Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-05-19
A PAIR STATEMENT Or Tue PENSION
CONTROVERSY.

II the commissioner Of pensions
we're an autocrst, who could recon
stsuct the acts of congress upon which
She present system rests and who could
revise the rolls ad libitum and strike of
the names Of hundreds Of thousands OF
present benehcIsries, he would be In
somewhat the position that an expec-
tant public SEEMS to consider Judge
William Lochrep, Of Minneapolis, "a
have entered upon says the May num-
her Of the Review Of Reviews. Auto
cracy is not our American method; but
II would certainly be great relief II
Judge Lochren could be given absolute
and final power 10 resdjust both the
law and the administration Of our pen
sion system. The theoretical pri0ci-
pies involved are just now Ia very
active dispute. Few men whose word'
carry weight are opposed TO the gener-
0us pensioning of All plainly deseryin,
cases. A wise revision OF the law
would probably increase the amount,
paid to some classes Of veterans, seri.
ousIy ana permanently disabled rs
result Of service rendered their country.
Other CLASSES sub-classes-
probably be rejected altogether. Blu
there IL less reason to complain Of tn
system as set forth In existing statues,
than Of that lax administration Of tn,
laws which has admitted to the roll.
many persons not fairly entitled to pub
lie support. 1t is very easy to state tn.
case too harshly, and tc censure
honest and patriotic men as II they
were rogues. Moreover, much has
been said and written In amplificatioU
Of the so-called scandalous pension
abuses by men grossly ignorant OF the
whole subject. But when all this IL
conceded, the very face Of the situation
reveals dIsproportion and All abnormai
tendency. We have admitted to the
roll since the outbreak of the war nearly |
= million and half of pensioners, OF
whom net far from million survive to
this day and are public benefic;aries. or
those now on the list, more than half
have been added since the Inauguration
Of Mr.. Harrison In 1889. Until 1880,
yearly disbursements for pensions had
never reached SIS, 600, 900. In 1883 a..
col year, they approached s00OO, 900.
In 1892 they exceeded $I4O. .O0O, 900. Ex.
Isting requirements can hardly be- met
with less than $l75, 1000, 900, and II IL
Ioreseen that $500, 900, 900 annually will
very soon be needed. The act of 1890
admitted to relief any surviving Union
,oldler who had grown disabled ano
needy, providing their physical
disabilities were In any way trace
lble TO their service In the
army. II was policy about
which men honestly differed. Som,
men believed that II was fair aud wise
y well ~ broad aud generous, and tina,
: would have the approving verdict Of
uture generations. Other men saw In
only mad extravaganza, at the dicta-
Ion Of greedy claim agents, organized
'pension-grabbers," and demagogue
politicians. There were two tenable
'olnts Of view, 10 utterly unlike that u
tatssman might honestly have taken
ither side Of the contention. But
when II comes to the concrete admin-
stration Of the laws, II ought to be ,
asy To agree that there should DO tht
nost searching scrutlny used to keep
hs rolls clear Of perjuren aud frauds. 1t
Imply remains 10 be seen what can be
ons ~ this juncture. Judge Lochren's
ppointment IL ossn Ideal excellence.
he Republican legislature Of Minneso-
sndorsed II unanimously aud with |
nthuslasm. He served with eminent d
Alor In the war, and is Ia full sympa. Z
ay with the veterans. hut he 10 q q
'st judge, y firm administrators, and no
'ehsr for votes or popularity. Party u
cling on the pension has abated much. a
be time 10 ripe for Its treatment on o
onpartisAu, reasonable lines. Judge s.
ochren's management Of the ofiiee II
III have begun with n prestige not
Iuailed by that OF any Of his predeces- !,
N. Daily Astorlan. ),