The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-30
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Commissioner Of Pensions II. Clay Evans
has i signed article in the New York
Press which viii probably cause sensa-
ton. 1t is directed indirectly against the
pension system, and directly against the
pension attorneys, whom he holds in con-
tempt "The ordinary pension attorney
says Commissioner Evans, lis worse than
The most pestiferous 'varmint that ever
invaded a hen roost." 1t IS astonishing TO
note the number of pension attorneys in
the country Commissioner Evans says
there are $1,000 of them. Last year there
we're q few more than $4,000 men In the
standing army of the United States. Thus
il VIII be seen that there is standing
army Of pension attorneys, posing as pa
triots for the fees which they receive.
that is almost twice as large as the land
forces maintained for the defense of the
country. These attorneys-and the COM
missioner has no hesitation in saying that
the great majority of them are sharpers-
are. under the laws, the co-partners of the
government in the pension business. They
receive fee of S25 for each claim of their
fling which is allowed. They are the
drummers for the government, they are
the soliciting agents of the pension bu-
reau, and get fee for every successful
claim which they bring in. The govern
ment not only pays the claims, but pays
this vast army of attorneys for hunting
up and presenting the claims.
The commissioner does not deny that
there are fraudulent pensioners on the
rolls. He knows they are there; and he
says the pension attorneys, who grow fat
from their business, are responsible for
the frauds. With specious arguments
they approach ex-soldiers, the widows ard
orphans of soldiers, and induce them to
permit a claim to be filed in their names.
The attorneys have everything to gain and
nothing to lose if the claim is allowed,
they get $25, and If it is not allowed they
run no risk. Congress has Played into
the hands of the attorneys. 1t has made
laws in accordance with their dictation.
pension attorneys have been known to
draft laws which congress passes for the
pensioner," says Mr.. Evans. And con-
gress has many times created new classes
of pensioners, always to the benefit of the
attorneys. The ''Varmints," as Mr.. Ev-
ans calls them, constitute very power
full lobby and they WELD great influence
with the Grand Army of the Republic,
which facts have caused congressman to
treat them with most respectful Difference
The commissioner gives instances which
have come under his observation OF the
sharp practices and disgraceful work of
pension attorneys. Many of them have
grown rich at the business of collecting
from the government a bounty for hunt
ing out and concocting claims against it.
Some of the widows" whose claims have
come in through attorneys have been mar
ried women for twenty-five years and are
in comfortable circumstances, and some
of the dependent orphans are men and
women anywhere from 20 to 40 years old,
with sufficient means for self-support.
Commissioner Evans regards the pension
attorney as malignant growth upon the
system and desires that it shall be removed
by heroic measures; that is, cut off, ex-
tirpated, abolished. The stand taken by
the pension commissioner VIII commend
itself to the people. 1t is to be hoped that
he will keep up the fight on the "pestif-
erous varmints' until he has the satisfac-
ton OF hanging their pelts at his belt.