St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-30

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S.-As time pro-
crosses, and the pension policy OF the
administration is develoded, the storm
center of politics circles more and more
around that bureau. The pension office.
ever since the civil war caused its eX-
pansion to its present overshadowing
limits, has been peculiarly an object OF
| political assault and defense. The the
DRY of our government has always been
decidedly against any general system OF
| public pensiOns-such, at airy rate, as
are recognized by the English constitu-
ton. And yet, ever since the War OF
the Revolution, the plan has been fol-
| lowed of opening the public treasury to
wounded or disabled soldiers who gave
| honest service to the nation in time of
Its peril. In following the precedent
early established, the civil war with
its immense armies and hard service
has imposed extraordinary burdens
upon the public treasury, and large
number of taxpayers who have cast
! their fortunes with this country
since the war are now openly proclaim
| ing opposition to the system, while
other large numbers are insisting that
pensions shall only be given TO those
who have actually been disabled by
wounds or disease while doing service
i'll the field. Arrayed against these
TWO AGGRESSIVE CLASSES
there Is a great political party, equally
( aggressive, which demands the largest
| liberality in dealing with the men who
ventured life and health to perpetuate
| the U Mon. This political party has had
control of the government most of the
time since the war was inaugurated,
and it hardly needs proof to convince
the country that gigantic abuses have
| grown up around bureau which
dispenses such vast sums Of
money as are constantly being
paid out by the pension bureau.
During the former administration of
MIR. Cleveland the pension department
| proved to be the most vulnerable spot
in his armor, notwithstanding the fact
that patriotic Union veteran managed
its affairs. When entering upon his
second term, the president evidently
looked over the community with ex-
treme care before selecting man to
entrust this bureau to. The policy of
the administration was to be reform i'll
all expenditures, and here was the de-
partment that was annually swallowing
up countless millions of the public
money. Finally the choice was made.
and Judge William Lochren was asked
to take
UPON HIS SHOULDERS
| 1,a do, p ~,
Judge LochIen's military service was
highly honorable : even brilliant, as
everybody in Minnesota knows but
circumscribed. He had entered the
army at the first call for $4,000 men for
three months. as private soldier in the
First Minnesota volunteers. and during
his three years continuous service had
only arrived at the rank of captain. His
civil career had been laborious and use
full. if not brilliant. First hard7work-
ing lawyer, member of his state legisla-
ture, land finally district judge upon the
bench. But this does not tell the whole
story. Judge Lochren'S political ca
reer was hedged about by his party
affiliations. He lived in a city and state
ruled by large Republican majority,
while he himself was Democrat Of the
most pronounced type. Such official
position as came to him, therefore, was
unsought, and was given to him by the
consent of political enemies. His friends
delight to paint the political triumphs he
might have won by his known ability
and integrity had conditions been diff
ferent. The position of pension COM
missioner sought him. and 1t was many
days before ne could be brought to con
sent TO accept it. To undertake to per-
form any kind of public or private duty
is with Judge Lochren 10 strive to dis
charge all the functions of such position
with energy.
PRoBITY AND FIDELITY.
He is a man of convictions, and~ha
both the moral and physical courage
necessary to sustain him in the doing OF
anything that proclaims itself right to
him.
For years it has been fact potent to
all thinking men that corrupt practices
had crept into the pension system
Many undeserving soldiers were draw.
ing pensions to which they were moi
entitled. Many rascals who had never
performed days military duty-some
never having enlisted at all, and Others
serting at the first opportunity-were
receiving money for services never
| performed ana duties avoided
The corrupt efforts of deSignins
men were aided and ahated by
more corrupt pension agents, il
some localities, who invented scheme.
whereby they might by collision plum
der the national treasury. All this was
believed. and yet no commissioner had
ri
rem, made special efforts tt
circumveut the thieves and plumber
ers. With the judicial instinct up
permost,th new commissioner has sale
to his SubOrdinates: 1--WE will look TO
proof, ana when we have found it W.
will discontinue pensions obtained lille
gally or fraudulently." Naturally tht
first place to hunt for rascalitv is in til,
pension office itself. The files wer,
searched, and when the papers them
selves did not show a pensionable dsa
bility the pension has been suspended
and the pensioner notified what evi.
dence was lacking. An investigation
THOROUGH AND EXHAUSTIVE,
has been Instituted, and pensions hon
estly awarded are paid; those dishonest
ly given are permanently suspended.
Up TO this time more than 1900 pen
sionS have been temporarily suspended
most of them, it is claimed at the blu
reau, because the papers on thei
face do not show disabilitIe
to penSionable degree. 1t i
thought that more than two-thirds o
these will be reinstated when the fact
are examined into and new evidence
obtained. The recent order from TIL,
bureau deals more gently with the vet
erals. and places the burden OF proc
upon the goyernment-that is, it as
sumeS that the pensioner is entitled t,
his money, and compels the pension ex
amlnerS to make out a prima facie cas-,
that he is not.
Since the pension Office was estab
llshed it has been customary to suspend
} pensions pending examination int,
their legality. Every commissioner ha
| followed this rnle thnnph as there ia ",