The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-12-20

sicners. The Commissioner of Pensions had
boosted that $3O00000 of pension money had
been saved TO the Government last year
The mission of these Examiners was to secure
evidence against not in fRyer of, pensioners
and claimants. He favored an amendment
that wonld cut off this auxiliary form of Ex-
sminers and keep in the field only the regular
number 100.
Mr. Sickles IN. Y, d. repudiated the charge
OF wholesale fraud made against pensioners,
and declared his unaterable opposition to the
| appropriation unless il could he authoritatively
! shown that the pension examiners provided
for by il were employed in aiding instead Of
| embarrassing deserving claimants.
Mr.. Morse Mass, r. delivered the follow
ing speech: IL desire, Mr.. Chairman, in the
three minutes yielded TO me merely to say that
i indorse all that has been so well said by the
! distinguished gentleman from New York Mr..
! Dan ies about his experience in connection
/ with the Pension Department in his district
| Mine has been exactly the same All of the
pensioners in my district who make application
10 the Pension Office, either for an increase
of pension or for an original pension, under one
pretext or another, almost to a man, or 10 a
woman, are sent back for additional evidence.
Last evening ! saw the great army of en-
ployes OF that Office coming out OF that estab-
lishmcnt at O'clock, and wondered TO myself
what they had been doing, for my own expert
ence induces me 10 think that the employees in
the Pension Office, instead of attending TO their
legitimate duties Of adjudicating cases of appli-
cants for pension under the law, are at present
turned into a smelling committee, looking all
over the country for fraud, or pretended fraud,
in the granting and payment of PENSIONS; and
such examinations as they do make are, or seem
TO be, inspired by the principle how not TO do
it, judged by progress and results.
4" / want here and now to call attention Of
nd bn IN bar of
that the Postmasters throughout the country
and want to know by what authority of law
the Commissioner OF Pensions is authorized to
do such a thing say, the Postmasters of the
country have also been turned into a smelling
committee 10 hunt for frauds in connection with
pensions. In town in my district the Post
master called my attention 10 a communication
received from the Pension Office asking him to
look after pensioners, to see if the parties were
worthy of pensions, etc. Another point: All
applicants for increase of pension in my district
receive prompt attention, and have order
promptly to be examined by medical board,
and this arrangement generally results in what?
An increase, rs the poor pensioner expects? Oh,
no, but in reducing or taking away the little
pension altogether.
"Thc employees Of the Pension Office should
be confined to their legitimate duties; and /
repeat that instead OF attending to their legiti-
mate business they are largely turned from
them in the manner / have indicated, TO the
great injury of the pensioners.
j desire 90 call attention 10 one more unjust
decision Of the Commissioner of Pensions, which
does a great wrong TO brave men who in the
war stood 10y the suffering, the wounded, and
the dying, and rendered patriotic service to the
country. / refer TO the fact that the Acting
Assistant Surgeons, who were pensioRed under
the act OF 1890, 10y decision of that depart.
ment of the Government, have been dropped
from the pension-rols.
Mr.. Chairman. am neither prophet nor
the son of prophet, but more than year ago
stood in this place where / now stand and
said that when the people were again heard
from in Congressional or National election /
they would rebuke this Administration for its |
unjust and unpatriotic conduct toward the 4
Union soldiers. That prophesy has been more /
than fulfilled, and prominent among the causes /
of the recent overwhelming defeat of the Demo /
cratic party in the Northern States in the States
that poured out their blood and treasure like |
water to save us, Nation among the Nations |
OF the earth, was the unfriendly and hostile at
ttude of this Administration and ommissioner /
LOchren toward these wards of the Nation.
Il bid my suffering comrades be of good
cheer. the present injustice is not TO continue,
the Republicans will surely elect loyal and
patriotic man as our next President. The Sec
rotary Of The Interior and the Commissioner of
Pensions will be changed, and with them the
hostile and unfrieRdly attitude of that great
Department OF the Government"