The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-10
NO SYMPATHY FOR VETERANS.
II is Said to be Dangerous to Ask for an
Increase of Pension.

Washington, May 9.-The policy that is be-
ing pursued by the Pension Office is result
ing in the establishment of reign of ter
ror among those interested in securing prop
er recognition of veterans. This policy will
result in the saving of hundreds of
thou-ands of dollars by the Government by
preventing the men who fought for the
Union from securing that recognition for
which the laws on the statute books pro-
vide. The latest form of this policy is out
lined in the advice that a Congressman gave
one of ibis constituents several days ago.
You ask me about the probability of secur-
ing an increase in your pension" he said,"
on account of disabilities which you are
suffering and for which you are not rated.
l am convinced from what you say that you
are not rated as high as the law would allow
| if your case were considered fairly. That
you should receive an increased pension,
l am convinced. But l must advise you
to make no application for this increase SO
long as the pension laws are being executed
as they are at present. This advice | know
will surprise you, but think you will agree
with me when state the reasons that lead
me to make so strange d statement.
NO SYMPATHY FOR VETERANS.
"In the first place, the laws are being
executed with view of knocking out as
many pensioners as possible. There is no
inclination that 1 am able to discover to
assist a MANNED and suffering veteran to
establish his claim Tn r,,,,,bo,. ~ $500
of which am acquainted, applications for
bai,o da,,ri,,ad 80 - ,i44Io
oettiny ,Tbro,,ob so,,,a +oohnio,1;4r- 49,,
office has been sb1o Ia cn+ Off bic .To',,,,so
through a.claim that the disability for which
he was rated M 1ong.r oxis+ad or +b.+ -,
was en+i+lad 70 +ba ,,,,s;, So,
cause. Now. am satisfied that Won ave
drawing a nension +o which Won .ra ,,o+
Justly entitled. Otherwise ,sbonld NOT v,ieh
to have YOU draw if at all Won sbonId
remember that if vou asL an inoroosa ,,,,,,,
case will he reonanad and IL is ,,ssih1, +1,o+
the result will be as r have indicated
think YOU had better LET we'll enorob a1ora
At least do nothing until a diffaron+ s,,;ri+
animates the administration of o,r ,,a,sio,,
laws,
n,NoUporro, mo
o-' 6A>' - oA'ia1AoI
IhaG Is the ADVICE That quite number of
congressman are giving their constituents.
LII Is d dangerous thlng Tor veteran to ask
ior an increase OF MS panslon. The fact
that thls is Inc case is shown by the fact
that applications for increases have fallen
OH TO almost nothing as compared with the
record OF two or three years ago. when pen
sloners hao fuH confidence that they would
get cohsluefate attention at the hands of
tne government. A Commercial Gazette cor
respondent called at the Pension Office yes
tefoay TO learn what the entire number of
applicatlonns Tor increases during the pres
eht administration had been, together with
statement OF the action that had .been
taken on such cases.
deputy COMMISSIONER Murphey gave the
information that the records did not show
these facts, and that information could
not he secnrad without n ,,,oo4 ,a,1.e,
+. ~ 80: " ~ srea' uea' Oh iaoor.
In view OF thls' 1t Is impossible to give a
statement in detail of the extent to which
this new nolicv bas o,,ar.+,d "a :;
1 - - 90 "0oo. IL ~ Crue thaC
the law OF June u, lo90, provides that when
ever disability for which a pensionis ia
oiIen shall +ba --..o--' 20
~ eoooo oiie pension shall De stopped.
the Veterans Init IL is made r., .,,,,,.+a -