The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-15
AFRAID OF OUR PROPOSITION.

AFRAID OF OUR PROPOSITION.
That inveterate soldier-hater. the Phila-
delphia Record, is desperately alarmed over
our proposition to make fair test of the
pension record. 1t has need to be, for such
an examination would give an emphatic
contradiction of the ISLANDERS with which its
columns have teemed. 1t says editorially:
In their frenzy of fear over the forthcoming reve
atons from the investigation of disability pensions
10 be made by the Pension Bureau, the pension
sharks have undertaken, through their organ nj
Washington, 10 divert the inquiry. They propose
that 500 or 1000 consecutive cases shall be taken
from the beginning of the second or third fiscal
year OF Gen. Blacks administration Of the Pension
Office and a like number of cases from the corre-
spending period of Gen. Raun1s term OF office, the
results of investigation in these few cases to be
taken as an indication of the soundncss or I'M
soundness of the entire pension system This alb
surd proposition is put in the form OF nm open
letter to "Comrade" William Lochren, Commits
missioner of Pensions; and he is urged by every
consideration Of fraternity, charity and Loyalty to
conform TO the wishes of the devisefs OF the
scheme.
The real object of the pension sharks, of course,
Secretary Smith into The work of the Pension Blu
under the disability pension clause of the act
of 1890. Under this act more than 100000 pension
applications have already been granted, carrying
An average annual payment of SI27 or S3s 100000
year in all. The investigation of these applications
will soon engage the attention OF the Pension
Office Examiners. aud from the first thousand
cases considered it is probable that fair estimate
may be made of the amount that has been wrong
ftail talya fi,a lia
famous. infamous. Order No. l64 of Assistant
Secretary Bussey.
1t would be moclxery of justice and an aband-
onment Of sonnd principles of Administration 10
turn aside at this Time from this important inquiry
TO compare and classify few selected applications
for invalid pensions. Doubtless the invalid pen
sions should and will receive attention in due time.
but the footing of the Treasury under shelter oil
the disability pension act must first be stopped.
This is another illustration of the old
lawyers advice to the younger one: "If you
have bad case, abuse the lawyer on the
other side" The Record tries to cover its
weakness by vituperation of THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE and those whom it says we repre-
sent This has absolutely nothing TO do
with the matter. The character of THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE, aud those who may
subscribe for and read it, are not in issue
The only question is whether our PROPOSE
ton is fair one, and whether it should be
adopted. The Record says it is absurd, but
is careful to give no reasons why it is so, fur
Their than that the number is too small. We
said that if 1000 or 1000 would
be too few, We were willing to take any
larger number that might be suggested.
The Record shrieks that we are trying to |
delay proper investigation by demanding |
that the Pension Bureau turn aside from |
this important inquiry to compare and |
classify few selected applications" How |
intensely silly! There are over 500 clerks |
in the Pension Bureau. A clerk who could |
not furnish ali the information that we |
specified about a case in a few hours would |
be a very poor clerk indeed. The whole |
l 900 cases-or 2G00-ought be finished in |
a day or two at M S. We have not asked |
for selected cases" and this the Record /
knows very well. We want above all things |
not 10 have selected cases, which would |
satisfy no one. We have emphatically in |
sisted that they be taken as they run, begin |
ming at some specified Time.
This is, beyond all caviI, the quickest, |
surest and fairest way to inform the coun-
try of the exact character Of the pension-rolL |
The 1000, 2,OOO-or 100000 if you will
cases taken from the fiias rs they run, will |
tell The nature of the whole mass as surely |
as few ounces taken from the center Of a |
barrel of -four will indicate the quality of |
The whole 196 pounds The Record betrays |
the fears of the pension-haters that this will |
be done. They dread the telling of the |
truth about, pensioners in an unauthoritative |
way. They want anything but the truth. |
We on the other hand have supreme con-
fidence In the outcome Of such investigation |
We want all the facts made pubic-without |
reserve, without fear, favor or affection. We !
can stand the truth, but our enemies cannot. |