The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-14
PENSION ATTORNEYS.
A Writer Who Takes Exceptions to
Recent Remarks of Gen. BOyntOn.

Weekly for March 5, which he devotes to
1.-THE question of pension reform in the in
terest Of the deserving soldier and the pub
lie alike" and remarks that this question
has REACHED an acute stage" BY the
phrase acute stage Mr.. Boynton means
to be understood, perhaps. as saying that
the pension reformers are "hot under the
collar" and are painting to "break the
yoke" that holds them to the support of the
United States pension roll The writer of
this likes the "acute stage" in every matter
of reform in politics or religion, as the hot
ter the work the sooner will the contest be
over and the victory be won by the right
side-possibly. Mr.. Boynton and all pension
reformers put much emphasis on the phrase
deserving soldier" and seem to desire it
understood that in their opinion deserving
soldiers are few and far between" They
go to work pruning the pension roll, and
keep on pruning and cutting until their
list of pensioners does not number more
than one in a thousand now on the rolls;
the great body of pensioners is by them
termed professional patriots, bounty
jumpers, perjurers and deserters." OF the
$4,000 pensioners now on the roll they
charge that near 100000 are pensioners
through perjury and fraud. The obvious
truth of the matter is that the pension re-
formers do not believe there is such a per-
son as a deserving soldier, but, to put them
selves in position of vantage from attack
upon the whole body of pensioners, they
claim to be the especial friend of the de
serving soldier" and with this they couple
claim that their work of purging the pen
sion roll is done especially in the interest of
the public. Mr.. Boynton's article is direct
ed mainly against pension sharks and the
uselessness of pension attorneys" He finds
fault with the Pension Department because
or It's acceptance and compliance with the
law OF Congress providing for the interven-
tlon or agents IN procuring pensions for the
eX-Spldlers, and in apparently great distress
OF mind ne cries out $50 long as the pres
ent laws and methods continue, not only
will there be no diminution of the pension
roll, but its marked increase is certain for
years. In this last utterance Mr.. Roynton
exposes the animus of his attack upon the
pension sharks" The pension laws do not
please him Under those laws the roll will
wing veteran shall become a pensioner in
recognition OF his service and the disabili-
TIES tnat are inseparable from old age The
Iacl ulstresSes the pension reformers. This
ADMISSION that the roll is bound to increase
IN numbers, under the law, is in fact an
ADMISSION that the roll, as it stands, was
made conformaby to law, and is not a
fraudulent roll even though largely made
shsrIgg The the Intervention of pension
agents are suborners CT perjury and thai
tney procure aft1davits of disabilities of vet
etans When ana where no pensionable dis
aakpiilties exist In answer it may be said
that few if any of the "Old Boys who were
IN active service for from one to four years
time failed to incur disabilities directIv at
tributable to the service. Regiments that
were two or three years in active service
were found to have fit for duty less than
one-tnlrd or the original number. and those
VINO could still answer at roll call, though
seemingly as hard as pine knots" had,
s sfe man man Of them, cut short his term of
surviving veterans be pensioned?
But revert to Boynton's attack upon the
pension sharks; He says while there are
there are Very feW If ay Of th 6ssn %ho
guilty Of grave irregularities, or who do not
heece both the government and their
clients Now, while this charge that Few.
II Ian any, pension agents are not guilty of
i1eecing the government and their clients
y MADE directly against the agents, it
makes. by fair inference, the Pension Of
nee party to the fleeing of both the gov
eminent and the pensioner. The high duty
OF Of the commissioner of pensions is to see
"a onat tnere Is no f1eecing. of the government
agents is it fact known to Mr. Boynton
ana not known to the commissioner of pen
sanS lnau lew II any of the fifty thou
clients?" If Boyntof will inform the COM COM
ROBBERY OF the government and clients by
tnose rascally agents he will disbar every
one or them Immediately and have the
whole lot in the penitentiaries of the coun-
Try as soon as Mr. Boynton can testify
against them in the federal courts Mr.
Boynton continues thus: "The records Of
the fraud files in the Pension Office show
this: Within the last four years not less
tnan nfteen thousand fraudulent cases have
sion OF the Pension Office" Exactly. The
1rauds have been detected--ifteen thousand
or tnem-in the last four years, and the
fraudulent claimants did not get their
names upon the pension roll But mistakes
as TO the law of cases Go not involve fraud
upon the part of the claimants. 1t is wrong
% class persons who, supposng that thew
were entitled to pensions or increase of PEN
SONS made application and their claims
were wei rejected as dishonest persons. There
are many more reflections of claims for in
crease than there are allowances This does
not authorize Mr.. Boynton or anybody else
to pronounce the claimants perjurers and
their agents suborners of perjury The
number of claims rejected gives good evil
dence OF caution in allowance of claims
and STANDS to the credit of the roll as
roll OF honor.
.Boynton shows ignorance of the opera
IONS IONS or r, the Pension Office in this. He
says; lie (the agent secures the case
files his contract for fee of SIS turns
tns case over to the clerks of the Pension
onlGe 10 manner an into proper shape. and
me reverse of this is true. Any declaration
tor pension, affidavit or other paper relat-
ing TO the merits OF a claim for a pension
II not in due form, is not accepted by the
commissioner, but is returned, defects Speci-
ieu, anu the agent Is required to put it in
the required form, containing lucid state
nent or facts etc, before 1t will go upon
the ME Tor consideration in it's order.
Boynton is much distressed as to the fees
OF pension agents His ignorance is, in fact
the cause of some of his anguish He saws
tnat Tor plain increase of pension an
agent gets $40. and then he adds to this
go for original and another $25 for increase
for new disability" and then he groans
Tor the public. Now every agent knows
that pensions for new disabilities are ex-
ceedingly rare. and that for plain increase
the agent gets Il beggarly So Boynton
wants the pension roll printed and pub
nshed: He thinks the publishing would eX-
pose frauds, The pensioners invite publca-
tlon; All OF them favor it; none of them
Tear its effect upon the honor of the roll
with the roll printed and published every
pensioned veteran could have his roll of
honor in his home handsomely framed and
on this would be built up a pride of lineage
as 1t descended from one generation to an
other as long as the American people SHAH
be worthy of freedom and care to be free
men. The pension roll and Old Glory are
inseparable In honor no difference how
long, loud deep and vengeful the roar Of
the pension reformers may be- as thew
mouth their iihels of the pension roll nv
CRYING out in high and low places, that that
roll is composed mainly of bounty iumn-
ers. professional patriots, perjurers and de-
serters." GEORGE w. ALLISON.
Nashville, Ind, March r.
WheeIman and Pedestrian.
New York Press
1887; Jenkins afoot: Never rode a wheel