The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-05

office refused to accept as evidence the
similarity OF handwriting, on the ground
that the law required an appli ,nnts idon-
tty to be established by the afidlyl,s of
two or more comrades. As he had left all
his comrades In tho North and lost track
Of them. his case was held up Waiting for
him TO find them and perfect mis- lrotf. 1t
became necessary for special bill TO DO
introduced and passed through congress for
his relief and such a bill was Jus, and
right.
Failing to get pension through the reg
ular channels. thousands OF applicants APP
peal. as q last resort. to their congressman
and have u bill introduced for their relief.
No matter whether the case has much
merit or not the representatives intro
duces the bill aud has IL passed II he can.
The average congressman Will get What
he can out Of the government for con-
stltaent leaving to the government tho
business OF separating the wheat from the
chat. Thus thousands OF private bills POUR
IN upon congress. and every Friday night
session Is held by the house. to which
gather a number OF members who fave
claims to push through. and sach votes
for the others bill and 50 avoid rnneces-
sarv friction Occasionally a member, see
Ing an opportunity 10 prevent scnndalcus
raid upon the treasury. chooses some OF
the most ridiculous OF these claims TO make
O speech against them which causes tipu-
do thing Of this kind. however, aud II
seldom pays in a political sense. Such an
effort is sure to be met with the charge
that 1t is born OF the spirit OF rebellion
and from the heart of traitor To tho
country. The man who opposes a pension
OF any Kind Is an enemy to the whole pen
zion system. by which grateful country
seeks to reward the heroes who saved the
Union. Thus the alarm Is sounded, and
thousands OF copies OF such speech are
circulated In tho districts where large pen
SION money is distributed so the people
there Will know how to vote next time.
II will DO remember that Mr.. Cleveland,
in his frat administration. vetoed a lot Of
these private pension bills Most OF bis
vetoes were undoubtedly just. but some
OF his political friends thought he went too
far In his zeal and vetoed some that he
might as we'll have signed. Whatever the
service he rendered to his country In this
matter. II certainly lost him the presi-
dency when he ran the second time.
When the democrats were In power. Cur
ing the life OF the Fifty-third congress,
almost no private pension bills were
passed Lots OF them went to the COM
mttees. but few came out The financial
distress OF the government at the time
was alleged as the reason why pensions
and other claims should be postponed.
Az to the conduct Of the pension office
itself the administration exercises ccnhld-
cradle latitude. and the applicant FOR
pension may wei be concerned about who
is at the head Of the office. II was tie
policy OF at least two OF the republican
| commissioners to give everybody pension
| whose claims could by any stretch OF the
| Imagination be considered valid. and their
| liberaIity almost amounted TO scandal; hut
| IL as needless to say that their popularity
| In certain circles was immense. On the
other hand one democratic commissioner
/ ipu,icatrotat the pOtlCy of 'lOw not do
| IT," and the rules OF the office under his
| administration caused unnecessary dfleys.
| An amusing instance OF the working OF
| the red tape department, which no ejmin-
| istration can entirely dispense With, came
| TO the notice OF Texas congressIn0. a
| soldier applied for pension on tue ground
| that he had been permanently Injured by
| a snake bite while In the service lie bad
| filed all his evidence, as he thought. and
| sat down 20 wait for his case to get through
| the mills After waiting several months
| he appealed TO his congressman for aid.
The office responded with Its usual alacrity
| 10 the "cali'' of the member. and informed
the applicant that In reply TO the personal
| Inquiry Of his congressman II begged TO
| Inform him that his case waited evidence
| Indicated In the accompanying circular.
| The marked paragraph In the accompany
| ing circular stated that tho applicant must
| prove that his disability "was not cauked
| by vicious habits" The congressman re-
| turned Il to the Office with the respectful
request TO be informed whether the
circular referred TO the vicious
| HABITS of the applicant or the sIake The
| man finally got his pension Without sub
| hitting any proof touching the poinf. A
generous impulse. aided BY the influence Of
the member moved tho office TO so fur de-
l part from the beaten path a. 10 Jake the
/ vicious habits Of the serpent Tor grsntcd.