The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-10-14
INVESTIGATION TALKED OF
Concerning H. Clay Evans Ad-
ministration.
Round Roast For the Tennessee States.
man.


it should by all means make search
ing investigation of the administration
of the pension bureau by McKinley's
commissioner, H. Clay Evans. The in
vestigation ought to be begun at once,
but it is too much to expect that Nc
Kinley will make it" says a writer in
the st. Louis Republic. Proceeding
the following vigorous roast is admin
istered the commissioner:
Taking Evans own estimate" (it is
purely conjecture) the expenditures
for the three months ended September
80 will be $40, 900, 900, which would mean
if maintained, $3.50, 900, 900 for the year,
or Of nearly 10000, 900. According to
Evans he has pending 200, 900 old claims
(Which will be acted upon as soon as
we can get to them" If this be true,
certainly he will keep up the rate of
expenditures, and very probably will
increase the rate.
AS an evidence of Evans rapidity,
he allowed between the time he took
charge in lIarch, and June 30, 14,671
new claims, which after July Las there
was not money enough in the appro-
priation for last year to settle them.
These involved disbursements for first
payments alone, amounting to $685.
124 40; so that starting with the first of
July he had mortgaged the present ap-
preparation to that extent. That sum
must be deducted before any of the
work done after July is taken from
the present appropriation. AS to what
will be the shortage the 30th of June,
1893, that is beyond estimate. That
it will be enormous is indicated by the
commissioner own conjectures that it
may be So, 900, 900. When he has dis
posed of the 100000 old claims,
which were rejected not only by the
democratic administration, but by every
other administration before it, we shall
know something more of the deficit.
The pension appropriations have
grown from $27, 900, 900 in 1870 to $685.
100000 in 1880; $1O6, 100000 in in 1890,
and $139, 900, 900 in 1895. The outlook
for the present year is an expenditure
of more than 500, 900, 900.
No prasimony has been shown by
any administration in the granting of
pensions. The allowing of worthless
claims merely in spirit of zeal to pose
as soldiers friend" perhaps for po-
litical use hereafter, becomes dis
tinct offense. Congress should call for
a thousand of these pension cases that
are "old" and have been rejected here
tofore, and which the claimants have
withheld until such an administration
as this could get in and should examine
every paper on file in them and see
what merit, if any, the claims possess
Then, if they have been wrongfully re-
iected heretofore let us know it; and i
they are fraudulent and are now al
lowed without just cause, let the people
who pay the bills know that fact
The pension commissioner has q wild,
discretion in the granting of pensions
But what sort of knowledge of thes'
cases can he have when granting claims
at the rate Of $50 day?
There have been government officer
in the past who exercised like wild
discretion. Take the case of the Sta
Route ring, when operated for year
under republican administrations wit
great success. Their method of opera
ton was very rapid one. The Law
then was that where mail service wa
performed on star route it could b
improved, or, as they called it, exped
ted in the discretion of the postmaste
general. When this expedition was ar
piled, then the postmaster generi
! could increase the pay beyond til
amount originally set, Gin his discr'
ton" The readers of The Republ
will remember how certain republican
worked this simple discretionary al
thority. There were cases where Sc
vice had been ON routes once weel
and pay fixed at, say 800; year; Il
service was expedited to three times
week, and the pay then fixed at $50, OF
When trial was had for conspifac,
the defense argued that it was discr
tionary under the law for the oficia
to fix the increase of'pay.e
What is the apparent condition in u
pension bureau? Plainly, it is ca
of the abuse of discretionary pow
upon the part of the commissioner. A
cording to his own statement he is 0
lowing claims which will involve e
penditures fariin excess of the intent
congress; and issuing certificates
claimants who did not dare to subm
their cases to the scruntiny of his pl
decessor. This predecessor, Jud
Lochren, was Union soldier, m
of noted sympathy with soldiers al
their interest, and was rated as one
the best citizens of Minnesota. VIII
Evans states publicly that he is graz
ing pensions to men who would not l
ceive favorable hearing at the han
of Judge Lochren he makes known
situation in his off e that deserve
Z immediate investigation. Nhetl
D F1,sns u rato;nad h. NT,,X;rlo,. o, :