The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-10-25

the law has been established, and new
regulations for proof and ratings, less
favorable TO claimants, have been adopt
ed; that n board of revision has been
organized in the Pension Office, charged
with the duty of revising all these
abjudicated claims in accordance with
| this now construction, and such changed
regulations AS to proof and ratings; that
under these changes thousands of pen
sions have been suspended without
notice and thousands Of pensioners have
been dropped from the rolls. II Is
claimed that an adjudication of pen
sion settles nothing: that the Secretary
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
adopted by them, whenever they see fl
to change the rules OF evidence and the
scale Of ratings under which the allow
ance was made: and this i'm a country of
law, where from the very infancy of
the government the United States, by
its organic law, is in terms denied the
right TO deprive any person Of property
without due process of law, notice and
an opportunity to be heard, and where
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
situation and accusation, we learn that
it is said, as though by authority, that
sit is expected that many of the pen
sioners so 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 voice that the burden is
not upon the party alleging the fraud
but that the government which they
had preserved shall first brand with in
fanny by the charge, then sentence, and
after the stigma has been effective,
then concede to them whose barriers
and support of character have been thus
undermined, the pitiful privilege of
moving for new trial upon the ground
of fnewly-discovered evidence: and this
not upon strangers, aliens or foes, but
upon our own flesh and blood, our COM
rades, the saviors of the nation-those
who, in the language of Lincoln, the
Immortal, have "borne the battle"
We deny that the Secretary of the
Interior and Commissioner of Pensions
have any such power. We insist that
the adjudicating division of the Pension
Office, acting under the direction and
supervision of the Commissioner of
Pensions and Secretary of Interior, are
tribunals established by authority of
law for the settlement of pension claims,
and that their decisions are entitled to
full faith and credit, and cannot. be
legally impeached when change of
administration occurs, except for fraud,
upon charges preferred and evidence
adduced in support thereof. We insist
that where changes are made in the
construction of the law, rules of evil
dence and schedule of ratings, unfavor-
able to claimants, they must and should
be limited in their operation to the
future work of the office, and not the
past. An er post .tacto regulation is as
repugnant to our sense of justice as an
er post tdcto law, and we protest against
the adoption and enforcement of any
such regulations in the matter of
pension claims.
THEREfoRE The Grand army of the Re-
public, In National Encampment assembled
speaking for that great army of beloved COM
rades, many OF them too poor, too bruised
the government when administered with an
unfrlendly hand, proud of the good name and
fair fame OF the American Volunteer Soldier
ganiZation that the pension roll Shall in truth
and In fact be-what IL is in theory-a roll of
honor" and ever mindful OF its cardinal prln-
ciple, ITO preserve honor and purity In pub
lie ana RS, scouts and denies these indscrlm-
mate charges Of universal fraud and resents
the imputation that because some unworthy
survivors may be found, that dscredlt shall |
be cast upon the entire roll, and this great
body Of brave, and patriotic citizens shall
sthhu uisgraceu De1Ore the country. We de-
mand that there shall be no backward step in |
pension legislation or administration; that
no pensioner shall be deprived OF his property
without due process OF law; that the pre-
sumption shall be In favor Of honesty and |
fair dealing; that the poor and lowly shall |
not be put TO unnecessary, expensive or op-
pressive process TO preserve their meager
plttances; that the sacred trust In favor
OF those who have borne the battle"
shall be sacredly observed and sacredly ad- |
ministered; and we do now solemnly and de-
liberately
RESOLVE, That the Grand Army of the
Republic looks with solicitude, not to saw
alarm, upon the proposition, that after suffi-
Client tribunals have been established by law
before which questions have been presented
and adjudicated, upon evidence submitted
and examined, and upon which a grateful
nation has accorded pensions in this their
hour OF need TO those who In its hour of need
etp latxp a. a. A. .fal.-