreham," Washington. ID. G.
CANTON, July q, Ise3
To Mr. GEoBGE SMITH, 25 School street Taunton
Mass.
DEAR SMITH: The incIosed letter of the Goth in
stant from the Honorable Commissioner of PEN
sions is selfexplanatory. l trust after you have
been re-examined by the Board of Examining
Surgeons at Taunton that shall shortly learn
that your claim for increase has been granted, but
/ fear for you, for have Cleveland" Re
trenchment" and Reform" now with the Con-
federates on top in the Pension Bureau. and their
motto seems to be e" how not to do it ;" and they
revoking 10 pensions to every one they grant.
II I you any further at any time don't
hesitate to command me.
Yours in f., c., and L.,
(Signed) ELIJAH A. MORSE.
NJ c., Twelfth District, Massachusetts.
One inclosure.
Further correspondence reiterating and
celebrating upon the structures already put
FORTH has passed between the two writers, and
the bad feeling engendered has been increased
rather than dimins shed.
Not Trees Enough.