The National tribune., 1893-12-07
AN OPEN LETTER.
To the Commissioner of
Pensions.
Hon. Hm. Lochren.

haste in the work before your Bureau.
The gravity of this subject is so great
so all-important, in fact-that we feel il oul
duty to return to it this week.
The pension claimant stands before the
Government in totally different position
from that of any other of its creditors. We
do not speak now of the sentimental aspect
of the position, but of it's purely business
and practical side.
Let us begin with the fundamental propo-
sition that the Government does not intend
to owe any man. 1t is its highest intention
that every obligation against it shall be
promptly met and discharged. Its dignity
and fair name require that its financial honor
shall be spotless. From its very beginning,
whatever other faults may be charged
against those who have administered it, they
have, at least, always been jealous of its
financial honor. Not even a suggestion of
reputation of single just debt furnishes
anywhere its long history. On the contrary,
a thousand instances could he cited where it
the payment of debts-gone outside the re-
qurements of the letter of the contract to
carry out its spirit beyond all cavil or ques-
| ton.
This was particularly noticeable in its
| ali nf hn of ha
bonds representing the debt created by the
war of the rebellion. Every man who lent
it S3S worth of paper dollars not only re-
eeived large interest in gold on his lending,
but was paid back 100 gold dollars. The
man who sold it barrel of picked pork,
drove of mules, or carload of bareback,
got every dollar that his contract called for,
and that without delay.
While this punctiliousness has animated
and controlled every other branch of the
Government, how is it with the Bureau of
Pensions?
1t stands out in bold and disagreeable con-
trast TO the other branches and subdivisions
of the Government AS the one in which de-
lay is the rule and procrastination the fixed
habit.
While the others have shown laudable
desire TO finish up the business before them,
satisfy their creditors and get receipts in
full for all demands, the Pension Bureau
bias been fertile in devices of how not to do
it y; prolific in methods for deferring settle
ment, boundless in resources of obstruction.
While the others have made balanced ac-
count the goal OF their desires, the Pension
Bureau has acted as if this was the thing of
all others to be avoided, and only submitted
TO when all efforts 10 evade it had been ex-
hsusted.
We come now, Comrade Lochren, to the
special wrongfulness of this, and the differ
ence between the pension claimants and
other creditors of the Nation. While no
serious detrment might have resulted TO
the man who sold the Government pork,
mules ard bareback from few years delay
in the settlement OF his bills, it was and is a
terrible hardship 10 the man whose claim is
for body and health shattered in the Govern
ments service. The claim of the supply
contractor had valid commercial value,
which could always be counted among his
available assets; it probably was but por-
ton of his means, and whether he lived or
Not SO with the pension-credtor His
claim for pension is all that he has TO
show for what he contributed to the rescue
of the Government 1t is his bill for youth,
health, manly strength and means of liveli-
hood sacrificed for the public safety. 1t is
bis account rendered for a debt due him for
his hearts blood, for his wrecked life and
blasted hopes. From the very nature of
things it is and must have the character of
sight draft on the Government which it
must accept at once, or be dishonored
The services it once required of the
claimant had TO be rendered instantly
and unhesi atingly, and without the
slightest regard to consequences to him
self. Also, in the very nature of things, the
injuries he received in the performance of
that service require the prompt, unhesitating
grant OF the assistance promised him by the
Government. The contractor-creditor can,
without material injury, await the slow pro-
cess Of bureaucratic routine. The pension
creditor cannot do this without an intoler-
able aggravation of his injuries. For the con-
tractor-creditOr delay means merely trifiing
Inconvenience; to the pension-creditor it
means cruel Undergraduates reputation.
The contractor-creditor knows that sooner or
later his debt will be paid Should he
chance to die in the meanwhile, it will 90
with the rest of his property to his natural
heirs and assigns. The broken-down vet
eran not only suffers the bitter pangs of
want, the daily need OF the life-necessaries
| that his pension would rive him Int ia