The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-05
ArrACK UPON rnG VETERANS.



CoMRADEs:-As the authorities in
Washington. D. G.. have issued state.
ment aud sent the Same to the press OF
the country. in which an attempt Is
made to justify the action Of tho bureau
OF pensions in their attack upon the old
veterans. l deem il duty, as president
OF your association, to lay few facts
and figures before the public in relation
TO the manner iu which the present adj
ministratiou have dealt with the peu-
sioners. see report made to q re-
porter OF the Pittsburgh Post, under
date Of Oct. 2, 1894, that Assistant Sec
rotary Reynolds had reversed the fol-
lowing rulings made by the last admin
istration, viz: 81, granting pensions to
bounty jumpers; 9, granting pensions to
those who enlisted in the confederate
army on the plea that they only wished
to escape the hardships Of southern
prisons; 8, granting peas ions to deni-
monde and to widows who afterwards
lived with men without tormNlity OF
marriage. That the baais OF pensions
under act OF June %, 1890, was inabili-
ty to earn support by manual labor,
which Raum we'll knew, but he wholly
ignored this basis OF title TO pensions"
To the first ruling referred to; deny
that any ruling was ever made 10 grant
pensions to bounty Jumpers, aud the
imputatiou Is nude with a full knowl-
edge OF that fact. 1t is an attempt to
brand you all as bounty jumpers. am
aware that the prisoners at Anderson
vile, we're requested to enlist IN the
Confederate army, which offer was ro-
sented by your comrades, and few may
have accepted the offer, in order to
gain their freedom, I know and you
know, that there never was ruling by
which pensions we're granted to demi-
monde, etc. By said statement they
brand the daughters and widows OF
your deceased comrades. as hGrlots. II
after n pension Is granted to widow
she las they charge) Lives with another
man without tho iormality OF marriage"
then General Raum, or any other per-
son in the bureau OF pensions is not
chargable with her act, but tho charge
is not true as q rule.
As to tho basis OF pensions under act
OF June q, 1890. being Inability to
earn q support by manual labor, and
which was wholly ignored by Raum," is
not true Con. Raum made u ruling,
which was approved by Secretary Bus
soy, that the ratings under act OF June
81, 1890, should be governed by the
samo rules as the ratings under the
general law. ANY person who knows
anything about tho pension law. or any
comrade who ever got pension. either
under tho general law or the act OF juno
81, 1890, knows that the applicant al
ways had to prove tho degree of dis
ability. Under the general law the
soldier was required to prove the degree
OF his disability or disabilities, covering
each year from discharge to tho time
his last evidence was filed, showing how
much he was disabled for manual labor
by reason Of the same, and that under
the act oil June 81. 1890, lie was required
to show how much he was disabled
from the time the claim was fled, to
date of his medical examination, he be.
ing unable to earn support of manual
labor to the extent OF his inability to
perform manual labor.
Again, under the former administra-
ton, pension certificates were issued
under the act OF June 81, 1890, showing
the disabilities for which the pension
was granted: for example, pension
granted at $40 per month for rheum-
atisn and resulting in disease of heart;
but those certificates were recalled in a
majority OF cases, and new certificate
Issued Tor less amount, and all new
certificates were issued without ever
naming the disabilities for which PEN
stoned the now certificate. simply say.
ing: This pension for partial inability
10 earn support" and the soldier
does not know what he Is penaioned
for. This is done to prevent him from
applying for an increase, for when he
docs apply for an increase, naming
some disability, he is notified that said
disability is covered by the pension no
Is now receiving. Again, where an ap.
plication has been pcnding for some
time, say two years, and the pension
Is about TO DO allowed. the applicant is
notified that his medical examine
ton develops another disability not
mentioned in his declaration, and If he
wishes to DO pensioned for that ne must
80 state under affidavit or formal appli-
cation. This he docs, and the claim Is
allowed by certificate as above stated.
aud his pension dated from the time he
filed his last affidavit, aud lie loses all
back pay, aud from his certificate. he
does not know whether he was allowed
for his last disability or not
One man VINO was drawing Sl7 per
month under the general law filed an
application for an increase on two new
disabilities. He expended great deal
Of time and money to secure tho re-
quired testimony, which he did, cover
ing each year from discharge or in.
crease. Commissioner Lochren issued
new certificate to him, in which the
two new disabilities were included, but
did not increase his pension Que cent,
and paid his pension attorney $2o out
Of the pension he was already drawing.
Now, comrades, you arc called upon to
endorse this kind OF treatment. You
have been branded as frauds, and their
course tends to show that they believe
you arc frauds. Let me say to you the
time has already come when you mnst
stand by your comrades and contend
for your rights. Your enemies are to
issue you pensions and impugn your
vaior and worth. and then force You to
endorse their course. They say they
are only making the pension roll "a
roll OF honor" The less number OF
names there is born on it, the moro
honorable the roll Is TO rebeIs). and
when you arc all dead tho pension roll
will be very honorable. Remember
you own interest and that of your FAM.
lies, your comrades and tho flag.
Now Ia tho time TO show your valor.
o. next tuesday lot tho command be
forward. Follow "old glory" and tho
whole line OF soldier haters will 20