River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-11-02
RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 1898

the adjndicating divisions of the Pen.
sion Office, acting under the direction
and supervision of the Commissioner
of Pensions and Secretary of the In
terror, are tribunals established by
authority of law for the settlement of
pension claims, and that their decisions
are entitled to full faith and credit,
and cannot be legally impeached when
change of administration occurs, ex-
cept for fraud, upon charges preferred
and evidence adduced in support there.
of. We insist that where changes are
made in the construction of the law,
rules of evidence and schedule of
ratings. unfayorable to claimants, they
must and should lie limited in their
operation 10 the future work of the
office, and not the past. An &c post
facto regulation is as repugnant to our
sense of justice as an e.r post fdcto law,
and we protest against the adoption
and enforcement of any such regula-
tions in the matter of pension claims.
THEREFORE,, The Grand Army OF the
Republic, i'll National Encampment as
sem bled, speaking for that great army
of beloved comrades, many of them
too poor, too bruised, too broken, to
withstand the strong arm of the
government when s1ioiuis'ared with
an unfIiendly hand, proud of the good
name and fair fame of the American
Volunteer Soldier, interested far be-
yond any other person or organization
that the pension roll shall in truth ana
In fact be-what it is in theory-a
roll of honor" and ever mindful of
it's cardinal principle, ITO preserve
honor and purity in public affairs, -
scouts and denies These indiscriminate
charges of universal fraud and resents
the inputation that because some un-
worthy survivor may be found, that
discredit shall be cast upon the entire
roll, and this great bo1y of brave and
patriotic citizens shall stand disgraced
before the country. We demand, that
there shall be no backward step in pen
sion legislation or administration; that
no pensioner shall be deprived of bis
property without due process of law;
that the presumption shall be in favor
of honesty and fair dealing; that the
poor and lowly shall not be put TO I'M
necessary, expensive or oppressive
process To preserve their meagre pit
tances; that the sacred trust in favor of
those who "have borne the battle shall
be sacredly observed AID sacredly ad.
ministered; and we dc "ow solemnly
and deliberately
Resoire, That the Grand Army of
the Republic looks with solicitude,
not to say alarm, upon the PROPOSE
ton, that after sufficient tribunals
have been established by law before
which questions have been presented
and adjudicated, upon evidence sub
mitted and examined, and upon which
a greatful nation has accorded pensions
in this their hour of need to those who
in its hour of need stood between it
and death, the officers OF that nation,
administering a public trust, have
arbitrarily deprived, without notice OF
an opportunity TO be heard, our needy
and distressed comrades of the rights
thus solemnly adjudgeG and confined
To them.
WE DECLARE, That every presump.
tion should be made in favor of such
records so made; that no presumption
of fraud shall be INDUCED in against
them, and that no change be made in
the pensions so accorded until after
charges have been made and evidence
in support thereof has been produced
of which charge eact, pefsioner has
had full notice aud a fun aud complete
portunity to be heard in support of the
pension SO accorded to him; and it is
further
Rescued. That as the Commissioner
of Pensions, by his recent Withdrawals
of the obnoxious rulings which had
been so generally condemned, has
virtually acknowledged the Incorrect
ness of such rulings, we deem it his
further duty to at once restore to the
rolls the thousands of pensioners now
standing illegally suspended.
/ n. WALKER
A NJ. WARNER,
j w. Burst,
A. r GREENE,
Ii 4. TAINT0R,
Committee on Pensions.