The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-17

The Resolutions Which the National En-.
campment Endorsed with Cheers.


Through some neglect on the part of
press agents the full report OF the pension
committee of the National Encanpment Of
the Grand Army of the Republic has not
been published by the Western newspapers.
The resolutions were prepared by an ah:e
committee, Of which Col. /. ". Walker was
chairman. The reading was listened to with
the closest attention, and, after reading,
the resolutions were unanimously adopted
with emphatic demonstrations of approval.
In view of THE fact that Democratic news
papers and orators are making frantic at
tempts TO defend the Hoke Smith policy,
the voice Of the great nonpartisan soldier
organization is timely. The report reads:
Your committee on pensions would re-
spectfully reiterate the sentiments and re-
new the recommendations touching the
rights of the Union veteran and the duties
of the government toward him. embodied
in our report submitted TO the twenty
seventh National Encampment.
After the adoption Of that report by the
National E-ncampment there was a change
in the action of the Pension Department
in its rules for suspension of the payment
without hearing, and many of those whose
pension had been suspended under that
unfair rule have been restored to the rolls.
Your committee is, however, Of the Opin-
ion that there is still just cause for COM
plant in technical rulings and requirements
OF the Pension Department which are un-
favorable TO the applicant and result I'm UNI
just discrimination against his interests;
that doubts are unjustly DECIDED adversely
TO the claimant, which, under any reason
ably liberal construction, should have been
order No. 22s from the Department OF
the Interior, Bureau Of Pensions, issued
June 10. 1898, is especially obnoxious as es-
tabilshing peedless and hard requirements
in the preparation and forwarding of testi-
mony in support of claims.
We insist that evidence very often pro-
cured after years OF effort and at great
expense of time and money on the part OF
the applicant should not be thrown out for
mere lack of form or want of comp,iance
with any, purely technical or arbitrary
rules, and We urge that this order be so
modified as TO provide that all evidence
presented be fairly and con-
Your feels constrained 70 call
the attention of the National Encampment
TO the fact that a large part of the APP
preparation made by the Fifty-second Con-
gress for the payment of pensions for the
year ending June 30. 1894, was unused and
turned back into the treasury, while hum
dreds OF thousands of unadjudicated claims
remained pending In the Pension Bureau.
At the same time credit is claimed on
behalf of Congress and the administration
upon the grounds that the aggregate appro-
priations have been reduced, yet it appears
that the only reduction made has been ef-
fected by cutting down the appropriation
for pensions so that Union veterans alone
feel the effects of this spirit OF economy.
1t is a significant fact that while a period
ending of our war with Mexico and the
close of the war for the Union, yet the
dlIlOd1AN INV tADClOCl " III DtLSlDDlklk
of the soldiers of the Mexican war Is in
creasing, while the amount expended for
pensions to Union veterans is diminishing.
We feel compelled TO say that there Is
evidently, on the part of both the admin
i~stration and the Legislative departments:
a feeling of hostility to our worthy and
suffering comrades. the wards of the Ma
ton, who bore the burden and heat OF bat
tle-a feeling which certainly should not
exist in a country saved by their devotion.
While the Grand Army OF the Republic
is pledged ito purity in public ~affairs.s
and will, therefore. symrathize and CO.
at economy to the end that all public bur-
( dens may be reduced to the minimum, we
view with extreme regret that false econ
omy which shaves and pares to the quick
at the expense OF honor. justice and pat
riotism.
We insist upon an honest. patriotic con-
struction and administration of existing
pension laws and that every just claim
shall be speedily settled so that whatever
is found due shall be paid while the ap-
plicant is alive to receive II.
We are confident that the loyal senti-
ments of the country will condemn a policy
that attempts TO recuperate the public
treasury at the expense largely of the
| slender purses OF our disabled heroes. their
widows and orphans.