The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-08-12
\ RECORD or INFANCY,
The Pension Policy of tho Harrisan Al
nnini0tF8tiOns

\ RECORD OF 1NFANAY,
The Pension Policy of tho Harrison Adp.
nninistF8tion.
The letter addressed to the president
of the United States by = former e1i-
ploye of the pension bureau gives
clearer view than anything before pub
lished of the infamous record of our
pension administration under Commits
sioncrs Tanner and Raum. The cutlery
against Tanners recklessness was due
to his outspolzell candor, and it led to
his withdrawal from Office but his sue
ceSsor was even more reckless and UNI
scrupulous, and the new law of 1890
gave him greater scope. The main diff
ference was that where Tanner was
open and brazen in declaring his poll
cy, Raum was crafty and sccretive in
carrying out the same policy with in
creased opportunities.
The value of Mr.. Burnett's testimony
lies in his citing actual cases and testi-
flying from absolute personal knowl-
edge. After having been years in the
service of the pension bureau as clerk,
special examiner, supervising examiner,
and reviewer of field work, he finally
gave up his place rather than be longer
a party to the fraud and extravaganza
that saturated the administration OF
the bureau. Before taking this course
he gathered facts sufficient to justify
it and to enable him to reveal what had
administration might become friendly
to efforts at reform.
1t appears very clearly from this rev.
citation that the policy of the last adj
ministration was to put as many names
as possible upon the pension rolls. and
to scatter from the treasury of the
United States as much money as posi-
bic among claimants for pensions. This
seems to have been the deliberate pur-
pose of Gen. Raum. and it must have
been in pursuance of an understood
policy of his superiors. It was evident
ly part and parcel of party policy,
which included at once the buying up
of the ''soldier vote and the dissipa-
ton of the revenues of the country SO
that a reform tariff would be difficult
if not impossible. It was in keeping
with the whole spirit of the Fifty-first
congress, which passed the Mckinley
tariff, the Sherman silver purchase act,
and the disability pension act.
Mr.. Burnett's cases arc merely sam
pies, and represent thousands upon
thousands. They show that pensions
were granted for disability where no
proof of disability was furnished and
in the face of adverse reports from the
examiners. Disabilities were credited
to service which were proved to have
had their origin before enlistment or
long after discharge The record of
''desertion'' was changed to ''honora-
p
and pensions were granted to bounty
Jumpers and sneaks. Evidence shown
to be forged or fraudulent was accept
ed, and the proviso Of the law regard
ing disa bilitics caused by the applicants
own vicious habits was practically ig-
nored. The pension rolls are befOu1ed
with the names of hundreds of men
who receive the bounty of the govern
mcnt on account of loathsome diseases
due to their own vices.
In short, it was impressed upon the
force of the pension bureau from the
commissioner through all the grades
that the object was not careful scru-
tiny, a strict compliance with the law,
and the protection of the public treas
ury from fraud and extravaganza, but
the passing of many claims as posi-
BILE in the speediest fashion. If exaIni-
ucrs were disposed to be scrupulous
they were ovcrruled, but for the most
part they were induced to conform to
the expectations and requirements Of
their superior officers. The action of
congress in providing for pensions has
been lavish, but the conduct OF the
pension bureau under Commissioner
Raum was infamous in its recl1lessness,
and it is costing the government proba-
bly, not less than fifty million dollars
q year.
All this will doubtless be stopped un-
der the present administration, but
that is not enough. The mischief
should be undone SO far as it isnow pos
sible. The service of the pension bu-
reau should be completely reformed.
and the pension rolls SHOULD be purged.
Mr.. Burnett makes some practical sug-
gestions on this subject, which may be
Of value. to the government. He thinks
that within year the whole one mil
lion claims could be overhauled and
those eliminated which arc founded in
fraud, false representations, and disre-
gard of legal requirements. The ma
tional administration is overburdcned
with the heritage Of the iniquities of
the four years of Saturnalia that pre-
coded it at Washington.-N. Y. Times
M'klNLEY'S MISTAKES.
Gold Reserve.
Mckinley touched high-water mark