Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-12-17
PENSION COMMISSIONER LOCHREN
And the Present Administration
Upheld in Strong Speeches by
Democratic Members Of the
House = The Statements of
Lawrence T. Neale and w. A.
Taylor Cited by Republicans.

Speclal examiners, consumer Iuo ouLlIe
day in the House.
Under the lead Of Mr.. Cannon, an as
sault was made against Mr.. Cleveland's
pension policy, especially that portion
Of it which has resulted in the revoca-
tion Of order 164 aud the subsequent
suspension Of thousands of pensioners.
Mr.. Livingston, of Georgia, aud Mr..
Enloe, of Tennessee, defended the ad-
ministration, and Mr. Lacey, Of Iowa,
and Mr.. Morse, of Massachusetts, OPP
posed it.
Mr.. Breckenridge took the floor and
explained that the bill contained APP
propriations amounting to S1,651, ,s95,
the only item antagonized being this
appropriation of 100000 for special
pension examiners.
Touching this item for special exam
iners, Mr.. Cannon thought it was time
for Congress to examine into the man
ner in which the pension Office was be-
ing conducted. He referred to the
clause In the Presidents message, de-
clarlng that every neighborbood had
ITS FRAUDULENT PENSIONERS.
He reviewed the action OF the dapart-
ment in cutting off thousands Of pen
sioners. There had been much allega-
tion OF fraud, he said, but little of it
had materialized on cross-examinations.
Mr.. Livingston, of Georgia, replied
to Mr.. Cannon. The appropriation un-
der discussion, he said, was to provide
for field examiners of the pension Office.
Mr. Cannon had not challenged the pro-
priety Of justice of this appropriation.
He had occupied his time IN casting a
shadow over the administration OF the
pension office aDd in attacking Secre-
tary Smith and Commissioner Lochren
for revoking order 164.
A Democrat, North or South. was al
ways under suspicion when he criticised
pdnSions. Secretly Smith was South
ern man, but he had not been in the
Confederate army; Commissioner Loeb
rem had been soldier in the Union
army, and a gallant one; Mr.. Cleveland
had not been in the army, but he could
assure the House and tue country that
Justice was and would be done by these
distinguished men. Applications were
scrutniZed with care, as they should be.
No self-respectng man in the land
would believe that Mr.. Cleveland, Mr..
Smith or General Lochren in beating
the brush for fraud was actuated by
desire to deprive honest soldiers of
their pensions. 1t was true, however.
that the unworthy and undeserving
soldier would be
PROSECUTED VIGOROUSLY.
Messrs. Blair, Stone, OF Pennsylvania;
Pickler, Cannon and Bingham har-
rassed Mr.. Livingston at every STEP
and Mr.. Blair, of New Hampshire, de-
clared be did not object TO wedding out
fraud, but he did object to making that
pretext cloak for a deliberate conspir-
acy to deprive honest pensioners of
their pensions.
Mr.. Livingston replied that the sole
purpose Of the administration was to
purge the pension roles Of the names
luub NhNih'
Mr.. Lacey, of Iowa, followed Mr..
LivngtOn. In opening he read from
a recent interview with Lawrence T.
Neal, the author OF the tariff plank in
the Democratic platform. Ninety per
cent. of the Democratic disaffection,
Mr.. Neal said, should be charged TO
the course of The Pension office. for
which the administration at Washing
ton was directly responsible. Mr.
Lacey also read a memorial received
by Outhwaite, Of Ohio, from w. A.
Taylor, the recent Democratic candi-
date for Lieutenant-GOvernor, who
called for Congressional investigation
OF the "ridiculous. unlawful and unjust
policy inaugurated by the Pension Of
fee, that had resulted in the suspen-
sion OF 800 pensioners in Ohio.'
He then proceeded in bitter denuncia-
tion Of Commissioner Lochren and his
method.
MR.. ENLoE, OF TENNESSEE,
declared that the pension department
under this administration was the
greatest OF the government. 1t was
doing a noble work. He was surprised
at the line OF defense set up on the
other side. In the eye of the law they
(the Republicans we're the aceomplices
OF fraudulent pensioners. Because the
administration was investigating aud
publishing these cases Of fraud how
could honest men parade this before a
country as hostility to the deserving
pensioner?
Mr.. Euloe wanted every soldier in
this country entitled to pension TO
have IL and have all he was entitled TO,
but hs also wanted every soldier dis
honestly on the roll or drawing more
money than he was entitled 10 be taken
from the roll. He proceeded TO discuss
the result of the investigation Of the
pension Office. At Baltimore, it was
found that pension attorneys secured
the pension checks held them as pay
ment for money due and charged
AFEE FOR COLLECTING THEM.
At Norfolk a regular mill for the
manufacture Of pensions testimony was
unearthed. In New Mexico the most
astounding frauds were committed. A
similar condition of affairs existed in
the Indian territory and in certain
parts Of Iowa.
Mr. Morse, rep. Msss.,l closed the
debate for the day with vigorous as
sault on Mr.. Cleveland and Commits
sioner Loehren, after which the House
at $40 p. N. adjourned.