Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-22
Mr.. SMITHS REPORT,
Matters to Be Discussed by the Sec.
tary Of the Interior.
REVIEW OF THE YEARS. WORK
The Matter of Pensions to Receive
Considerable Attention.
S o NJ f RECOMMENDATIONS

The Secretary of the Interior has, it is
officially stated, completed his annual re-
portland will transmit it to President Cleye-
land within a day or two
The secretary has been at work on this
report for the past three weeks During
that period whenever relieved from the
pressure of current business he would turn
to this work, which will record for all time
the accomplishments of his administra ton
during the past year. The preparation of
this report has entailed no small amount of
labor Contrary to custom, the secretary
has written it, rather than Endorsed what
is usually written by a literary private
secretary. The style of the document is d.
rect, and facts are set forth i'm plain words.
The general tone of the report has a news
paper ring in it, which tells of apprentice
snip in paste and pencil, which its author
underwent in the less conspicuous, but not
less glorious part of his career Much of it
has been written with midnight oil, and
when Mr. Smith went south on his last trip
he was accompanied by his manuscript and
materials.
Strict economy, in the opinion of the
secretary, is demanded in all bureaus of the
department So far as it lay within the
power of the secretary and of his leuten-
ants. this policy has been followed during
all the time of his term. 1t is understood
that the report will urge that greater
economy is required, and the doctrine that
the government should be run with the
greatest economy consistent with thorough
ness of service will be emphasized.
Pensions and Pensioners.
From what can be gathered in advance as
to the contents of the report it appears that
the matter of pensions will be treated at
considerable length. The Washington Ben
nett and the Weike cases will, il is said, be
reviewed, and the secretary will show his
determination to put forth earnest efforts
to rid the pension rolls of alleged veterans
and fraudulent pensioners, and to make the
pension list roll of honor and a sign of
merit and of patriotism. The report will
state, 1t is said, that the old pension, law
provides for pensions for all who were dis
abled in the service of the United States in
the line of duty, no matter how slight the
disability might be- But, will continue the
report, the act of June -, $780, limits pen
sions to those who by reason of disabilities
Incurred in the line of duty are mentally
and physically incapacitated TO earn sup
port by manual labor.
The report will hold that the law is so
lucid to admit of no dispute as TO It's
intent. The report will say that all the de-
ciSionS Of the department have been in the
line of faithful and honest execution of
the law. A practical working out of the law
providing for the suspension of questionable
pensions pending medical examination, d
law which this administration did not make,
but which ii fell heir to from the preceding
administration, was found to infict possible
hardship on deserving Union veterans. In
view of this the rigdity of the law was
deviated from in the direction of equity.
The former practice of the department was
reversed and all suspension of pensions
prohibited excepting in such cases where it
was clearly shown that no title to pension
had ever resided in the pensioner.