The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-23
CONGRESS.
e,ontinued from sixth page,

Immediately disposed OF, and yesterday You
sent me-eight months Observation-Disclosures
statement that il is still ready for final dis
position, and yoa are only six weeks behindp' y
It is the policy of this Pension Office as organ
lied to-day, to see how few pensions 1t can
allow and not how many it can allow.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, humble member
of this House, j stand here to-day to vote Tor
the protection of the American soldier, for the
protection of the soldiers widow, for the pro-
lection of American credit, for the protection
Of American labor, for the protection oil Ameri-
can industry, and for the protection OF the
American flag. Loud applause.
Mr.. Mcclure. i believed that it was the set
tied policy of the American people, enforced
both by the Republican aud the Democratic
parties, from whose ranks the mighty Army of
the Union was recruited, to extend liber.
slity, a princely liberality, to the disabled
veterans of the Union. i believed that that
was the ripe and deliberate judgment OF
100000 American people; but IT seems
was mistaken. i heard from the lips of the
gentleman from New York Mr.. BARTLETT
that there was growing opinion in New York
City, shared by the best Democrats and Repub-
lcans that any further liberality toward the
pensioner was inadmissible.
Why, Mr.. Chairman, the very expenditure
be decries i am proud of. Iextol it: / laud it (;
] glorify it; cite it the proudest evidence
that the Republic of the United States having
mustered under its flag the volunteer soldiers
TO defend the honor and the integrity of the
Nation, is now able and eager to take care Of its
disabled veterans and their dependents, when
the war has long since ended, the flag been
vindicated, and the victory won.
Mr.. Lacey. The gentleman from Illinois
[Mr. Graf has had read an amendment which
he proposes to move to the bill at the proper
aud which has Oivan risa tn unnd deal
of discussion. i wish to say that the purpose
he has in view meets my hearty approval and
that the remarks he has made in support of
his proposition do honor to his patriotism and
to his affection for the old soldiers. But fear
that the practical operation of this PROPOSED
amendment would prove very disappointing
indeed. The proposition in a nutshell is
simply this: The Commissioner of Pensions
or some other authority, must have the power
60 change pensions-either to increase di-
minish them-depending upon the circum-
stances that may arise after they are granted.
For instance, there now comes to my mind the
case OF a comrade of my own. who was at one
time broken down with iBfiammatOry rheu-
maiism, confined to his bed, and who made an
application for the increase of bis pension from
SIG month, which he was then drawing. He
secured an increase TO So month. because at
the time he was lying on his back. and had
been for several mouths, requiring the personal
attendance of nurse ali the time. Suisse
quently he got much better: and to-day, in
stead of being entitled TO So a month, rate
OF SIG or $l4 would be ample for his present
disability. grant that this is an exceptional 1
case; but exceptional cases must be taken into |
consideration when we enact sweeping and
general changes in the pension laws.
What is the present propositions 1t is to
turn the old soldiers and their pension claims
over to the tender mercies of a court of chan
a criminal rf One lu0dra md
four Thousand claims, in round numbers, were
rejected last year. Thousands-how many j /
DO not now recall-have been reduced, while |
other thousands have been increased. But |
what ] claim is that the power of review must |
rest somewhere. Let us not mistake the |
remedy, and while we are sending these cases |
10 Federal court, so as TO have judicial de- /
termination of them let US understand exactly |
what we are doing. This proposition places |
IL out of the power of any Commissioner. 10 |
matter how merilorious a claim may be, TO re-
consider il in future. 1t can only be done |
by the action of the court. We would there /
fore indirectly, by this action, confirm the /
rulings IN these 100000 cases which have been |
sdjudicated, and no subsequent Secretary of |
the Interior can review look over the evil /
dence ia the or restore those whose rights |
have been denied TO them. The mistake is |
this: With a broad, liberal, and comprehensive |
pension law, hostile Administration has
come into mower and in seeking for somebody |
TO administer the law adversely to the pen.
soner the present Secretary of the Interior was |
chosen. Let me suggest that the only possible |
remedy TO meet the evils will be TO change the /
Secretary OF the Interior; and let us be thank /
ful that we do not have to wait long for that
Mr. Mines (Mich. r. wanted every soldier
who served 80 days to have pension.
Mr.. Crowther Mo-, r. advocated the hear
ihg OF pension cases in State rather than Fed
eral courts.
M. Low IN. Y, B. and Mr.. Spalding Mich. |
X spoke 10 favor of the bill, and both believed
q pension should be vested right.
Mr.. Picker Is. d., r. }, Chairman of the Com
nttee on Invalid Pensions, stated that the
present bin did not, in the estimation of the
committee, 60 far enough. The committee
would draw up and present bill bearing on
The administration of pension laws. and to
facilitate the taking OF testimony. He would
vote Tor tie present bill but thought that
amendments 20 the bill should DO made perma-
nent instead of referring to this appropriation
only.