Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-05-26
REFORMING PENSION FRAUDS.
Fraudulent Pensioners TO be weed.
ed Out.

REFORMING PENSION FRAUDS.
Fraudulent Pensioners TO be weed.
ed out.
/ vigorous crusade against fraud.
uicnt pensions is about to be taken
up by the administration, and the
order ISSUED by Mr.. Murphy to ex-
aminers to be ON the lookout for
fraudulent pensioners in every local
ity they visit is one of the first and
most important steps taken in the
work Of reform.
There il no doubt whatever" said
Acting Commissioner Murphy. "that
the disability act OF June 27, 1890,
was wofully misconstrued by the late
administration. Pensions allowed by
that act range from Sc to $l2 per
month, the latter amount being the
maximum. II has been practically
proved that thousands of pensioners
are receiving $l2 who are clearly not
entitled To it.
The law, il properly carried out,
only allows man Sl2 because his
disability is a very serious one, and
know that such is not the case in
thousands of cases. Every man who
is entitled to pension shall get one,
So far AZ this bureau is concerned, and
no mans pension is going to be dis
turhed il he deserves it. But one
thing is certain, that every possible
means will be adopted to discover
every case now on the pension roll
where the pensioner is not entitled to
the amount he is receiving, and these
will he dropped.
IL il anticipated that the order
made will br Of the greatest assistance
| IN the work which has been undertak-
"n. Onr special examiners have been
instructed while pursuing investiga
tions 0f claims TO make inquiries in
every locality they visit as to the exist
cncc OF any person or persons living in
the vicinity who are on the pension
roll and are reported TO be unworthy
of the pensions they draw They will
exercise the most extreme caution in
this work. as il is not the intention to
disturb just allowance.
Tho pnstmssters of the country
could hc relied upon to a great extent
IN giving information, and while they
have not M yet been formally directed
Ia do this ! am inclined to think the
Postmaster General will approve Of
the suggestions made regarding the
matter The reports of these exam
liners ON such cases will be the basis
Tor the Investigations"
Many changes will be made in the
construction Of the disability act. but
until Judge Lochran takes active con-
troll Of the pension Office aud has the
opportunity Of going over the law with
Secretary Smith the contemplated
changes will not be made public.
Assistant Secretary of the interior
Busscy. OF the last administration, be.
fore ho resigned his Office. did attempt
10 rcctify in measure some OF the in
con nsistencIes that had been practiced
under the Republican administration.
but he did not do even this until as
late rs March O last, when he issued
an order changing the policy OF the de-
partmcnt entirely with regard to the
construction Of the act OF June 27,
1890.
Assistant Secretary Bussey did not
sc the necessity for the radical
changes until after the Republican ad.
ministration had passed about 100000
Of these claims.
Every effort will be made by the
new commissioner to conduct the
business Of the pension Office in such
way that the pension attorneys and
claim agents who have been reaping
such rich harvest in the last few
years will figure as little as possible be.
fore the department. An order has
been Issued providing that while Con.
grcssmcn who call for the status of
penSion cases in their own Congress
Sional districts may he promptly fur
ni-hed the information. yet they must
bc requested to certify that the call is
not made at the request OF any pen
sion attorney or agent.
This will be OF great value to Sena.
tors aud Representatives in replying
Ia inquiries from their constituents
and is revocation of former order
OF Secretary Noble.