New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-17
IN BEHALF OF VETERANS.
PENSION POLICY TRACKED.
SEVERE CRITICISM OF THE MANAGEMENT
OF THE BUREAU.

s1oNER LocHREN,s METHODIST GREAT
HUE AND CRY ABOUT FRAUD. WITH
SMALL REsULT-A LIVELY DE
BATE IN THE HOUSE.
rsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIBUxE.1
Washington, Dec 1.-THE House OF Repre-
sentatives to-day began the consideration OF the
Urgent Deficiency bill. and an item for special
examiners in the Pension Bureau provoked
lively discussion Of the Cleveand-Hoke smith
Lochren pension policy. which is about as I'M
patriotic as the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Blount Ha-
waiian policy. Mr. Cannon. OF Illinois. VINO Is
one of the best-informed and at the same time
most cautious OF legislators and debaers, led the
attack and was ably supported by Major Lacey
of Iowa who. as a member Of the Committee on
invalid Pensions has had occasion thoroughly
TO investigate the management OF the fehsio''
Bureau under this Administration
Mr. Cannon clearly showed by a statement Of
comparative results under the present Admin
istra ton and the preceding one. that Commis-
.,oner Iochren and his subordinates chiefly
anxious to adiudcate few new pension claims
as possible and 10 reduce or cut of as many
pensions as possible Of those granted before
March 3. 1898 With twice as large force OF
special examiners his predecessor had. Com
missioner I.ochren in seven months adjudicated
Iaes than one-third as many cases. and despite
, the alterations Of fraud which tended to bring
under SUSPICION every disabled veteran of the
Union whose name is borne on the pension rolls.
the number Of pensioners dropped on the ground
of fraud was only thrty-three more than were
so dropped In the same period under the last
Administration.
1t may have been merely an accidental coinci-
dencc and yet it seemed rather significant, that
the men VINO were foremost to-day in defending
the Administrations pension policy are both
Southern Democrats Colonel Livingston. OF
Georgia Is a member Of the Appropriations Com
mittee and was gallant Confederate soldier
from 1861 to 1865. Mr.. Enloe. Of Tennessee Is
not q member Of the Appropriations Committee
or the Committee Invalid Pensions. and he
was too young to serve as a soldier during the
Civil War. While both Colonel Livingston and
Mr.. Enoe spoke WITH great earnestness in de-
fence Of President Cleveland and the pension
policy and management of his Administration.
the arguments might have seemed more impress
sive and carried greater weight II they had been
made by Northern Democrats. who were veter-
ans OF the war-General Sickles. of Newly rk,
and Mr.. Martin. of Indiana, for example. The
latter is chairman Of the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, and would, therefore. be able to speak
with thorough knowledge Of the subject.
1t was noticeable that Colonel Livingston did
not sreak with his usual fuency today. and
one pause in his discourse was peculiarly un-
fortunate. He defending Mr.. Cleveland, and
began a sentence somewhat as follows
81 do not believe that President Cleveland has
one single idea'-here he halted for word.
when somebody on the Democratic side inter-
the same side added Right you are. OF
course these d.srespectful and unwarranted ex-
pressions will not appear in 1.-The Congressional
Record