The National tribune., 1897-08-05
AN EPOCu-MAKISG LETTER.

Veterans and their friends will read
| with intense interest the letter which we
publish on another page from Assistant
! Secretary Webster Davis to the Com
missioner of Pensions. 1t orders the
beginning of a new era in pension
practice, or rather the return to the cid
ore, where the pension laws were con-
strued in accordance with their intent
and spirit. 1t has particular reference
to the act of June q, 1890, which was
fagrantly nulli6ed and defeated by the
Cleveland Administration to the intense
injury Of hundreds of thousands of vet
Grams and their dependent ones.
To understand this it is necessary to
recall that the Act of June q, 1890, was
passed under circumstances far different
from that of any legislation which pre-
ceded it. There had been for years the
strongest feeling among veterans and
their friends in favor Of some pension
legislation far more liberal and far-reach-
ing than any then ON the statute books.
Hundreds of thousands of the very best
soldiers, those who had served faithfully
with their colors through the war, who
had kept out Of the hospital when suffer
ing from wounds and disabilities, in
order to be with their companies and
help on the fight, were deprived of their
pensions, because they had no hospital
record" and could not show that their
disabilities were of "service origin"
There was no moral doubt of this
No man who saw months of the hard
service required of the men who wore
the blue escaped physical detriment
which was sure to show itself with adj
vancing years. Many thousands who
had received direct, palpable hurts were
unable to prove these on account of the
death or unknown residence Of the wit
nesses.
These and many like reasons i'm
peratively called for more generous and
less technical legislation. Never was
any pension law discussed with the
thoroughness Of the act of June q,
1890. In various shapes it was before
Congress for eight years, and repeatedly
passed by both Houses before it actually
became law. 1t was thoroughly dis
cussed and considered in successive
GAR. National Encampments, and by
every Post and other veteran organiza-
ton. From first to last it was intended
to give relief to every veteran who
needed relief, and to his widow and
orphans 1t was intended to be in
effect a Service Pension, so that every
man who had honorably served 80 days
and was suffering from any disability
whatever, not the result of his own
vicious misconduct, should receive a
pension. 1t was intended to wipe out
all obstructing technicalities, and give
the man pension at once, while leav-
ing him free to prosecute his claim for
higher rates under the old law.
All this intent and purpose of the
law were absolutely defeated and multi
fed by the Cleveland crowd introducing
into the administration of the law the most
obstructive and wrongful technicalities,
with the avowed purpose Of limiting its
! benefits to the smallest possible number.
They did not have the courage to actu-
ally repeal law passed with the APP
prevail of all the veterans Of the country,
but they eXerted themselves to make it
as much nullity as possible.
Assistant Secretary Davis, speaking
for the Secretary of the Interior, directs
that henceforth the law shall be carried
out according to the will and intent of
the Congress which passed it. His letter
shows clear perception of the object
of the law, and his reasoning is lumi-
nous as to the manner in which it shall
be executed. 1t is a great letter, and
will carry JOY to thousands of weary,
almost despairing hearts.
WITH the exception of a single assassi-
nation, the striking miners continue to
keep carefully within the limits of the