The National tribune., 1893-10-12

ures were furnished tbespress and were tel

ures were furnished tbespress and were tele-
grapbed over the entireocouutry:
A statement prepared al the Pension Office shows
that between March 4. ls9S aud Aug. 20, 1893 the
total number OF pensions of all classes granted
under general law was 20 800 and under the act OF
June p, 1890, the total WIS "a. S5l.
Elijah the Prophet of Israel, in the hour of
supreme encouragement, heard still, small
voice that brought to him the encouraging
news yet i have left ME seven thousand in
Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed
to Baal, and every mouth which hath not
kissed him." So in this day of sorrow and
encouragement for the onion soldiers. they
still have friends in the Pension Bureau, and
on the same day that the above notice was
given to the press / received a letter from an
employe in the Pension Bureau, whose conf
dence l would seal with my blood if need be,
in which he informs me 1that percentage of
the pensions claimed to be allowed in the state
ment above are issued to dead men in order to
swell the list, and that the policy of the De-
partment is to learn through its secret agents
of applicants who have died, and to issue PEN
sions to such. The truth of this charge do
not assert and no not know, but II true these
pensions issued to dead men, of course, cost the
Government little or nothing, and under ex-
listing ruling not even funeral expenses can be
paid out of accrued pension, which might be
due the deceased under the act of June p,
1890.
Mr.. Speaker, here and now challenge the
Commissioner of Pensions to inform Congress
and the country Of the number of soldiers
deceased to whom pensions have been issued
after their decease, since he took the office.
1t must be borne in mind that the statistics
of pensions issued noted above included more
than a month of Gen. Raum's admin istration,
since the 4th of March; and, knowing what
was coming, and the Presidents hostility to
the soldiers, | have not the slightest doubt that
H. tr,Ak ~
soldier, Gen. Green B. Raum, worked the PEN
sion Bureau for all it was worth.
The present Commissioner of Pensions felt
aggrIeved at recent statement OF mine to the
effect that / believed that ten pensions were
being cancelled to every one that was being
issued. l challenge him to inform Congress
and the country what the exact ratio is.
From many letters that have received from
every part of the country since the Commits
sioner saw fit to give my correspondence with
him to tho press, / am assured that have got
the proportion far too low.
From a most excellent article upon this SUBJ
ject. which was printed in this city, in the
Erening NeUs, Aug. 8, by Patrick OFerrell,
quote the following paragraph, which is ger
manc and pertinent to this discussion:
The question at issue is. Can the present Ad-
minisration review, revise and nulify the acts of
their predecessors simply for the reason that their
construction OF the law was too liberal?
President Harrison did great many things
which President Cleveland wosId not have done
had he been in office President Cleveland would
probably have vetoed the act under discussion but
does he for moment attempt to revise review
the acts of his predecessor? No. Congress only
can do that. The Secretary of the Interior under
takes to do that which the President of the United
States dare not attempt without the risk of inn
parchment.
In an able speech in the Senate OF tho United
States Sept. 4, Senator Gallinger, of New Hamp-
shire, reviews in an able and exhaustive man
nar the LEGAL qsnect of the COM
duct in suspending pensions.
And the honorable Senator shows in the most
conclusive manner that the action of the Com
missioner of Pensions and the Secretary of the
Interior in suspending pensions in the absence
of any evidence of fraud, and even then with
out a hearing on the part Of the pensioners is
entirely outside of the law and clearly illegal
And certainly these officers should be called
to an account before some tribunal for over
riding the laws of the United States and con-
tempt for this coordinate branch of the Gov
eminent.
The honorable Senator also shows in the most
conclusive manner, by presidents, THAT a
head of a Department has not right to review
the decisions of his predecessors"
The only case in which the Commissioner is
allowed under the law to suspend pension is
found in section APO, Revised Statutes, which
authorizes the Commissioner, upon satisfactory
evidence that fraud was perpetrated in obtain
Il
ment thereon until the propriety of repeating
the same can be considered by Congress.
1t will be observed that this provision is
limited to special acts of Congress where fraud
was perpetrated, after satisfactory evidence has
been obtained, and then only until Congress
can consider tho propricty OF repeal.
/ desire TO call the attention Of Congress and
the country to the fact that, notwithstanding
the modified order in regard to the suspension
of pensions. tho work of suspending pensions
goes merrily on, and every mail brings me
tldings of some poor fellow who has had his
pension suspended and who is ordered to re-
establish his claim, which has already been
adjudcated and finally decided, as he thought.
take this method TO caution the soldiers of
the country against these secret spies of the
Pension Bureau who approach them in the
garb of friends, with view to get from them
some information that may be prctext for
suspending their pension.
Such contemplate methods ere beneath the
dignity Of great Department of the Govern
ment and am sure cannot receive the ndorse-
ment of Congress and the country.
| say, the attention of the country should be
called TO the matter of secret agents or spies of
the Pension Bureau that are now doing the
dirty work of travelling around the county, in
terviewing the soldiers, engaging them in con-
versation, and examining their papers with
view to manufacture some evidence to rob
them of the little pittance allowed them by the
Government under the guise Of detecting
fraud
Mr.. Chairman, have not the slightest doubt
but when the loyal and patriotic people of this
country heard from in the coming election
they will rebuke the Administration for its
unkind, unjust, and unpatriotic conduct toward
these defenders of the flag, and toward the men
who sprung to the defense of the country when
the life Of the Nation hung trembling in the
balance, and who saved US. a Nation among the
nations of the earth.
Hero the hammer fell.
Senator Stanford's Estate.
Cenator CtanFordjS pryato Gorratnr, Foul,