The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-19

Since 1S0O-NOt Necessary to thN
PensiOner.
From the New York World.
Washington, Dee 15.-Son1e of the neo-.
pie who are protesting most vehemennv
against the 'unfriendly" comment being
made upon the expanding pension paw
ments do not consider or care for some
OF the figures that justify others in 1ues-
tionins the unmixed good of the pensiau
business Attention has been directed IN
the fact that the country has paid in pens
slons, since 1885, more than $2,O0OO000
and that before the pensioners are all dead
there will have been expended NOT less
than 100000 more. 1t may not be ST.
CO2O0O,0oO all told, but it viii be above 81.
O0OOC0,OO0.
These payments win be for pensions di-
rectly. There are other expenditures IN
go along. In order to get nearly million
pensioners, the government has paid in,
fees TO examining surgeons more than S13-
100000. There has been spent to MAINTAIN,
pension agencies in different cities abonb
@l090O0. The pension office in WASHING.
ton has cost about 100000. The navy
pensions have cost SAB, G39, us, and the armv
pensions amounted to 81. O62, 964 2S3. or in
all about $2,27S Isl. 256 Out of the exnensoa
attending the adding of pensioners to the
rolls the cost of keeping up the pension
bureau was considerable. In the last seven
years that bureau has cost an average OF
$2,250000 a year.
1hese comparisons are interesting when
considered with the figures showing the
gains Of pension attorneys or solicitors
since the pensions began to be paid and
the attorney for pension claims begins ia
find lucrative employment
1t seems altogether likely that the non,
sion runner" the man who finds out
cases and runs them down until he gets
his fees, has procured for those engaged
in the business not less than $50oOOOa0
since 1866. The figures are not at nresent
accessible for the whole time. but for a,
part of the time they are at hand. Tbev
may run up to $75,0O0O00 in thirtv-ona
years. The pension bureau gives tba
amounts paid to attorneys during 1Sqe-7
as @o9fo5S. But that was poor year. Here
are the exact amounts paid to attorne,.s
by the pension bureau during the veays
given:
1S9a 769 200 70
Ie9. 1l2 321 50
co. LISP ITS 50
1S91 ''''''''''.''''......,.... 5S1GB Is
IS94 .....................sw. 62277J25
1870 ''.............,. ............ 59l38 IA
$1O,110 1914 40
This snug amount of money has been
sought for with great eagerness and work.
ed Tor with ingenious and persistent la
por py some 65,ON attorneys who have
DeSh registered In the pension bureau On
THIS list now there are the names of 5000
persons and firms dead or disbarred. and
OF l0'VJ persons dead or retired. Although
business has diminished latterly as COM
pared with what it was seven years ago,
the pension bureau has on it's records the
names Of 1000 persons entitled to recog-
milton as attorneys and of 1000 firms enti-
tied to recognition.
Inc 49OD do not include all the persons
who are devoting themselves to finding
new pensioners for the government to take
care Of. Many attorneys have runners
who are not attorneys, but who are pro-
hcient in the work of impressing pensions
ers with the belief that they should be
getting more money; that they are suffer-
ing from disabilities heretofore undiscover-
ca and t@juspected. The number of these
would possibly be twice 10000 so that ii
VIII be safe to assume that the attorneys
and their runners" number upward Of
100000.
1t is because of consideration of the
difficulty of getting the fees of 1891 thag
the attorneys are fretful and disposed to
menace the republican party with defeat
when the time comes 10 administer IL
These attorneys are scattered all over the
country. They are thicker than three in
bed with the veterans. They feed
pensioners with the hope of increases, and
men who have thus far failed to establish
the right to draw pensions are encouraged
with the expectation that they will yet
share the liberality of a grateful govern
ment.
The pension bureau knows and says 10
everybody who inquiries, that the pension
attorney, or runner or whatever he may
deserve to be called, is not only unneces-
sary, but an expensive pest. He fattens
only when pensioners get their claims be-
fore the pension commissioner by his aid
But he is not necessary. The pension
bureau will tell every would-be pensioner
how to proceed to establish his claim.
If the applicants record is clear, he VIII
get his pension shortly without difficulty.
If it is obscure, the pension bureau VIII
suggest how he can clear it up, and lh9
applicant viii be instructed how to do all
that the attorney could do The attor.
neys can do nothing to advance cases OUT
Of their order.
Il is urged that congress should abolish
the attorneys. The commissioner Of PEN
sons knows this to be desirable REFORM
The attorneys do not live or do business
out of love for the soldier. They are sim"
ply loking for fees