The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-07-19
a DrsrAHcH from Washington under

A DISPATCH from Washington under
date Of the I4th inst, says;
at Is learned that 300 pensioners
"hsee been suspended up TO date under
Secretary Hoke Smiths ruling requiring
@beneficiaries Of the act OF June y, 1890,
80 prove total disability where they are
drawing pensions Of So per month.
Let US examine this ruling Of MT. Sec
retary Hoke smith in the light Of the
lswas it stands Oh the Statute books Of
tfe United States:
Section !, of the law Of June p. 1890,
provides for the pensioning Of dependent
Parents. and Section .. which the Secre-
tary eonstrues as above, reads as follows /:
SIC. >. "That all persons who served
auinety DAYS OF more in the military or
q naval service Of the United States dur
s. ING the late war Of the rebellion and
a who have been honorably discharged
atherefr0m, and who are now or may
q hereafter be suffering from mental OF
physical disability, OF a permanent
" character. not the result OF their own
Is vicious habits. which iEcapacltates tlelh
from the performance OF manual tapoI
" in such a degree as TO render them una
- bic 70 earn a support, shall, upon max
"ing due proof Of the TACT according 10
. such rules and regulations a. the 'secTe-
tarv of the Interior may pro'loe, be
placed upon the list Of Invalid pension
- ers Of the United States, and oe emu
@tled to receive a pension not exceeding
" twelve dollars per month, and not less
than six dollars per month proportion
g ed TO the degree Of inability 10 earn
support"
See. provides for the pensioning oi
widows Of soldiers and their orphan chill
dren. and Sec. 4 for the fees Of attorneys
and agents. Now, under Whist line or
clause Of the section of the law above
quoted Is the Secretary authorized to de-
eide that the applicant must be totally
disabled before he Is entitled TO receive
Sl2 per month? The law provides for
different rates not to exceed Sl2 per
month. 1t was intended to assist disa-
bled veterans to secure a livelihood; but
to assume that they must be fatally disa-
bled is to assume that SIP per month IS
their sole support. How many men to-
tally disabled to earn anything by their
labor can subsist and clothe themselves,
outside the Poor House, on So per
month? This ruling of the Secretary IS
not in accordance with either the law or :
the dictates Of humanity.
Again, by what rule Of law or Of right
has this Secretary the power TO Suspend
the pensions Of those on the rolls, and
without rhyme or reason demand that
they shall again prove the validity Of
their claims? Presumably they estab-
lished, by proper legal evidence, their
rights before they were placed on the
rolls. and nov, because Mr.. HOke Smith
chooses to question their right, they, al
ter the lapse of years, are required 70
prove It all over again. What would our
property holders think If al the demand
Of any scalliwag, they could be called up
on. under the penalty Of losing their
lands and houses, 70 prove title TO the
same? The challenger must establish
his right and not depend upon the weak
ness Of the defendants title, and so by
every rule Of law must the Secretary
show cause, by sufficient proof, that
these soldiers are on the rolls Illegally,
before they can be deprived of their vest
ed rights. II they have been guilty Of
Illegal or fraudulent misreprt sentations,
produce the proof and summarily strike
them from the rolls, but prima ficis they
are legally on the rolls, and are entitled
to stay there until the contrary is shown.
But Mr.. Hoke Smith undertakes 10 con
vict them first on mere suspicion, pun
ish them by suspending their pensions,
and then graciously notifies them to
prove that they are not guilty.
Never before in the history Of this gov
ernment has so monstroas, 50 unjust, and
50 unreasonable a step been taken.