The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-08-09

Tribune: -..-...
Sir: / have not complied with your
repeated request that I should cause a
test to be made to show the number of |
fraudulent pensions by having one
thousand cases drawn from the ad-
mitted files and examined. have not
done this for several reasons
First-Fraudulent cases, If any exist,
cannot be discovered in that way. A
fraudulent pension must ordinarily
have been obtained upon false or forged
testimony. On the face of the papers
such case would probably appear to
be well esta ablished and incontestable.
Second--No one whose opinion is en-
titled to consideration has, think, had
the hardihood to claim that the great
mass Of adjudS,ated pension cases is
permeated with fraud open and plain
on the papers, so that the examination
Of one thousand cases would disclose
an instance. And certainly have too
high an opinion Of my old comrades to
believe that any large number of them
are scoundrels, who have sought and
obtained pensions dishonesty. Espe-
cially / believe that the pensions
granted to soldiers who did actual
service in the field, on account of dis
abilities of service origin, are usually
honest and well deserved. No doubt
rests on this class of cases.
Even among the twelve apostles
there was one who was unworthy, and
among the brave and true soldiers OF
the Union army it cannot be denied
that there were few bounty jumpers
and men who were of no credit to us,
and little deserving; and who have
been, perhaps, among the most eager
for place on the pension roll at high
rating. The investigations as to the
work of dishonest pension attorneys in
Norfolk, New Mexico and Iowa, show
local frauds of large extent. But it
would be far from fair to conclude from
such cases that pension attorneys are
generally INSCRIPTIONS or dishonest. l
think, on the contrary, they are ordi-
narily honest, painstaking and careful
as other business men. A case OF al
legged fraud is brought to the notice of
the bureau by information from some
source II the information is indefinite
or appears to be prompted by malice it
is disregarded. II 1t seems to be trust
worthy the case is investigated, the
pension being suspended during the in
vestigation.
Third-The examination of the June
27, 1890, cases is not made because of
any fraud on the part of the claimants,
but because it was discovered that this
bureau had by the adoption of an err
.roneousi rule for adjudication, allowed
many pensions not authorized by law.
All pensions granted under these
former laws are presumed 70 have been
I properly granted, and they are not be-
ing cximihed except on informa ton
showing fraud In some particular case,
as has always been the practice But
the act Of June 81, 1890, granted pen
sions to persons who had served ninety
days or more, II suffering, from men
tai or physical disability of perma-
nent character, not the result Of their
own vicious habits, incapacitating
them from the performance Of manual
labor in sucha degreeas to render them
unable TO earn a support-such pen
sions not TO exceed S12, nor be less than
Sc per month, proportioned TO the dis
ability to earn a support by manual
labor. Under this act the disability
need not be of service origin. ....
My old comrades may feel sure Of re-
ceiving everything to which the law
most literally construed = entities
them. Partisan leaders may try to
arouse feeling for partisan ends. But
the execution Of law upon the con-
struction given TO it by two heads OF
the same department, Of opposite poll
tics, which construction is admitted by
everybody TO be correct, has no politi-
cal character; and | did not hesitate 10
commit the work TO board Of revision
whose ability fitted them for II though
most of them, with their chief, are re-
publicans They are able and fair men
and select from day TO day from the
cases examined such case as they deem
unlawfully allowed.
The effect of this order was shown in
the Bennett case, which called atten.
tion TO IL. There the claimant, apply.
ing under this act Of June ~, 1890, was
allowed a pension Of $40 per month for
slight deafness, not OF service origin,
and which manifestly would scarcely
interfere with his capacity to perform
manual labor. On inquiry the medical
referee reported that, acting under thi:
order 1e4, the capacity of a claimant
under the act Of June 81, 1890, TO per
form manual labor was not considered
in adjudicating the claim. 1t was clear
therefore, that under that order the
law was disregarded, with the neces
sary result of granting some pensions
like that TO Bennett which were mo-
authorized by any law. "A board Of re
vision was therefore constituted, lo
the ablest and most experienced meI
Of the bureau, to re-examine thes,
cases and Gull out such as had no lega
basis TO rest upon; and with instruc
tions 10 interfere with no case where
by the most1iberal construction righ
10 the pension could be made 10 appear
wmPay Its Mon In Cold. .''''''
J READING, PA, Aug. Ain contras
with the general tone Of depression tn,
| Caroan ,aY Qtaal Cotnnanu, of thfa nft,,