The National tribune., 1894-09-20
Afternoon Session.

ON Gen. Wagner recalled to the COM
rades the fact that Past Commander-in-Ch Chief
John q. Robinson, who, in addition to hay-
ing lost limb, is totally blind, is lying
at deaths door. He moved that an express
sion of loving sympathy by the Encam p
ment be sent him. Carried.
Similar action was taken in regard TO
Past Junior Vice Commander-in-Ch Chief Kra-
mer, and ex-Gov. A. 6. Curtin.
Past Commander-in-Chief Il. 3. Beath
presented resolution reciting that through
the efforts of Hon. Wallace Bruce, formerly
Consul at Glasgow, monument had been
erected at Edinburg to the Scotch-American
soldiers-tbe first memorial Of the kind
ever erected On foreign soil-and extending
the thanks of the comrades to Mr.. Bruce
Adopted.
A committee was appointed to prepare a
suitable testimonial TO Past Commander-in-
Chief Palmer.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE on PENSIONS.
Senior Vice-Commander Walker, who.
with II. L. TaintOr and A. NJ. Warner, is of
the Committee on Pensions, submitted the
following report:
Your Committee on Pensions would respectfully
reierate the sentiments and renew tie recom-
mendatious touching the rights of ihc Union vet
eran and the duties Of the Government toward
him. embodied IN our report submitted to the 9th
National EncHmpment
AfteT the adoption Of that report by the National
Encampment there was change ia the action
Of the Pension Department in its rules for sus-
pension OF the payment without hearing, aud
many of those whose pension had been suspended
under that unfair rule have been restored to the
rolls. Your committee IL, however. Of the opinion
that there IL still Just cause for piaint ia tech
nical rulings aud requirements OF the Pension De-
pariment which are unfayorable 20 the applicant
and result Ia unjust discrimination against his in
terests; that doubts are unjustIy decided adversely
TO the claimant which. under any reasonably lib
eral construction. should have been decided ia his
favor
Order No. 129 from the Department Of tht In.
terror, Bureau Of Pensions. issued June l9 ls93 is
especially obnoxous establishing needless and
hard requirements in The preparation and for
waTding of testimony in support of claims.
We insist that evidence. very often procured 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 o want of COM
pllance with any purely technical or arbitrary
rules and we urge that this order be so modified
to provide that all evidence presented be fairly
examined aud considered.
Your committee feels constrained 10 call the at
tention Of the National Encsmpment TO the fact
that a large part OF the appropriation made by The
SD Congress for the payment OF pensions for the
year ending june 30, 1884, was unused aud turned
back into the Treasury, while hundreds of thou
sands OF unadiudicaled claims remained pending
in the Pension Bureau.
At the same time credit is claimed on behalf OF
Congress aud the Administration upon the ground
that the aggregate appropriations have been re-
duced yet il appears that the only reduction Ade
mas been effected by cutting down the appropria-
zion for pensions. that Union veterans alone feel
the effects Of this spirit OF economy.
IL is significant fact that while a period of II
years elapsed between the ending of our war with
Mexico and the close OF the war for the Union vet
| the amount now expended for the pensioning oi
the soldiers of the Mexican war is increasing while
the amount expended for pensions to Union vet.
Grams is diminishing.
We feel compelled to say that there is evidently
on the part of both the illustrative and Legisa
1 tive departments, feeling Of hostility 10 oui