The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-05-21
THE Pension BUREAU CHANGES.

THE PENSION BUREAU CHANGES.
The President has done what it has
all along been known that he would do,
and must do-that is, take care of Com
missioner of Pensions Lochren by some
permanent appointment. BY carrying
ont the Presidents policy as to pensions,
Commissioner Lochren ruined his own
political future. Before he accepted
the position he had an excellent politi-
cal standing, and could hopefully look
forward TO anything in the gift of the
Democratic party. After three years
in the Pension Bureau, doing as he was
directed to do, his party would not have
dared nominate him FOR any position
where the voters would have chance
at him. Therefore, the President re-
warded him with District Judgeship,
which provides for him for the rest of
his life. Judge Lochren has good quail
fications for the place. His training has
been legal, and he made a creditable
record on the bench of Minnesota.
First Deputy Commissioner Murphy
has been promoted to the Chiefship Of
the Bureau. This is a good move.
Though Mr.. Murphy was too young to
go into the army, he has always been
very liberal in his ideas on pension
matters, and outspokenly favorable to
Justice to the veterans. This leads
many to think that the President pro-
poses to turn over new leaf in pension
matters, and make justice and liberality
as conspicuous in the nine months re-
naming to him as the reverse has been
the rule for more than three years past.
He has now chance to say that he has
effectively "purged the pension-rolls,"
corrected the practices" etc, and that
now he is ready to 90 ahead and close
UP the work, and allow pensions to
every deserving claimant, before the end
of his Administration. We can only
hope that these men are true prophets.
1t is never too late 10 do good.
Mr.. Murphy is as competent man as
can be found for such a course, if the
President has resolved to embark upon
it. Mr.. Murphy has grown up in the
pension business. He entered the Bureau
when a mere boy, and his talents and
zeal brought him promotion until he
became Chief Clerk, and he made
good one. He retired from this posi-
ton at the incoming Of the Harrison Adj
ministration, and went into business for
himself as a pension attorney Mr..
Cleveland took him from this TO make
him First Deputy Commissioner. Per
sonally, be is a cultivated, warm-hearted
man of genuine ability, and if given the
opportunity would do q great work in
the Bureau.
The appointment of Gen. n. j. I.
Dana as First Deputy Commissioner
was great surprise. He was born in
Maine, appointed to West Point at
large" and now halls from New Hamp-
shire. He graduated in 1912 the 29th
in a class of DC. In the same class were
Gems. Newton, Rosecrans, John Pope,
Seth Williams, Abner Doubleday and
Geo. Sykes, of the Union army, and
Gems. Rains, G. w. Smith, Mansfield
Lowell, Martin l.. Smith, ID. ii. Hill,
A. r. NJ. Rust, r. ii. Anderson, Lay,
Lafayette McLaws, Earl Van Dorm and
James Longstreet, of the rebel army.
He was assigned to the 9TH L. s., and
was brevetted a Captain for gallantry in
Mexico. He resigned in 1855, and be-
came banker at Minneapolis, Mimi,
and Brigadier- General of Minnesota
Militia. He re-entered the army in
1861 as Colonel of the 1st Mimi, which
he commanded until Feb. 3, 1862,
when he was promoted to Brigadier-
General Of Volunteers. He COM
manded a brigade ON tie Peninsular
Campaign and at Antietam, where
he was severely wounded. He
was promoted to Major-General, and
sent, to the Department of the Gulf.
He held important commands there
until May 81, 1865, when he resigned.
He became General Agent of the Ameri-