The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-26
Letter from Mr.. Lochren to Mr.. Mercer
in Which Only Part of the Informa-
ton Sought Was Given.
JUDGE WAUGH'S RESOLUTION
Indiana Democrats Still Quarrel.
ing Over Spells of Office
Bynum and the Surveyorship-State
Committee Working for Herff-ROw
in the Fort Wayne District.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-Representative
Mercer, OF Nebraska, has succeeded in Sc
curing, through private means. the infor-
nation which he sought some time ago.
by resolution in the House. respecting
special examiners for the Pension Bureau,
which Mr. Martin, Of Indiana, chairman of
the committee invalid pensions kept
from him directly. 1t will be recalled, as
mentioned at the time by n Journal dis
patch, that Mr. Mercer sought to learn by
resolution how many special examiners are
now in the field and how many were in the
Held twelve months ago. under a Repub-
Hcan administration. Mr.. Martin objected
to the resolution because 1t also asked for
copies of the instructions which were issued
to the examiners, all OF whom are seeking
information upon which pensioners can be
dropped from the rolls. Mr.. Mercer adj
dressed a letter to the Commissioner of
Pensions on the 21st inst, calling for this
information, and he has received a reply
from acting Commissioner Murphy. The in
structions to examiners do not appear in
the reply, that part OF the inquiry being
passed over with the observation that they
are acting under the old instructions, but
the figures relating to the number of ex-
gre important, as they show that in the
work or purging the pension rolls all the
examiners for which there is money to pay
nave been employed. The fact is not stated.
but 1T is known of record, that the Com
missioner of Pensions has asked that the
ners be nereased pom SS ePee to e eSa o
year. to enable the department to weed
out fraudulent pensioners"
me letter shows that there were upon
the pay rolls in September 2l6 special ex-
aminers and supervisors. against 152 a year
agooan increase 1rs of siSty-four. or about 10
TACT tnat the Pension Office, as well as
other branches of the government have
been cutting down the lists of employees i'm
the interest of economy" AS soon as the
new Commissioner of Pensions was an
pointed the special examiners roll began
Der last How many have been added since
that time Is not known. 1t will be doubled
II the additional appropriation for that pur-
pose Is secured-and it has been promised.
IL Is stated that special, probably verbal
instructions have been issued during the
past three months to the special exam
liners about securing "information'' upon
winch pensioners are to be dropped from
the rolls This fact, with the increase of
the examiners rolls, is why Chairman Mar
tin wanted to head off the call by the
House for the information asked for by
Mr.. Mercer.
1t was Judge Waugh and not Henry Il.
Johnson who introduced in the House. on
Monday last, joint resolution providing
that In cases where written charges or in
formation have been, may hereafter be
made by letter or otherwise, tending to de-
deat t, Ine ,i granting 9 OF pension, or TO the
upon any ground whatever. which are
deemed sufficient by the Pension Bureau to
warrant an investigation, the Commission
er of Pensions shall. before an investiga-
ton is made of such charges or inforna-
ton, furnish to the applicant or pensioner
as the case may be, a copy of such charges
or information together with the name of
the person or persons making the same
and such applicant or pensioner shall be
given an opportunity to be heard; and no
charges or information shall be considered
unless in writing and signed by the person.
or persons making the same.
The Journal special, by an error of the
writer. made it appear that it was Mr..
Johnson who introduced this resolution
when in fact. Ii was Judge Waugh The
Representative of the Sixth district knew
nothing about 1t until the resolution was
presented. Judge Waugh's resolution was
anticipated last week by a Journal special,
and it meets with great favor by all friends
OF pensions in Congress. Unless it is smoth-
cred in the committee on invalid pensions,
it will be speedily adopted. OF course, it
will meet with opposition upon the part of
the administration, especially Hoke Smith,
the arch enemy of pensions. Judge Waugh
stated to the Journal correspondent to-
night that. in justice to the invalid PEN
sions committee he ought to have added in
his observations, reported In last weeks
Journal, that il would be useless for the
pensions committee to report any pension
legislation, for the reason that the temper
OF the House is against all pension bills.
and none could pass. 1t might also be
added that If any pension bills were passed
the probabilities are that President Cleve-
land would veto all of them. Judge Waugh
is pressing a number of pension bills, how
ever, and intends to make the House show
cause why IL does not act. The resolution
described above and reported in last Tues
days Journal, is bringing Judge Waugh TO
the front as a leading exponent of pen
sions and he finds any number of support
ers among the Republicans, although very
few OF the Democrats will stand by him
In his work.