The National tribune., 1893-10-12
THE PENSION BUREAU.
Speech of Hon. Elijah A. Morse, of Massa-
chusetts, in the House of Representa-

THE PENSION BUREAU.
chusetts, in the House of Representa-
tives.
Mr. CHAIRMAN: The House now has under
consideration an appropriation bill, providing
for expenditures for public printing desire
to avail myself of the latitude allowed in the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of
the Union to consider the expenditures in
another Department of the Government, i. e.
in the Pension Bureau.
/ shall avail myself of the privilege accorded
members to supplement what ! may be able to
say in the limited time at ny disposal by print
ing in connection with my remarks some ex-
tracts and newspaper clippings in support of
the same, without taking the time of the House
to read them, i know the Committee on
Printing is anxious to proceed with this bill.
Mr.. Chairman, the country is here and now
confronted by condition of things in one
great Department OF the Government, !. e., the
Pension Bureau, without precedent in the his.
tory of the country.
The makers of the Constitution under which
we live, it seems to me, wisely ordained that
there should he three distinct departments to
the Government, Executive, Judicial and Legs-
lative, and that neither one of these departments
should interfere with the duties or preroga-
tives of the other.
On the 9th day of June, 1890, President
Harrison approved an act of Congress COM
monty known as the disability bill" Prior to
the passage of that act, soldier in order to be
entitled to pension must not only have got the
disability in the army in active service, but he
must prove that he got it in the service.
Thousands of this class heretofore scorning
aims or assistance from the Government that
they helped to save, found themselves with
advancing years to be incapacitsted from earn
ing support in consequence of wounds or
army service.
Another class of soldiers have since become
incapacitated from earning a support by disa-
bilities or accident contracted since their serv-
ice in the army.
The 51st Congress passed the disability
bill to meet these two classes of cases, to the
end that no man who served his country should
beg bread or die in the almshouse.
The former Commissioner of Pensions, Gen.
Green b. Raum, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Interior, issued orders known
as Order No. 164, as follows:
That all claimants under TIE net of June 81, $780,
showing mental or physical disabilities of perma
raent character not the result OF their own vicious
habits. and which inca pacitates them for the per-
Torrance of manual labor, rendering them unable
To support in such degree ns would be rated
under former laws at above sc, and As less than
SIP per month shall be rated the same as like
disabilities of service origin; and that all
showing peusionable disability which is of service
origin would be rated at above Sl2 per month,
(Sgned) GREEN b. RAUM.
Approved: CYRUS BUssEY. Assistant Secretary
Under this construction of the law and most
undoubtedly with the approval of the country,
numerous pensions were issued, ranging from
Sc to $i2 per mouth to the numerous class that
have before described.
This pension money, under the provisions of
the Mckinley tariff bill, is taken from the
wealthiest of our people, in the form of duties
luy ria oh CT
of broadcloth etc, and paid to the poorest of
our people, is not boarded, but goes immedi-
ately into circulation to buy necessities.
This policy was continued Tor fully month
after the Administration came into power. and
before the successor of Gen. Raum was agreed
upon, but with the entrance Of Judge Lochren
to that Office an entire change comes over the
spirit of the dream and the before men toned
order of procedure and construction of the law
is cancelled and the following order issued in
its place:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR May %, 1893
To THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS: Order No.
I6i. signed by Green b. Raum. Commissioner of
Pensions. aud approved by Cyrus Bussey, Assist
ant Secretary of the Interior. Of date of Oct 10,
1880, Is hereby revoked. You will prepare for the
approval of the Secretary Few rules covering the
proof Of the right to pensions and the rate OF same,
etc. You will have All examination made TO de-
termine what pensions have been allowed under
Section of the of June q, 1890, in disregard OF
the terms of said act and in conflict with the rul-
iugs of this Department in the Of Charles T.
Respectfully, HoKE SMITH,
Secretary.
And, mind you. this order is not made to
apply to future cases, but it is retroactive, and
we have here the astonishing spectacle of the
pre- sent Comm issioner of Pensions. reviewing
the acts OF his predecessor, canceling or sus-
pending thousands OF claims which have al
ready been adjudicated and settled.
And mind you. this without any charge of
fraud or dishonesty On the part of the pension
ers, aud extending over a period OF three
years.
This order Of the Honorable Secretary Of the
Interior su5pends the regular and legitimate
work Of the clerks at the Pension Office exam
ming applications, and directs the re-examina-
ton OF 100000 claims more that have been
adjudica;ed by his predecessor.
Ia other words the Commissioner OF PEN
sions. with the approval of the Honorable Sec
rotary of the Interior, proposes to undo and
override the act OF Congress approved June "a,
1890, aud assume legislative as well as judicial
functions.
Mr. Speaker. you have only to examine the
mail OF any Congressman from any Northern
State to see that the whole country is crying
out with indignation at THIS outrage to the de-
Tenders of the flag.
By what authority does the Commissioner of
Pensions suspend thousands of pensions, issued
by his predecessor, without the slightest evil
dence of wrongdoing on the part of the PEN
soncr. and demand that these men shall brace
their claiUls with additional evidence?
The evidence upon which their pensions were
procured three years ago. much of it is impos-
sibe to duplicate now; the witnesses are dying
and dead.
1t seems that n very large part Of the force of
the Pension Bureau has been turned from
legitimate business of examining pending pen
sion eases to the business of re.examining
300 900 pensions already granted.
desire, Mr.. Speaker, to call attention 10 the
fact that the act of june q, 1890, has graded
scale of PENSIONS Sc being the minimum and
$l2 the maximum. viii not the Commissioner
of Pensions tell us IF his present decision is
correct, that man must be totally incapaci-
tated from manual labor in order 10 be entitled
to pension under that actJ what use there is
for this scale, which Congress intended to be
adjusted to the amount of his disability?
In the act of Congress referred to the words
" total disability" do not occur.
1t is outrageous and absurd to say that the
loss Of an eye, as in the case of Rollins, of Cam
pello or another like disability which partially
mpairs a mans ability TO earn n livelihood. is
not pensionable under the act of June 81, 1890,
at some point upon the sliding scale fixed by
that act.
desire to call the attention of Congress and
the country to some Of the items which are
furnished the Associated Press by the Pension