St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-06-10
The Pension Frauds.

| n. ". STATES.
| Secretary Smiths recent pension dc.
cision, which knocks out the celebrated
Busy Raum order No. 1G4, has been
heartily applauded by the whole cOun-
| try, and the Secretary is receiving from
the north letters complimeDting him for
| the clearness and business of bis decl-
sion. Order 1854 overrode an act of Con
gress Of 1890, because it was the desire
| of Raum and Busy to open a free way
| for a pension raid on the treasury. The
act of Congress of 1890 granted the right
of pension. for disability incurred since
the close of the war, provided the disa-
ability was of such character as to pre-
vent the applicant from making a living
by manual labor. 1t was discovered by
Secretary Smith that under Raum's con-
struction of the law, as set forth in Or
der 1874 pensions had been granted for
"slight Deafness" and another case
showed that man was drawing pen
sion of $12 a month who had cOrns Oh
his feet. Secretary Smiths decision de-
clares such pensions to be illegal, and it
will be the means of reducing the
amount paid annually for pensions fully
$4,000 900 to $20,000,0O0.
The decision OF the Secretary will of
course raise a storm among the author
itiCo VI lIio Otauu AL NY VI GlC ACpuUllCs
and the Repu blican organs will endeav-
or to make the country believe that ha-
tired for the Northern soldier prompted
it, but the good sense Of the people will
not permit them to be deceived by such
claptrap. They realize that the decision
has exposed the outrageous manner in
which Raum and Busy aided and abet-
ted the raiding of the treasury aud that
these two men are nothiLg more than
common swindlers who Would now he
in Jail had they held ofh;.e under any
European government aDQ been 80 I'M
faithful to their trust. Now, that evil
dence has been laid before the Ameri-
can people showing beyond the shadow
OF doubt that gross pension frauds
have been committed, they will demand
more earnestly than ever that the pen
sion list be. thoroughly revised and the
names Of those not entitled to pension
stricken from it, and they will expect
Secretary Smith to do this work fear
lessly and justly. There was time
when the Democrats in Congress were
afraid that great injury would be done
their party if they raised their voices
against the pension abuses, but since
then there has been a great change in
public sentiment. The people know
that the pension roll to-day is not roll
OF honor, but that it is disgrace to the
country and to all honorable Union SOL
dlers, because as General Black declar-
ed tue other day it has been polluted
with the names of impostors, towards
and deserters. 1t is the duty of the pres
ent administration to purge the roll and
honest men of all political parties will
applaud the administration when that
duty is discharged to the best of its abil-
ity.
Secretary Smith has reorganized tho
pension Office and it is safe to say that
tue work OF eliminating FROM the rolls
tue deadbeats to whom Raum and Bus
sey under the famous and Infamous Or
der No. 1874, granted pensions for the
most trivial reasons will soon begin. The
names OF these impostors will have to
go no matter how great a clamor the
Grand Army of the Republic, which has
astonlshed the entire country by defend
ing the frauds, may see fit to raise, or
how bitterly its high officials may as
sail the character of the men who have
discovered and exposed the manner in
Whlch the government has been swim |
died. The roll will be purged until it
Indeed becomes a roll of honor, but not |
q single soldier who is entitled to pen
sion will be dropped.
Secretary Smith has begun the work |
we'll. His first decision has aroused the |
country to the enormity of the pension
abuses, and commanded the hearty an
prevail of the people. Now let him push
lis investigation with energy and de-