The sun., 1897-12-29
The Malingerers of 1903 and 1907.

Mass, makes notable contribution to the |
now almost universal discussion of the
pension question. DIR. STEBBINs is vet
eran Of the war. He was for many years |
member of an examining board Of ply |
sicians In pension cases. He cannot be sus. |
pected of hostility to the old soldier Of the |
Union, or of any desire to deprive a single |
worthy pensioner of the monthly allow |
ance which the Government pays. These
circumstances lend extraordinary interest
to DIR. STEBBINss careful article on the
subject in the Springfield Republican,, and
entitle his conclusions to respectful consid-
Grafton by the veterans themselves, and by
everybody else.
The statistical side of the question, and
the argument Of probability as to the
number of living survivors Of the war, are
not dwelt upon by DIR. STEBBINs. His own
conviction evidently 10 that the number Of
actual pensioners at the present time ex-
ceeds in stupendous degree the number
of those who are justly entitled to pen
sions. He perceives the looseness of the
legislation which has thrown the doors
wide open to fraudulent claimants. But
in this branch of the subject his opinions,
perhaps, have no more weight than those
of any other intelligent citizen who has
studied our pension system and its appall-
ing financial results. The great value of
DIR. STEBBINs's article depends, first, upon
the special knowledge which he has gained
by long experience as a medical examiner
in pension cases, and, secondly, upon his
absolute frankness in declaring that man
may be an old soldier and at the same time
a malingerer, a fraud, and a swindler of the
Government which he served in the army a
third of century ago.
The mainstay of the fraudulent pension
ers, of the greedy pension attorneys, and of
the outrageously excessive pension list of to.
day is the curious popular fallacy that the
army of survivors is homogeneous in re-
spect of individual character; that is to
say, that because so many OF the Union SOL
diers were patriotic, selfsacrificing, de-
voted heroes, incapable of defrauding the
Government which they loved and de-
| fended all or nearly all of the veterans are
such. "The soldier of the Union " Is re-
| garded as a distinct type of man. The fact
| of his enlistment is held to be sufficient
certificate of virtue. and title to the un-
questioning gratitude of the country. The
prevalence of this foolish and fatal gener
alization, and the consequent reluctance of
unreasoning people to distinguish between
the honest and the dishonest elements
which were combined in the Union armies,
precisely as they are combined in all vast
aggregations of men, form the corner stone
of the whole business of fraudulent and
unworthy pensions.
For ten or q dozen years THE SUN has
been endeavoring to educate the American
people to perception Of the fact that it is
no insult to the honest veteran and the
worthy pensioner to prove that another vet
eran is a rascal, and that the pension which
the rascal is drawing is a swindle upon his
fellow citizens. We now call DIR. GEORGE
S. STEBBINs, veteran of the war and friend
of the old soldier, as witness:
mo one NOT familiar with the cunning deceit and
fegning OF disease practiced by the soldiers in the
late In camp, in hospital, and in the field, in
order to duty and active service have
conception Of Its extent and no one who has moi
served upon examination board of surgeons fol
pensions can have any adequate idea of the absurd
, grounds upon which many seek to establish thei
= | right to pension As soldiers In time would
walk crutches for years. with les
drawn up, and kept so night and day. as II perma
nently contracted by disease. all the while feignni
I the whole thing would SO simulate consumption II
It's advanced stages Dy painting their cheekS TO lmi
tate the hectic fush and by an artistic OF thu
brush exceeding that of the expert IN the theatr
green room, would draw lines here, cast shadow
there. upon the face. giving 1t sucienty cadaver
appe earance to secure their classnc ion anon
the hopeless would manufacture and raise SUI
|. icient bloody sputa by free chewing Of red chaE
to deceive the medical inspectors OF army hospitals
> would claim to be lame partially blind, deaf
l. dumb, demened, everything but dead is 1t not fa
d to suppose that the same devices resorte
V to by the soldiers in their efforts to secur
/, pensions? Whether fair or not. tho truth remain
that many have. and It might surprise
the pension enthusiasts in Congress- and lessen the
't zeal In creating classes OF pensioners. the
knew how many have based their claims for pensio
% upon having been kicked by mule thirty odd yea
a. ago. without single evidence but the soldiers
that the vicious beast served them thus rudely
i Then Dr. STEBBINs proceeds to take u
1t several classes of physical disabilit
m feigned or exaggerated by applicants fe
" pensions. and to show how, within his ow
n experience, they have been fraudulent
to used to secure small regular income frol
q. the public treasury. He mentions, for e.
e. ample, one not very serious malady, I'll
tb hemorrhoids, frequently durable by simp
h. surgical operation, and he asks:
ed fought the Government TO pension thousands al
T.. tens OF thousands Of these year after ye
:. which could be cared In q month? The different G
Nv aminng surgeons upon the board OF which HI
III the honor to belong repeatedly suggested to sol lie
's- claiming nson for piles that they could so
" any surgeon and be by an operation, ami tn
ba very soon. whom the claimants would ask II the
\, pensions already granted would be continued
~ the event Of cure. 1t very evident that I
W soldiers desired the continuance of the disease
III order to reap the pronts. SO long the piles
ms yield annual revenue OF from $50 to $3.50 ye
they regarded them In the light OF an investmel
therefore, why should they desire them cut on. a
Y" their pension lkewise2 1t appears to that I
en- refusal Of soldier to permit OF any diSab
zee for which ho is pensioned practically amounts to
on deliberate swinde. Every surgeon OF perience n
,s average surgical ability would say that the
~ Jorty OF soldiers pensioned for piles could be
va in four weeks. This being true. the Governms
at ought to strike on all such from the pensi
he rols after reasonable notice. and great
ce millions annually"
ms The same disposition to defraud t
nj Government DR.. STEBBINs finds In the cas-
om ! of applicants claiming pensions on accou