The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-02
THE PENSION PROBLEM
Major General Gibbon Thinks That
Reform Will, Ere Long. Be
Necessary
He Speaks Very Plainly on the
"WeedinR Out Of the
Frauds"
An Enormous Burden That Is Growing
Day by Day, and Which He Says
Should BE Lessened.

WAsHINGToN Jan. Major General John
Gibbon. q retired army officer. in letter
addressed to the New York Sun and written
from this city, has the following to say
concerning pensions: "Independent Of the
moral side of the question there seems to
be little doubt that the reform Of the pen-
sion list will ere long be matter OF neces-
sity. With the pension list as it now stands,
and the constant increase which seems in
evitabe, the yearly expenditure in the in-
ture is estimated anywhere within 5000 900.
600 and unfortunately no man can tell from
present appearances. when the increase is
going to stop. With this immense AMOUNT
tax the question az to the means
of raising the additional sum neces-
sary for the ordinary expenses of
the government is one which will have to
be met in the near future. and with this Is
| involved the question as to whether or not
the party which has just been elected can
do with the tariff what an overwhelming
vote has decided must be done. Hence
arises the increased importance of limiting
! the great draft upon the treasury to what 10
Just and honest in the way OF pensions.
| There is no material difference Of opinion
| in any part Of the country regarding lib
eral provision for every soldier injured In
| the war or for the heirs OF those who gave
| up their lives in it. but there is a very
strong opinion against rewardinR those who
made no such sacrifices, and still stronger
feeling against fraudulent pensioners, of
whom there can be little question q very
large number exist.
l ~
duction of the pension roll should be, by a
rigid investigation, to lop off all fraudulent
pensions. One hears all through the coun-
| try of cases where pensions are paid to per-
sons who had no connection whatever with
the war--people who lost arms and legs BY
sawmills and other accidents. THESE casoa
| are we'll known in the communities where
they exist. but it is nobody's business to re
| port them, scandnlous and notorious 81
| they are, and anyone who would move in
the matter would be regarded as q mischief
maker. and would probably suffer in his
| belongings for his temerity. But there 10 a
lclase cognizant of thess frauds and able to
expose them. Soldiers, as a class, are jesl-
| ous by nature, and strongly dislike to see
! the same rewards bestowed upon unworthy
| objects as they themselves have earned by
faithful service and sacrifices made in war.
There is a great organization in the coun-
try, with branches in every state aud terri
/ tory. This orgnnization--theG Grand Army
of the Republics able to furnish the in
formation required for pur2inR the pension
liat of all unworthy members, and l believe
it would be willing to do it.
at may be safely asserted that there Is
not Grand Army post in the country in
which members of the old soldier element
are not coQniZant of every case of fraudu-
lent pensioners in their neiQhbor hood.
They take just pride in talking of their
own weil-earned pensions, and for what
| wounds and disabilities they receive them,
and sneer at and look down upon those
who are drawing those uneaf fned or fraudu-
lent. l believe that the Grand Army posts
could be appealed to with confidence to
give such information as would enable the
government, by investigation, to lop of
those unworthy mem bers who should never
under any circumstances, have been on
what ought to be n roll of honor
''rhere is another step which should be
taken at once. although 1t would seem
somewhat in the nature of shutting the
stable door after the escape of the stesd
and that is the absolute ruling out of an,
intermediary between the government anC
the pensoner. There is no reason why. il
the government owes any person sum oi
money, it should not pay it without making
such payment through an attorney and So
licitor, nor is there any sound reason why (
, psnsioner with claim against the gov
rect to the pension commissioner with full
confidence that he would decide the claim
honestly and faithfully. the official record
in the war departments being now in sucl
} shape that full information in regard t.
every mans case can be regularly anl
speedily furnished the commissioners, VIII,
can demand of the applicant any additona
evidence necessary for the establishment o
claims.
"rhere are reasons of the very stronges
kind against Offering q premium Of $40, o
any other sum. to Il host of pension attor
neys for every case they can possibly rak
and scrape up with olaIms-even the yer.
} oloudiest-against the government. Suol
a system as now exists is simply an inoent
i've to perjury and fraud. Let the commits
sioner act then directly with the pension
, claimants and with the pensioners. AM
save money to both of these GLASSES, as wei
as to the government, by protecting
against fraud and imposition.
Tho rule of pensions should be to pay a
much as the country can afford to thos
who made sacrifices in the war, nothing t
' those who made no such sacrifices, nor
fraud. The present system degl adea pa,
riotism to q beggar's level"
AN INDIAN STATE.