The National tribune., 1893-06-29
FOR THE HONOR OFF COMRADES.

II FOh THE HoSoh OF
/ One of our main reasons for urging upon
Commissioner Loebren the examination OF
a specified number of pension cases, taken
cOnsecmiUely, is vindication of the honor
and good name of pensioners as a class. 1t
is unnecessary to recapitulate how terribly
this has been assailed. We are exceedingly
solicitious that something shall be done to
give the public authoritative information as
to the exact nature of the pension-roll.
Every comrade in the country, and every
wife, son, daughter or other relative of
comrade is very FESTIVE under the sweeping
charges that pensioners as a class are i'm
posters and frauds. They know that this is
wickedly false, and they want it shown to
the public that it is so in an unanswerable
way.
We are firmly of the opinion that the
way we have urged upon Commissioner Loeb
rem is the most effective to do this. Ifhe will
take 1000 or 1900 cases out of the files of
the Pension Bureau and give the public the
information regarding them that we have spe-
Gifted, it will at once determine the status of
the whole system in the public mind. IF it
shall show that go many as one in 10 of the
pensioners are frauds, the public mind will
settle to the fact that at least nine out of 10
pensioners were good soldiers, and we shall
have some official facts to answer our de-
famers. III shall show, as we firmly believe
it will, that there is not one fraud in 1000
pensioners, then we shall have q triumphant
vindication of the saviors of the Nation
against their slanderers.
1t will be still more than this: it will be
a vindcation of American manhood. The
highest evidence of a Nations manhood is
in the character of those who rally to the
defense of its institutions in times of great
peril. The soldier-haters have been calum-
mating American manhood in the eyes of
the whole world. They have insisted with
the greatest vehemence that the Union
army was mainly made up of elements of
which the American people have reason to
be ashamed; that the dregs of our popula-
ton only were represented in the legions
raIIying around the flag; that these men
really saw little service, and fell in every
way far below the ordinary standard of SOL
Such an examination as we have urged
will, we are certain, give a conclusive answer
to ali this. 1t will show that the men on
the roll served long and faithfully; that
they returned to the front after receiving
frightfnl wounds, and that in every way
an American soldier bore himself to the
credit of his country and his race.
We cannot conceive any rational objection |
to making such an investigation. 1t will
develop the truth in regard to the pension
roll, and the truth is what the public de- |
mands to know. 1t will give absolute facts, |
without any concealment or partiality, and
facts are something that we have the right
to require.
Such an investigation can in no way be
prejudicial to the interests of the public |
service. Not single fact is asked for that
it is not proper for the Bureau to give ont.
1t will not stop any other investigation or
hinder the progress of any work in the Blu
reau, for all the facts required can be com
piled in few hours.
We only hope that Commissioner Lochren
viii see the force of all this, and make the
examination without delay.