The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-10-21
COMMITTEE !
Render Their Statement to the
Grand Army,
REPORT GIVEN IN FULL
A Lengthy and Exhaustive Treatment of the
Differences Existing Between the Govern
ment and the Boys in Blue."-Resolu-
tions Adopted.
INp1ANApo11s. INp.. sept. q. ls93.

INDGANAPoLIs, IND, Sept. z, 1893.
Your Committee on Pensions beg 10 submit The
fOHOUilO Report and Resolutions on The
Subject Of Pensions:
"To bind up the Nations wounds; to care
for him who shall have borne the battle and
for his widow and orphan" Thus spoke
Lincoln the Great, Lincoln the Just standing
reverently, with uncovered head, in the
immediate presence of a cruel and devastating
war, that had already lasted four years, the
end Of which, although so near, his prophetic
vision was not able to see; speaking to, for
and by the authority Of the American people,
concerning one of the supreme duties of the
hour and the future when entering for the
second time upon the discharge of atrust COM
mitted to him by that people.
Within few short weeks that end SO long
hoped for had come but his dying eyes were
not privileged to see the full fruition of his
labors, and the work SO well begun and
carried on by him fell into other hands,
charged with all the trusts that the condition
implied and required and those who had
'bome the battle" after so many days
turned their happy feet toward their long
deserted homes"
A grateful nation met and received them,
and gladly showered upon them the plaudits
and the honors they had so well and hardly
earned.
These "bearers of the battle' were then,
in the main, in the prime and vigor of yOun z
manhood, with all the honors and possibilities
of.life before them, with all the hopes born of
lofty courage and patriotic and successful
achievement beating high in their bosoms;
and they little needed and still less cared for
material aid from the country they had pre-
served and made free, save where loss of life
or limb or impaired health and broken con-
stitutions were presently visible; and for such,
in the main, ample and prompt provision was
made by that country.
But as the years passed by, middle life too
frequently developed into premature old age,
and youth passed into ripper years with gallop-
ing feet; and alas! too soon the exultant and
hearty soldier found that in the race of life
there were weights upon his feet and burdens
upon his shoulders, as the result of premature
and over-heavy Graughts upon his vitality,
that sadly interfered with successful compe
tition in the crowd and jostle of the fierce
struggle for advancement. And still the
nation sought to keep abreast of the neces
sites of her heroes, and by additional enact
ments to measurably make provision for the
necessities to those who chad borne the
battle"
quarter Of a century had elapsed. The
young had become old, the middle aged had
become feeble, and the old had crossed the
river. Time, with its ruthle fingers, had
joined hands with the ravages of war and
the two combined had proved burden upon
the aging soldier greater than he could bear;
and the cry went abroad that in too many
instances for the credit, honor or good name
of the nation, many who had followed the
flag and faced the fercy furnace of battle,
had in want fallen by the wayside, and in.
the poor houses were looking lOngingly for
the relief and comfort of the grave.
Their sympathizing comrades and patri.
Otic people, with one accord, voiced the
sentiment that such was not human
administering of the sacred trust recognized
and announced by Lincoln As to what the
remedy should be, mems minds differed.
Many, possibly majority of the survivors Of
the war, believed that the time had fully
come when the name of every honorably
discharged survivor should be placed upon
the pension roll. Others, denying the right
that they should receive aught from their
country through the pension roll, stoutly
resisted the demand.
1t was under such circumstances and deal
ing with these conflicting opinions, that Con.
gress enacted the disability pension law Of
june 1890 This act was accepted by the
soldiers and by the people in
general as a settlement of the question.
Under the administration of that law, the
poor-house gave up its veteran-he who had
born the battle was cared for; and thus the
sacred trust accepted and left legacy to the
nation was faithfully administered.
Within a few months we hear with profound
sorrow and regret that all this must be
changed that the construction of the law has
been changed, and the regulations and rules
in regard to proof and ratings, under whie h
more than three hundred thousand claims have
been allowed and paid, have been revoked, and
another construction of the law has been
and new regulations for proof
and ratings, less favorable to claimants have
been adopted; that board of revision has
been organized in the pension office, charged
with the duty Of revising all these adjudi. |
'ated claims in accordance with this new
construction, and such changed regulations
IS to proof and ratings; that under these
changes, thousands of pensions have boen |
suspended without notice and thousands of
pensioners have been dropped from the rolls. |
II is claimed that an adjudication Of a /
pension settles nothing; that the Secretary of |
he Interior and Commissioner Of Pensions |
lre invested by law with absolute power over
-he pension roll, and that it is within their |
egal authority to reopen and revise pensions
SLOWED by their predecessors under regula
lions adopted by them, whenever they see fit |
10 change tin rules of evidence and the scale |
IF ratings under which the allowance was
made; and this in a country Of law, where
rom the veiy infancy of the government the
Fa.HH ~