The state chronicle., 1893-06-13
PENSION FRAUDS.

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party has been-that it alone con-
,tituted the people of this country,
that it alone should be the reposi-
tory of power, and indeed that it
was the government In its view,
whatever could be turned to the !
advantage of that party was a pa
triotic work, no matter what other
elements were involved. Thus the
pensions have been regarded as a
legitimate means to strengthen that
party among the people and have
been 30 used without compunctions
of conscience. Realizing this, on
the incoming of the present admin
istration we suggested that the pen
sion bureau should be put in COM
mission, that each individual case
should be reopened and examined
for fraud, and only those entitled
to be on the honor roll OF the Union
should be allowed to draw money
from the public treasury. OF late
many developments Of Importance
have been made Strengthening
the view we have expressed, but
by far the most important is a let
ter addressed to the President by
J. NJ. Burnett, former employee of
the Pension Bureau. Of this the
New York Times editorially says {:
The value of Burnett's testimony
lies in his citing actual cases, and
testifying from absolute personal
knowledge. After having been years
in the service of the Pension Bu-
reau as clerk, special examiner, and
reviewer of field work, he finally
gave up his place rather than be
longer party to the fraud and ex-
travagance that saturated the ad-
ministration of the bureau. Before
taking this course he gathered to-
gether facts sufficient to justify it,
and to enable him to reveal what
had been going on about him when.
ever the administration might be-
come friendly to efforts at reform.
It appears very clearly from this
revelation that the policy of the las'
administration was to put as many
names as possible upon the pension
rolls, and to scatter from th'
Treasury of the United States al
much money as possible amons
claimants for pensions. This seem
to have been the deliberate purpos'
of Gen. Raum, and it must hav
J been in pursuance of an understood
policy of his superiors. It was evi
dently part and parcel of part
7 policy, which included at once th
, buying up of the soldier vote" an
the dissipation Of the revenues 0
the country so that reform of th
tariff would be difficult if not i'm
possible. It was in keeping wit
. the whole spirit of the Fifty-frs
Congress-, which passed the McKir
!, ley tariff, the Sherman silver pul
q chase act, and the disability pensio
act
Mr.. Burnett's cases are merel
samples, and represent thousand
9 upon thousands. They show tbs
0 pensions were granted for disabilit
n where no proof of disability Wa
furnished and in the face of advers
J. reports from the examiners. Dis.
h bilities were sought after and mas
q nifed and multiplied, and allowe
for in spite of certificates that the
!, were not pensionable. Disabilitie
= were credited to service which wei
:, proved to have had their origin b.
Y fore enlistment or long after di
= charge. The record of "desertior
! was changed to honorable di
g charge" in thousands Of cases, an
q pensions were granted to "boun,
3 Jumpers" and sneaks. Evident
q shown to be forged or fraudule1
was accepted, and the proviso of tt
law regarding disabilities caused
the applicants own vicious habi
d was practically ignored. The pei
d sion rolls are befouled with tt
), names of hundreds of men who r
. ceive the bounty Of the governmel
% on account of loathsome diseas,
y due to their own vices.
le In short, it was impressed upe
d the force of the Pension Burea
!. from the Commissioner through 6
- the grades, that the object was n
= :; careful scrutiny, strict compliant
:. !. with the law, and the protection
10 10 the public Treasury from fraud ar
y extravaganza, but the passing of
=, many claims as possible in tt
70 70 speediest fashion. If examine
W we're disposed to be scrupulo
they were overruled, but for Il
most part they were induced to co
y form to the expectations and r
:, quirements of their superior OF
y. GERS. The action of Congress
- - providing for pensions has be,
- lavish, but the conduct of the Pc
~ ~ sion Bureau under Commi sion
~. Raum was Infamous in it's rockies
- ness, and it is costisg the Cover
~ ~ ment probably not less than $5'
- - 100000 year.
q,