The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-01-24

Claims adversely passed upon by the Specia
Examiners would have been allowed by tn
Bureau IL the Special Examiners had not rec
commended otherwise does not appear, aut
when the fact is taken into account that dur
ing the last fiscal year there were only 1,13
pensions granted in excess of those stricken
from the rolls. the suggestion becomes ludicrou
in the extreme.
In my opinion, this army of Special Exam
iners roaming mp and down the country seek
ing frauds where none exist. Is an expensive
and dangerous piece of machinery, the power Of
which may we'll be curtaled by this Congress
Half of them, at least, should be called in
and put TO work in the Pension Office, and
the others should be confined to the investiga
tion of cases of more importance than those
which rest upon letter from some unknown
and irresponsible individual. Indeed, they
| ought to be supplanted by the corps of able
and experienced Examiners who were removed
| without cause at the beginning of this civil
service-reform Administration.
| Mr.. President, l do not want to be captious
or unfair in this discussion.
81 think j fully appreciate the difficulties
that surround the administration of the pen
sion laws and / am always glad of an oppor-
| tunity to say that the routine work of the Pen.
sion Office is performed with great fidelity and
care. But on the broad ground of the proper
policy to be pursued toward the soldiers / am
not in sympathy with the present administra-
| tioD of the Pension Bureau. / may be wrong.
/ but am profoundly impressed with tho belief
that the policy of that Office is to drop from the
rolls every name for which excuse can be
| found to put every convenient obstacle in the
| way of increases to make original allowances
small possible. and through Medical Ex-
aiming Boards and Special Examiners TO do
| everything possible to save money to the Gov
eminent that heretofore has gone to help tho
IL Il l;,,;, a..
sions have attempted 10 show that the whole
sale suspensions, on the mercst suspicion, and
without giving the pcnsioner an opportunity
to defend himself, was without the authority
of law, and in contravention of tie wel-estab-
lished precedents of the several departments
of the Government.
1.-THE agitation of that subject resulted In
legislative action that compelled a radical
modification of the original orders of the Com
missioner of Pensions, and has saved much
anxiety and suffering the part of the old
soldiers; but unfortunately there still appar-
entity remains in the Bureau purpose to un-
necessarily hsrass the men who won for them
selves the field of battle the right to geaer-
Gus treatment OH the part of the Government.
As illustrative of this may be cited the state
ment from the Commissioners report that dur
ing the past year the Board of Revision consti-
ted to examine claims allowed under Order
No 1914 TACT of June 81, 1S90l had examined
los, 8o7 cases. or these 2 266 cases were dropped
from the rolls and 3343 reduced. One hun
dred and eight thousand eight hundred and
ffty-seven cases adjudicated were
opened and examined, at great cost to the
Government. and annoyance and expense to
the pensioners, with the result that less than
two per cent. OF them were dropped from the
rolls, and the sc were dropped upon construc-
tion of the law which, 10 say the least. Is OF
doubtful eXpediency. An examination shows
that while considerable reductions have been
made in some pensions, under both the old and
the new law, there are scores OF instances where
reductions have been made of 81, or there
abouts, per month, showing the nice discrimi-
nation that q mighty Government can make
when it sets itself to the herculean task OF
rendering less comfortable the surviving SOL
diers Of the greatest war in history.
1t is probably safe to assume, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that the survivors OF the war OF 1861
average the age of 60 years High medical
authority estimates that the soldiers from tho
North who served three years in the Union
army shortened their lives by 10 years. If
that be so, then many OF them havc only the
expectancy of life that belongs to men of three.
score years and ten. They are getting old and
their ranks are being rapidly depleted. The
next FIVE years will make sad inroads i'm the
column. Before long the memorable laws of
God will remove the necessity for large PEN
sion appropriations.
Year by year the reveille will be sound
ed summoning hundreds of thousands
of these brave men to their last resting
place. They helped 10 win the battles OF their
country, but they will succumb to the rclent-
less enemy of human life. Many of them are
yet with us. They deserve well of their
country. They helped save the tottering
tionality and made possible a restored and re-
united Republic. Remembering their heroic
deeds. let US respond cheerfully and generously
to their wants. aud rebuke by voice and vote,
al efforts, from whatever source they may en-
anate. TO cast the stigma of dishonor upon the
fair name Of any true American soldier"
Mr.. Palmer I'LL, d. made defense Of the
actions OF the Pension Office.
Mr. Hawley offered this amendment. which
was agreed to-:
And il is further provided. That Sc per month
shall be the lowest pension for the lowest de-
gree Of pensionable disability; and this shall
not be held to suspend pensions heretofore
granted for a less sum than Sc per month; but
all such shall be raised TO said rate" -
Mr.. Voorhees, Qnd. ID. IL have no DISPOSE.
tion to talk at this time or indeed during the
present session, but feel that ought to say
few words at this point. have been long i'm
pressed with the fact that little pensions
granted 10 men who were pensionablc at all
were simply ridiculous, a burlesque and
shame. ] introduced q bill last year providing
that the minimum pension for disability should
be SIP month. shall vote for the amendment
offered by the Senator from Connecticut. and
would vote for the amendment to IL suggested
by the Senator from Kansas. Eight dollars
month is the minimum-and indeed the maxi
mum--allowed to pensioners of the Mexican
war, and cannot, for the life of me. see why
man who served in the army OF the Union and
who is pensionable for disability, should not
receive as high pension as the survivors of The
Mexican war get. heartily concur with the
remarks OF the Senator from New Hampshire
Mr.. Galiinger 1t does not matter to me how
much this will cost the Government. Tho
money goes out to our own people and to a most
meritorions class Of them-a class without
which the Government would not now exist /
have no patience. and pretend to have none.
with these criticisms of the pension-r rolls. l
have no sympathy with that policy of the Gov
ernment which makes every soldier WIN has a
pension suspect"
The bill was passed.
In the House, the Indian appropriation bill
was discussed
FRIDAY, JAN. Is.
IN the Senate, the Army appropriation bill
was passed, and the Nicaragua CANAL CornpAny
discu