The Indianapolis journal., 1893-12-13
PENSION SUSPENSIONS
G. A. II. Commander Adams's Re-
plies to President Cleveland.
The Latter's Sweeping Charges of
Fraud, and Orders, Through Secre-
tary Hoke Smith, Unwarranted.

NEW YORK. Dec. 1.-THE Tribune says:
Commander-in-chief John G. i. Adams has
issued a circular letter in reply 10 Pres
ident Cleveland's sweeping statements about
pensions I'm his message TO Congress last
week After referring to the suspension OF
1850 pensions during the period between
March and June 80 1898. mainly because
the papers on file in the Pension Bureau
do not show that the soldier dropped cannot
earn living by manual labor, or the widow
has not proved satisfactorily that her hus-
band. killed I'm battle. was a naturalized
citizen. the President said:
THE discovery having been made that
many names had been put upon the pension
Tolls by the means OF wholesale ana 81,
6aVments n ,ne - ,o1s pTbich
seemed to be fraudulent or unauthorized.
pending a complete examination. giving no.
uce TO the pensioners in order that they
might have an opportunity 10 establish. il
possible. the justice of their claims not
am unable TO understand why frauds I'm the
pension rolls should not be exposed and
corrected with thoroughness and vigor. Ev-
cry name fraudulently upon these rolls is a
wicked imposition upon the kindly senti-
ment in which pensions have their origin;
every fraudulent pensioner has become a
bad citizen; every false oath In support OF
a pension has made perjury more common.
and false and undeserving pensioners rob
the people not only OF their money. but or
the patriotic sentiment which the survivors
of the war who fought for the preserva-
ton OF the Union, ought 10 inspire Thou
sands of neighborhoods have their we'll
known fraudulent pensioners, and recent de-
yelopments by the bureau establish appail-
ing conspiracies to accomplish pension
frauds"
Several months have passed since charges
similar to these were circulated over the
country, and a general alarm sent out TO
watch for fraudulent pensioners Up to date
not a bakers dozen of such cases have been
discovered and made public. The percentage
of fraud is insignificant when it is remen-
bered that the pension rolls contain over
900, 900 names, OF which nearly 100000 are
there because of wounds and disability in
Cured in the war. The Commander-in-
chiefs response to Mr.. Cleveland is plain.
straightforward, manly and patriotic, and
will be applauded by loyal citizens OF all
parties and creeds. He says:
Whereas, the President of the United
States, in his message 10 Congress, has
stated that thousands of neighborhoods
have their well-known fraudulent pension
ers, and as the mission OF the grand Army
of the Republic is TO encourage honor and
purity i'm public affairs i, therefore, call
the attention of all the comrades, posts
and departments of our order 10 the state
ment of the President and urge them TO
report to the honorable Commissioners OF
Pensions, Washington, d. T., any person
justly entitled to the same under the Law,
and to forward a duplicate of said report
to these headquarters at once. Let the cases
of fraud be proven, not implied.
THE information that comes TO these
HEADQUARTERS daily of comrades totally dis
abled whose pensions have been suspended,
and of widows whose husbands We're Killed
in battle being suspended until they can
prove that their husbands were naturalized
citizens of the United States, leads the COM
mander-in-chief to believe that the state
ment is broader than can be substantiated
by facts If these wrongs actually exist,
the commander-in-chief pledges the sup
port of the Grand Army of the Republic TO
those who attempt in the line OF duty, TO
rectify these wrongs, assuring them that
the Union veterans are as anxious TO guard
the treasury of the Nation I'm time of peace
as they were to defend its flag In time or