Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-11-24

upon his shoulders, as the result of premature
that sadly inteTfered With successful compeii
tton in the crowd and jostle of the fierce strug-
gle for advancement. And still the nation
her heroes, and by additional enactments to
measurably make provision for the necessities
of those who had borne the battle"
"A quarter OF q century had elapsed. The
young had become old, the middle-aged had
become feeble, and the old had crossed the
river. Time, with its ruthless fingers. had
two combined had proved u burden upon the
aging soldier greater than he could bear; and
the cry went abroad that in to0 many instances
for the credit. honor or good name OF the ma
tton, many who had followed the flag faced
the fiery furnace OF battle, had in want fallen
by the waystde, and in the poor-houses We're
looking longtnSly for the relief and comfort OF
the grave.
Their sympathizing comrades and a patri-
ment that such was not u human administer.
ing of the sacred trust recognized and an
nounced by Lincoln. AS to what the rem city
bly, a majority of the survivors of the war, be-
lieved that the time had fully come when the
name OF every honorably discharged survivor
ers, denying the right that they should receive
aught from their country through the pension
roll, stoutly resisted the demand.
1t was under such circumstances and dealing
with these conflicting opinions, that Congress
enacted the disability pension law of June.
1850. This act was accepted by the surviving
oOAlASAO CAAA ~ VIC " AL ECIlCIuk as d sSl.
tlemen of the question. Under the admins
tr;tion OF that law. the poor house gave up its
v~eteran-he who had borne the battle was
cared FOR; and thus the sacred trust accepted
and left as a legacy to the nation was ~failiful-
ly administered.
Within a few months we hear with profound
sorrow and regret that all this must be changed
that the construction of the law has been
changed, and the regulations and rules in re-
than three hundred Thousand claims have
been allowed and paid, have been evoked.
and another construction of the law has been
ratings, less favorable to claimants, have been
adopted; that Il board of revision has been or.
gained i'll the Pension Office, charged with
claims iii accordance with this new construc.
ton. and such changed resolutions as to proof
and ratings; that under these changes. thou
sands of pensions have been suspended with
out notice and thousands of pensioners have
been dropped from the rolls. 1t is claimed
that an adjudication of n pension settles moth
ing; that the Secretary of the interior and
commissioner of Pensions are invested by law
with absolute power over the pension roll and
that it is within their legal authority to reopen
and revise pensions allowed by their predeces-
sors under regulations adopted by them. when
ever they see fit to change the rules of evidence
and the scale of ratings under which the al.
Of the Government the United States
BY its .,,o organic law; is in terms
property without due process of law, notice
and an opportunity to be heard. and where in
every other relation and condition in life frand
Is never presumed, but must be clearly proved,
and every person shall have the right to face
his accnser. To emphasize the viciousness OF
is said, as though by authority. that 'it is eX.
pected that many of the pensioners so sum
marily suspended or dropped will be able to
Of which they have been deprived;" thus say.
ing i'll no uncertain voice that the burden is
not upon the party alleging the fraud, but that
shall first brand with infamy by tile charge,
then sentence, and after the stigma has been
efective, then concede to them, whose barriers
dermined, the pitiful privilege of moving for Il
new trial upon the ground of newly discovered
evidence; and this not upon strangers, aliens.
or foess but upon our own flesh and blood, our
comrades the savtors ofthe n~ation-those who,
in the language of Lincoln the Immortal, have
borne the battle"
and Commissioner OF Pensions have any such
power. We insist that the adjudicating divi-
sions OF the Pension Office, acting under the
Of Pensions and Secretary of the Interior. are
tribunals established by authority OF law for
t the s settlement o.. Of pension pension claims MS, and that
credit, and cannot be legally impeached when
q change of administration occurs, except for
a naSaced aH Il s Shassss t RReseeared Wa end INSIST exide sRss
where changes are made in the construction
OF the law, rules of evidence, u schedule
must n should be limited in their
operation to the future work of the ONCE, and
not the post. An erpOstJ act0 regulation is as
repugnant to our sense OF justice as an er.p0st
Jdcf0 law, n We protest against the adoption
and enforcement of any such regulations in
the matter of pension claims.
Therefore, the Grand Army of the Repub.
lie, in National Encampment,. assembled,
speaking for that great army Of beloved COM
broken, to withstand the strong arm OF the
Government when administered with an un-
friendly hand, proud OF the good name and
fair fame of the American Volunteer Soldier
interested far beyond any other person or or
igantZation that that pension roll shall intruth
and in fact be-what It is in theory s.roll Of
honor" and ever mindful OF its cardinal prin-
AFFAIRS" scouts and denies these indiscrimlnate
charges OF universal fraud and resents
the 1mputation that because some un-
worthy. survivors may. be found that
idiscredit shall be cast upon the entire
troll. and this great. body of brave
patriotic citizens shall stand disgraced before
the country. We demand thai there shall be
no backward step in pension legislation or adj
'ministration; That no pensioner' shall be de.
law; that the presumption shall be In favor OF
honesty and fair dealing; that the poor II
l0wly shall not be put to unnecessary, expens-
i've. or oppressive process to preserve their
meAger ptttance; that the sacred trusti In favor
OF those whO shave borne the battle'' shall be
sacredly observed and sacredly administered;
and we do now solemnly n deliberately
public looks with solicitude, not tQsay alarm,
upon tbs proposition that after enmcient tri-
I ounAls tave besn established By Law. before