Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-24
THE PENSION LIST.
What a Veteran Says in Regard to It's
Publication.

fuDI1C0t1Ons
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The periodical attack upon the clerks
and tine pensioners has begun in good
earnest, and, although a number of clerks
have taken up the pen in self-defense
through the columns of The Star, no one
has had word to say in defense of the
pensioners. There are two sides to every
question. therefore I beg little space
In the columns Of The Star in order that
the other side may be heard.
Let me say, by way of introduction, that
thirty-five years ago, when the very life
of the nation was imoeriled and hung in a
balance, the most solemn promises were
made that if the loyal sons of the north
would only come to the rescue grateful
nation would care literally for them in
case they were disabled, and for their
widows and orphans If they were killed.
In response to the urgent call for defend
ers there were 1853, 49, of the loyal sons
of America who left their homes and
enrolled themselves in the Union army.
OF these GO,916 were killed in battle, 35,957
died of wounds and 1S3, 464 died of disease
making a total of 2S0,391 deaths in all.
Besides these, 224,3O6 were discharged for
disability. The great majority of this vast
army were young farmers, mechanics,
business men. students, and, in fact, there
was no occupation, trade or profession
that was not represented in the Union
army.
Many. in fact a great majority. of these
men, or boys" rather, were earning good
wages, supporting themselves and families,
If they had them, in comfort and laying
plans for future years of prosperity. They
left all this, and because they loved their
country they entered its service as its
sworn defenders and received the magniii-
cent sum of $13 per month, which was the
amount paid to soldiers during the first
part OF the war This was afterward in
creased to s16 by act of Congress, but by
that time our currency had become SO de-
worth only so cents. The struggle lasted
four years. during which time our armies
marched and countermarched, advanced
and retreated. fought on many bloody
battlefield, and such exhibitions of heroism,
self-denial and fortitude the world has
never seen.
No pen has ever pictured the half of
the sufferings, privations and tolls which
our brave boys cheerfully endured to the
end that the old starry banner might float
over every part of our united country, and
when the hour of the nations triumph
came millions of loyal hearts united with
the breve boys i'll blue in songs of rejoice
ing for the final victory, and grateful
nation undertook to do what it could to
redeem its promise TO care for him who
had borne the burden of the great strug
gle, his widow and orphan.
But presto-change. After the lapse of
generation there arose a king (Grover)
wi.O knew not Joseph, or at least had no
sympathy with him, and from the portals
of the White House there comes the start
ling cry of fraud! fraud!' and straight
way the machinery of government was put
in motion to purge the pension rolls of
its thousands of fraudulent pensioners.
For the year 1896 the report of the law
division shows that there were 242 recon-
mendations for prosecutions; that there
were 161 convictions and 100 sentences i'm.
posed, the great majority of those convict
ed being claim agents or attorneys. And
row 1t is alleged that after lapse of thir-
ty-two years from the close of the war
there are 1,OO0,000 pensioners on the rolls;
that dead men are still drawing pensions;
that great many are drawing pensions
who are in good circumstances and don't
need such help. and even so loyal and pa
triotic paper The Star joins in the cry:
Let the pension list be published, SO that
the people will know who are defrauding
the country" Well | was aware that the
old soldiers are not dying off half as fast
as many people desire, but l had no idea
that they had vitality enough to draw pen
sions after they were dead. AS to the num-
Der OF pensioners on the rolls, there are
only 4 little over a third of the total en-
lstmentS, and then it must be remembered
that this includes all classes-widows, of
which there are about 100000 on the rolls:
dependent mothers, fathers and pensioners
of the revolutionary war, the war of 1872
and the Mexican war, the sum total reach
ing UP into the thousands.
1t must also be remembered that the
average age CT our soldier boys in the late
war was about % years, which would make
the average now of their ages about fifty
five years, and most of these were COM
posed of the best bone, blood and muscle
OF the country. representing true American
vitality. 1t should also be remembered that
no soldier is granted a pension until he Is
thoroughly examined by a board of sur
geons appointed by the commissioner of
pensions, supposed to be men of highest
al Obi and 70
their duty without fear or favor, and no
claim is ever admitted where the board of
surgeons reports adversely.
But then there are SO many drawing
pensions who are able to live without
them," is another cry that is raised, and
consequently the law is violated-especial-
ly the dependent act
1 need hardly say to any intelligent man
in answer to this objection that the pension
roll is not roll of paupers VI designed
to be such, but a roll of honor, and there
is no such a law as a dependent act, so
far as soldiers are concerned and there
is no restriction in any pension law now
in existence as to the amount of property
a soldier has. He may be a millionaire
and yet be lawfully entitled to a pension
under any act on the statute books.
The act Of June u, 1890, requires as
condition for pension On the part of widows
and dependent parents that they be with
cut other means of support than their daily
labor, but in its application to a soldier
there is no such restriction.
well, publish the pension list then, and
let the people know who are drawing pen
sicns, the amount they are drawing and
for what disabilities"
About 1882 this same cry was raised and
in order to satisfy public clamor it was
done. the newspapers in every county pub
lished the list of pensioners and the amount
of pension each was drawing. and since
then the pension agent has marked thel
amount on the outside of the envelope con-
tanning the pension check, but the results
We're simply to give some gossipy, evil-djs-
posed person in such neighborhood a chance
to vent his enmity against some soldier by
writing to the pension bureau CHALLENGING
the soldiers right to pension.
The only objection a great majority of
soldiers would have to publishing the list
as suggested by The Star, would be the
knowledge that it was done by the govern
ment under the idea or assumption that II
was honeycombed with fraud and the only
effect 1t would have would be to increase
the expenses of the government and give
the newspapers fat job, which, of course
would expect pay for the space occupied.
Finally let the good work go on till It
carnot be said that a single one of all the
gallant boys who saved our Union when II
was assailed has failed to receive at the
hands OF this great, rich and prosperous
nation the recompense which is Justly his