New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-24
DEMOCRATS IN A PANIC
GENERAL COGSWELL EXPLODES \ BOMB
SHELL IN THE HOUSE.


SHELL IN THE HOUSE.
IS COMMISSIONER LoCHREN SENDING OFT FALSE
STATEMENTS TO PENSION CLAIMANTS: DE
BATE on THE GENERAL DEFICIENCY BILL
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
Washington June 23.-The chairman and other
members Of the Appropriations Committee or the
House OK representatives. we're thrown INTO panic
this afternoon by General Cogswen. Of Massachu-
sets who IS a member Of that committee. He is
nan noted for his candor and truthfuness, and he
bitterly de;ests double-deang and deceit especially
in the treatment Of honest claimants OF pensions
II appears that some tiHe ago the widow OF a Union
soldier sent 20 Genera! Cosswe a circular letter
signed by the Commissioner Of Pensions. informing
har that her claim FOR a pension was nadmssDle Oh
tho evidence furnished and that 1T had bsan
deemed advisablc' 70 place II In the hands OF
specal agent FOR investigation. She was informed
that large numbes Of cases preceded II. but that
70 would be- taken up as soon as reached IN regular
order The circular closed with the statement that.
on account OF inadequate appropriate by congress
for the special examination branch Of the pension
s.ryce II was not probable that the case would b.
reached IN the next fiscal year. General CoSsWe'.
then sent an inquiry about the SANE claim % Tie
Commissioner Of Pensions and received a repy
Identical with the sent direct 10 the Claimant
that the COnClullns StAt 'IlfTl III if5bA ~
lnad,-Iuae appropria tons by Congress was omitted
He caused both Of the letters - be read to-daN
and demanded to know whether the Commissioner
OF Pensions sending out false statements -
claimants Or whether his assertion that the APP
proprlatlon inadequate was correct T'heEd'
Cogswelrs disclosures and demand were as uneN-
pe,tel as they were unpleasant 70 Chairman 5ayers
and his Democratic colleagues, and they were COM
pletey NJ oss either 20 explain or defend the con-
duct OF the Commissioner OF Pensions without IN
volvng themselves in trouble. In the course OK the
discussion II came out that the amount; aH2ropri-
ated for the special examination service or the PEN
sion Bureau for the fiscal year is $io""to-
twice what it had been in any previous year when
the appropriation was found adequate for all the
legitimate needs and demands Ok that service. For
the mex, fiscal yea Commissioner Lochren asked
an APPROPRIATION OF $1,000. which Indicated that the
policy OF having every pension claim. irrespective Oh
its merits sent to a special examiner was 70 be
carried out. The House Committee on ApProprIa-
lions cut the appropriation down to $4,000. which
had always been found sufficient until the present
year and now II appears that the Commissioner OF
Pensions Is engaged in informing claimants th~,
their cases cannot be reached until after June So
1895.
Speaker Crisp resumed his duties to-day. ana
as he raped the House to order ripple Of APP
pleuse swept over the floor at his appearance. lie
showed traces OF the effects Of mis- recent lnd!s-
position In both his appearance ana manner me a.
Gomm,ttee OF the Whole. Mr.. Bynum Dem. Ind
)" An amendment offered by Mr.. Savers was agreed
TO- reducing the Appropriation for salaries ana eA-
penses Of Interconiinental Railway Commission
Sir. CogsweIl (iep.. Mass) sent to the Clerks
desk and had read the following letter ron en- On
sen, direct TO rn n Their
claims:
Relative to the above cited claim, have 70 adj
wise you that It Is inadmissibie upon the evidence
to have a special examination OF the same OWING,
however to the limited appropriation oy congress
next fiscal year. and the large number 81 cases
now awaiting special examination. II Is Impossible
70 state definitely when It will be reached ior IN
vest.gation, but 1t will be placed In the pendins
nIes Of this Bureau and taken up in its regular
shall appropriate additional amount for the ex-
,H, hs oys OF cited she ca can be
OF within the fiscal year ending June 30 1895
He also had read the following letter from Act,
claim. forwarded TO the claimant through hIhseit'
Relative to the above cited claim, have 70 ad-
wise you that i is ba bssp uR eeeI adysabe
TO have a special examination Of the same owing
ing Examination. II is impossible TO state definitely
when IL will be reached for Investigation. but II
and taken up in It's regular order. This nforma-
the Hon William Cogswell TO be advised as 10
the status OF your claim
He called the attention of Mr. Dockery Dem;
No who reported the Legislative, Executive anu
Judicial bill for 1895 to these letters. ana asked
him II In his opinion 1t was true that Con-
grrss had failed TO make sufficient Appropriation
70 enable the Pension Bureau TO reach this class
OF claim until after the fiscal year 1873. lie also
directed attention TO the dlferehce In the word
ing OF the letter direct ~ the pension claimant
and that transmitted TO her through him as her Con-
gresham. Something was wrong somewnere
Either the Pension Bureau was unjusty rejecting
upon the berality OF Congress or was giving RAISE
information 10 claimants ~ - 49,
Mr. Dockery responded that the subject was one
on which there was difference OF opinion COM
missioner Ilochren and asked for $4,000 for the
nav OF specia agents In 1895. but the committee
had reduced the amount to <2OOoo FOR 1880 but nan
given him 500 900 additional as deficiency for the
current year The bill for 1895 was still pending
I'm the Senate. and 1t could not be said now Just
1895 The Committee on Appropriations as ne re-
men,bered the vote unanimous In reaching the
conclusion embodied In the bill.
Mr. Cogswell salu that he wanted TO get the
facts the record and before the country, ,...,
The reading OF the letters, however, precipitated
n general discussion OF the pension appropriations
and the management OF the Bureau This was par
ticipated in by Messrs. Cannon lRep, lid, savers
Dem Tex Doclery Dem, MOI. Enloe Dem;
Tenn) and Hopkins Ctep. ILL The latter sald
that II II were true the gentleman from Missouri
and other members OF the committee indicated,
that the Commissioner OF Pensions was making
false and fraudulent statements TO old soldiers anu
their widows, then he should be denounced Dy
the statements OF the Commissioner were true
then the House should give him all the money ne
needed to investigate the pending claims, ana ne
pledged every Republican vote In the House LOT
such Appropriation. o.,o
The bill having been partially considered, at $40
O'Clock the committee rose. and after the tranSas-
ton OF some routine business the House, at SD
o'clock, adjourned until Monday