The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-03-11
AN OPEN LETTER
TO President Notwithstanding
as to Civil Service ShamS in
the Pension Bureau.

In May, 1896, President Cleveland placed
most all the Department employees under
the protection of the Civil Service act
This was not done until nearly all
the positions which had any connec-
ton with the shaping of public business
had been filled with Democrats Secre-
tary Francis has issued an order regulating
promotions. Ii his successor should remove
Cnief of Division, the vacancy could only
be filled by competitive examination. in
which only the next grade Of cierks-the
$1,000 clerks-would be allowed to compete,
and nearly all of that grade are D. mocrats
Thus Democracy will really remain in
power.
You have been elected to bring in Re-
publican Administration of pubic affairs.
The unanimous desire of your comrades is
that so far as he Pension Office is concerned
you Will suspend or reScInd the action of
YOUR predecessor Whether the clerks are
Republicans or Democrats IS compare
lively small matter IN nearly every other
Bureau but this one. You should know
that the adjudication OF pension claims de-
ponds mos upon the Examiner at his desk
or the Chiefs of Divisions and Sections and
the Special Examiners scattered all over the
country than u pon the Commissioner him.
self EmInently is this true of the first
year of the term Of new Commissioner,
especially if he he q novice in pension work,
with its multitudinous etaIs
Having served In this Bureau for nearly a
quarter OF q century, / feel competent to
advise in this matter. The work, lraught
with the hope or despair OF the lODg-suffer-
ing claimant. begins with the Examiner. II
not fully faithful or lacking In tnas SYM
PATTY for soldiers needed to make and
keep hin faithful, he can increase his
record" by speedy rejection; and a claim
started by him towari rejection is very apt
20 receive lis death-warrant. To only ex-
IRENE cases is the attention of the Commits
sioner called. and then he may send forth an
edict that viii liberaiize the practice of the
Office. That is slow work, and over 5000
OF our comrades, mostly poor and sadly dis
abled, die every month.
This Bureau was organized by Com
missioner L0chren, under the orders of
President Cleveland, with the avowed pur-
pose of bringing the number OF pensioners
and pension expenditures to the lowest
possible point. Aud it has succeeded.
Knowing what they wanted. they 1T once
reOrganIZed the force of the office. giving all
the places of Shaping power To men largely
from the South. OF the % men who more
than all others are responsible for the adnIis-
sion or rejection of claims, IL bail from the
South, OF whom three are ex-CODfederafe
soldiers. Over 80 clerks served in the rebel
army, but they are merciful in their feelings
towards our boys" compared with the
large number OF Southern young men who
sit In Judgment upon the claims of men
who vanquished their fathers.
call your special attention to this exhibit
of the force employed III The field-work of
Special Examination Division. In Presi-
dent Harrson's closing year there were
153 persons thus employed, OF whom 90. or
81 per cent, were veterans. Of the 153 in
the field, l25, or 81 per cent, were appointed
from Northern States, and %, or 10 per cent,
from Southern States, and Is of those % were
ex-Uaion soldiers. Turn to that force under
Commissioner LOchren in 1894. There were
318 employed in the feld-work, OF whom 81 {,
of only 20 per cent, were veterans; 22l or
10 per cent. Of the total, were from the North.
and 81, OR 30 per cent, from the South. The
Special Examination Division was reorgan-
ICED for rel citing claims and shamefully fail b.
Jul has it been TO its work. Over 20 OF those
sent broadcast to reject claims had served in
the Confederate army; but they showed no
greater zeal against the veterans than did
the Examiners from the Northern States.
During the Cleveland Administration 397
ex-Union soldiers of the Pension Bureau
were reduced or dismissed. II IS an official
lie to charge that they were inefficient. Will
any sensible man contend that Democrats
and SouthernerS are more intelligent than
Northern men? Of the veterans thus
duced, only four were Democrats, and of the
exConlederate clerks, not one was disturbed
and all but five promote TO fill the vacancies
caused by the cruel slaughter of men who
fought 10 keep the Union whole This sad
and disgraceful treatment of our boys " was
not because Commissioner Lochren hated
his former comrades, but part of the.or-
dained purpose TO so man the office that re-
lection of claims should be the general rule.
President Comrade, there can be no doubt
that the personnel and spirit of this Bureau
are against the soldiers of 1861 to 1865.
This is eminently true of all who shape its
action. Everywhere the veterans believe
this to be true. Let it be known that you
have suspended all orders that prevent the
complete organization of the Pension Office,
and thousands of your despairing. almost
dying comrades will give you their fearful
and heartfelt gratitude.-L., Washington,
d. G..