The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26

that . member of ono of the boards Of examin-
Ing surgeons before which the claimant was
sent furnished tho attorney with a careful
statement OF the true condition of the applicant.
II the attorney had alleged any disease or result
that did not exist, or II he had failed to allege
any disease or result that did exist, he was In
formed Of the fact and he would at once file a
corrected declaration.
All this and much more was brought out by
this examination. While 1t was still pending
Corporal Tanner succeeded Gen. Black as Com
missioner Of Ponsions, The special examiner In
charge made his report, and an order Of sus-
pension was about to issue In liz OF these cases
when Corporal Tanner was superseded by
Green b. Raum. Great excitement prevailed
In the neighborhood of F~ossoria. o. Charges
Of all kinds were filed against the examiners.
The reputation of the one In charge was as
sailed. and the bureau was flooded with afl-
davits. Then the political pull was worked.
A member of President Harrison's Cabinet
called on Commissioner Raum and said 1t would
ruin the party in Ohio IL these suspensions
were insisted on. Raum could not let q little
thing like this investigation stand in the way
Of his party's success. He rescinded the order
Of suspension, and to-day every one Of those
men 10 drawing his pension. unless he has
Joined the grand army that has its render
yous on the other shore, whore the service Is
moro than 100 days. One million young men in
this country to-day will cheerfully agree to 20
to Washington for 100 days from May to
August IL the Government will furnish trans.
portation, rations, and clothing, and they will
render every service that these pensioners did
without pay or the expectation Of a pension in
the future. The thing would be but o sum-
mer's outing. Politics prevented the Pension
Bureau from acting justly in this matter, and
1t will continue to DO the real reason why the
pension roll cannot be made a roll Of honor.
When what Is known as the new law was I'M
der confederation, 1t was at first proposed to
make 1t a dependent" bill. viz, giving a pen
sion to all old soldiers who had served at least
ninety days, had been honorably discharged,
and were now dependents, but this did not go
through. A millionaire 10 as much entitled UNI
der the act Of June 81. 1890, to a pension as a
pauper. Some OF the real soldiers Of the coun-
try tried to have q serv'ca bill passed in lieu of
this, to provide for paying a monthly pension
equal to one cent for each day Of the soldiers
service. This feature was fought by the claim
agents and pension attorneys. These ~self-con.
stituted next friends Of the veterans saw that
If the records of the War Department furnished
all the proof necessary to secure o pension the
soldiers would need no attorneys, and they
would be out of a job.
When Judge Lochren became COMMISSIONS
Of Pensions an honest effort was made to rem
der the pension roll a roll of honor. but again
politics blocked the way. The average Demo-
cratic Congressman, with q large soldier con-
stituency, has the same anxiety to get the votes
as his Republican brother. Little difference
can be seen between the old soldier who is a
Democrat and the one who is a Republican in
their desire to get something for nothing. This
Is lnstanced in the case of Henry G. Bell. who
was Deputy Commissioner Of Pensions during
the last Cleveland Administration When
Judge Lochren came in Mr.. Bell addressed him
a letter, which was published at the time in
the Washington Post, In this letter Mr.. Bell.
who was on the pension roll. under the act of
June %, 1890. at $12 a month, stated that after
careful reflection and due consideration he
had concluded that heaonlt Enthusiastically
longer accept his pension which Ghd6r the law
was for total disability. and he therefore re-
turned his certificate and wished his name to
be stricken from the rolls. His request was
| complied with. and Mr.. Bell ceased to be a PEN
sioner, but for four years he drew a salary Of
8 $500 q year. Just before Mr.. Bell lost his
office, in April last, he set the proper machinery
in motion to reinstate himself upon the rolls.
and was SO reinstated and drew the back pen
sion, which for four years he had 30 honorably
refused