The National tribune., 1893-06-22
OUR PROPOSITION.
The Buffalo Express says, editorally:
TIRE WAY 70 REBORN

THE WAY TO REFORM.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE the organ of the q. Ak,
| addresses open letter to Pension Commissioner
Lochren suggesting method of investigating the
penson-roll Ii proposes that he take l.oO0 or z0Oo
consecutive cases passed upon by Commissioner
Black and an equal number passed upon by Com
missioner RaunI, and subject them to the closest
scrutiny. 1t argues that II the investigation
shows the existence of widespread fraud. the
country will give hearty support to your reforms,
and Congress will furnish you abundant power and
means TO purge the pension-iist from top to bot
tom. II, the other hand it shall show, as we
firmly believe it will, that the Pension Bureau has
been honestly and carefully administered, and the
men who the roll there by absolute
right, then the country viii insist that Congress
provide you with abundant means TO carry on the
good work to a prompt conclusion"
The plan is a good one. but why should the
Commissioner confne his examination 10 ZOO or
1000 cases? Why should he not overhaul the en-
lire pension-roll? The work is not beyond his
ability. That is what must be done to secure
honest pension reform. Let the public know who
the dishonest pensioners are, and how many. Let
the roll OF honor be purged of their names. III
there should be found but few all the better.
There ought not to be one There have been
enough vague charges. Let US have facts.
We are entirely willing that Commits
sioner Lochren shall go through the list in
the way we have outlined. In fact, we
should be glad to have him do so. But
this would be an enormous work, and re-
quire the entire force of The Pension Bureau
for years, to the exclusion of other work.
What we want nOw-at once-immediate-
ly-is some authoritative showing that will
indicate to the public the nature of the
pension-roll, as whole.
The people at large want some exact
official information as to the general nature
of the allowances, the services rendered by
the men to whom those allowances have
been made, the evidences as to service which
have been exacted by the Pension Bureau,
and the disabilities for which the pensions
have been granted. All this can be shown
10 public satisfaction, in the way we have
indicated, by a days work of the present
force of the Pension Bureau.
Next week.-Mrs. week, if you choose
Commissioner Locbren, if he wills, can pre-
sent showing to the public which will end
all this discussion, by satisfying the people
that either their money has been properly
paid ont to deserving men, who richly
earned the modest sums they receive, or
else squandered on worthless wretches who
rendered the country no service whatever.
Then we shall have sure, rocklike basis
upon which to consider pensions. If the
showing shall demonstrate that the Nations
money is worthily bestowed, the people will
not object to any amount that may be asked
for, for pensions If on the other hand, it
shall show that the allegations of the pen
sion-haters are true, then nobody will sup
port reform more earnestly than the vet
Grams and the sons of veterans
While we think that 1000 or 1000 cases
will be sufficient to show these facts clearly,
we are not strenuous as to any particular
number. Let as many be taken as will give
a satisfactory character of the whole. But
we are strenuous that they be taken con-
secutiUely, that there be no picking and sort
ing, so as TO make case one way or another,
and that an equal number be taken from
Republican and Democratic Administrations,
so as 10 avoid any partisanship in the matter.
Nor do we intend that this shall end all
investigation into the pension system. Let
the investigation go on all the same We
have constantly in all these years urged the
fullest investigation of all matters connected
with the granting of pensions. But we have
insisted that this investigation should be
full, fair, and non-partisan. We have OPP
posed er-parte investigations, made simply to
get materials with which to attack the sys-
tenn or its officers, and On this ground we
stand as firmly as ever.