The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-23
And Denies Responsibility for the First
Suspension Order Promulgated
by His SubOrdinates.
CASE OF CHAS. T. BENNETT
Work of "Purging" the Rolls to
Be Pushed with Vigor.
Annual Report of Commissioner Lochren
More Money Needed for the Bu-
reau's Force of, Ferrets.
special TO the Inaianauolis Journal

Special TO the IndiansDolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Sept 22.-Secretary Hoke
Smith talked frankly aud cheerfully to tho
Journal correspondent at the Interior DE.
partment to-day about pensions. The Sec-
retary feels that the Republican news
particular. have purposely mIsrepresented
his position upon the pension question. and
that he has been held directly responsible
for acts about which he knew nothing IN.
til after they were committed.
The Secretary took as his text the de.
cision rendered In the pension case Of
Charles L. Bennett. private In Company
", Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers. which
was the basis upon which an important
order was issued. and about which so much
has been said. AT the outset of his conver.
sation Secretary Smith stated that il was
wrong to suppose he was q common enemy
to pensions. He actually end conscien.
tiously believed thatt there have crept upon
the pension rolls, through one avenue and
another. by various rulings of Pension
Commissioners and the work of examiners
and other officers of the Pension Bureau,
an enormous number of persons who are
not entitled to pensions. "These are the
ones / am after" said the Secretary. land
they are the ones we intend TO weed out of
the pension list if they reduce the total
number of pensioners one-hslf."
Referring to the order of Commissioners
Lochren. directing that ell pensioners
whose claims were not good upon the pre-
sentation made. should be dropped from
the rolls for a period of sixty days. when
they must make their claims good or suffer
permanent suspension. Secretary Smith
stated that this action was taken when he
was absent from Washington. and that it
did not meet his approval. He believed
that whether there was authority or not.
@ pensioner after being once placed upon
the rolls should have notice before being
dropped. The Secretary observed with
significant emphasis that his modification
OF this order was In no sense q reversal OF
that order. He thought the statement made
by newspaper correspondents that he had
packed down from the order and reversed
it" was n cruel misrepresentation of facts.
He stated that the order as 1t stood to-day
was as drastic as the original order, with
the single exception that it Cave the PEN
sioner two or three months of time before
being dropped.
EFFECT OF THE MODIFIED ORDER.
Asked as to the effect of the modified or
der the Secretary stated that about one
half OF those who were placed upon the list
of suspected frauds, and who were given
notice that they must furnish proof of
their right receive pensions. were
dropped. or would be dropped. at the end
of the time within which proof was re-
quired. and that at least half of those who
were dropped would never be able to fur
NJ
entitled to pensions. The effect of this
would be that al least one-fOurtb, If not
fully one-half. of those who are placed
upon the Inst for suspension are finally de-
prived OF their pensions
Secretary Smith stated that his original
idea in having the list of suspects" pre-.
pared was to have stricken from the rolls
those who had failed to present prima facie
evidence that they were entitled to pen-
sions. He believed that inv estipation into
all OF these cases would lead to the discov.
cry of much fraud. and that fully
ns made orms fss,e snsss %se wo@Ia nad nUi
in their efforts to show that they were en-
titled to pension. Many of those who were
being notified that they must furnish new
evidence had so little TO stand upon that
they would make no effort whatever. The
Secretary declared that it was q great mis-
take to suppose that he intend ed Co de-
crease pension expenditu res by depriving
those who were entitled To pensions under
the law of their Just rewards He assever-
ated, with an earnestness that could not
well be mistaken. that he was not opposed
to PENSIONS; but he added. In the same
breath, that he was more opposed TO per-
mittiDg pensioners to stay upon the rolls
through fraud than he was I'D favor of pen-
sloDing those who were entitled to pen,
sions. Referring TO the fact that quite q
number of pensioners who were dropped
from the rolls were being reinstated, the
Secretary said that all of those had fur
nished the required evidence. and had filled
In the links breaking the chain TO their
cases.
Secretary Smith dwelt at some length
| upon the spirit and letter of the diseb biiity
| pension act of June 81, 1890 He stated that
| If the law meant anything 1t meant TO only
| pension those who were disabled from per-
| forming manual labor. Here Is whore the
| Secretary of the Interior became most earn
the case of Charles T. Bennett. the Hoosier
| veteran. it was only claimed that be was
'elightiy deaf In both ear" f" and that it was
| acknowledged that he could hear watch
tick half an inch from each ear. 1T was
| not claimed" said Secretary Smith. that
| Bennett was suffering any mental or
| physical disability. yet be was pensioned
at the rate of Si2 per month.
We suspended him because upon his
own presentation he failed to provo
| bility,' was pauper. or disabled 10 an ex-
| tent that he could not perform manual Ia
| Dor. / am determined that all pen si0ners
now upon the rolls OF those who are trying
| 10 get upon the rolls on the pretext that
| they are suffering from disability received
/ either in the line of duty or since the war
| shall prove that their alleged disability Is
| that prescribed as pensionable under the
| Act OF 1890 We shall 20 ahead In our work
| of purging the pension rolls: and | might
| add. that we have only begun the work.
| and that Its fruits are ample tor the Efforts
put forth" r. S. II.