Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-07-23
PENSION ourRAGEs

EDITOR or The HERALp-S Some weeks
since III an article on "ihe distinguished
gentleman from Georgia" the Hon Hoke
Smith, suggested that we should re-
Train from accusations or <retractions
until We had something definite TO base
them OF. Iqere fumors not being suiii-
Gent. Wenow have ample proofs at
hand to justify all cur fears that future
pension Legislation would be decidedly
hostile To the ex-soldier. The destruc-
tive work has only just begun. What it
Will be later on we can but family i'm
agine.
We have already some cases in which
sense, justice and law have to all APP
pearances been grossly outraged. IL
seems incredible that Minnesota Judge
and an ex-soldier would yield himself to
such deeds at the beck OF anybody. 1t
would seem that his sense Of honor and
comradeship would compel him to resign
his office rather than be party 10 such
gross outrages on his fellow soldiers.
What man OF ordinary discernment
can even imagine any possible excuse for
cutting oil the pension OF Justice Long,
soldier who lost an ann and received
several wounds In his country's service
The act seems so incredible that it must
lie there Is some mistake about it. Jus
tice Longs pension is fixed by an act Of
congress- His pension can not be cut
down except by another act of congress-
Ii would be idiotic for secretary OF the
interior to annul an act OF congress.
have. however. some instances in my
own business which are SO extraordinary,
TO speak mildly. that am prepared To
believe that this report about Justice
Long may be true.f have one soldier
who was pronounced insane by Judge
Perkins. Several witnesses have testi-
fed "a 70 his condition and regard him
as dangerous man; Yet he has been do
MED pension on the Vound that be is
not disabled in pensionable degree un-
der the act OF June %, 1890, although
under the general law he would be emit.
tied to ere month. Who can explain
this?
have another Gaze Of a man So years
old, palsied and disabled In both feet.
tie was granted pension of el2 a
month under act June u. 1880, nearly
three years ago. Now his pension has
been suspended, and he has been or
dered to lonia for denomination. Few
men So years old are able To earn sup
port. especially il they have had stroke
OF paralysis IL this old man is not en-
titled to q pension under the new law,
not a man in the United States isL IL
bis pension is cut OF / will carry the
case to the United States supreme court
that it may be made test case. The
law provides that his pension shall con-
time during the existence Of his disa-
bility. is it very likely that a man. 81
years old. viii improve in his ability to
support himself as he grows olderf
1 have another case where a man 10
disease Of kidneys" His ph, stefan
declared under oath that he was in the
last stages Of Bright's disease. and that
be required an attendant day aud night
The Law says he is entitled 10 ss2 a
month, yet his application for an IN.
crease was rejected on the ground that
sl0 was getting all he is entitled 10.
To my mind there is neither sense jus
tice or law IN cases like these. These
are but samples 81 many. Such rulings
cannot stand. II the City third con
gress does not override such gross
abuses the Fifty fourth congress
certainly will. for II such rulings con
tnue the democratic party viii not be
VI poueE again during the next Fifty
years.
We must accept one II two dilemmss
Either tbs republican administration,
by It's gross incompete1cy. defrauded
the g0yefumcnt by granting unlawful
pensions or the democratic administra-
tlon - eitiFaudlng the ex soldier by TAX
ing his peusion from him. IS the pen
sion laws have not been changed. The
cx soldier. q course. has some decided
opinions % % vhich dilemma We should
accept. ssa sc must confess that be
has some strong grounds upon which 10
base bis opinion.
CHsstxs n. Crises.