The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-19
PENSION REFORM.
Insincerity of the Administration Very
Apparent.

washington dispatch to Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette.
The people who are endeavoring to
make case favorable to the administra-
tioa i'll the pension matter have an up
hill time of it. The facts of the situation
are against them, and furthermore the
country has no faith or confidence in
either the sincerity or the
ability of those who are engaged in tae
great work of reform" OF the pension
business. Even the proclamation OF
Pension Commission Lochren has not
been able to convince public sentiment
that the present powers that be are ac-
tuated by patriotic sense of duty and Il
passing great love for the old soldier in
the proceedings that are..making the PEN
sion office prominent. The Pension Com
missioner claims that all things are being
done through motives with which poll
tics has nothing to do. But all their pro-
tests are contradicted by the facts that
are developed, as, for instance, in the
case mentioned.
the Commissioner of Pensions is the
truth, as shown in the fact that for the
first time in the history of the Pension
Bureau partisanship, and that of the
rankest character, has entered into the
appointment of Examining boards until,
for example, the Republicans in the
Boards of the entire State OF Ohio have
filed with Democrats. So that the mat
ter of examinations of veterans for PEN
sions in that State is, practically and
completely in the hands of Democrats.
Again, Deputy Commissioner Bell, who
has been the loudest-mouthed and most
patriotic reformer and condemner OF re-
rating of pensions among, employees, sud-
denly turnssup as most obnoxious and
disgraceful Instance of that sort himself.
He secretly slid under and had himself
taken off the rolls, showing a cowardice
that it is hoped did not characterize the
soldering in which he contracted the
catarrh, or some ouch trouble, for which
he got pension and got re-rated.
Again, the method of inviting secret
eviden nee against pensioners, OF sus-
pending pensioners, with no warrant
in law or right, of putting pensioners in
the position of having to prove their
case after they had been passed upon, and
they put in good standing npon the pen
sion rolls-these, and other considera-
tions, serve to make people credulous as
to the ability of the reformers, If not
indeed, of their motives.
The work Of suspending pensioners goes
on at. rate that rivals in proportion
the business of decapitating postmasters,
which Also it is to be epresumed, is done
with entirely non-partisan motives.
These motives may be all that is claimed
but the moving spirits are at least I'M
fortunate in some characteristics, circum-
stances and environments not calculated
to challenge the confidence of those
most interested, though they may meet
the approval and the whole matter be a
source of satisfaction to another and
large class who do not approve and
would like to see the whole system of
pensions reformed out of existence.
1t is asked why there are no suspen-
sions among the ex-Confederate soldiers
who are drawing pensions from, the
United States Treasury There are thous-
and Of them, and the list, as shown by
the National Tribune, includes the names
of the widows of Major General George
E. Pickett and Major General Gideon J.
Pillow, who commanded divisions in the
rebel army; Lieut.. General A. P. Hill, who
commanded one of the three corps OF
Lees army; Major General James r.
Chalmers, who commaned a division of
cavalry under Forest, Lieut.. General
4" Stonewalln Jackson, Major General
Dabney FL Maury who was dismissed
for going over to the enemy" and COM
manded corps in the rebel army; Com
mander Sidney Smith Lee, who was dis
missed IOf Uno SdlIlo IcetoeH etnu DCCouiO
a Commodore in the rebel navy; Major
General Samuel Cooper, who left the
Adjutant Generalship of the United
States army to become Adjutant General
of the Southern Con.ederacy.
There are on the list of.pensioners ofthe
Mexican war, from which this Is taken,
is, 251 survivors and 1899 widows, among
the names thousands prominent on the
side of the war.
There is no evidence that the reforming
processes of Secretary Hoke Smith have
been pushed into this devoted band of
and among them there is a
condition Of confidence in their immunity
from any interference with their allow
ance from the government. That is not
the direction in which the Hoke Smith
pension reform machine works, it seems
to AMMAN taking view of the situation
from an arboreal location. The bush
hook of the present energetic reformer
seems TO be used exclusively among
the Union veterans, and the cutting and
slashing goes on regardless of the OPP
pressively hot weather. Il