Evening star., 1898-11-18
FIRST FOR PENSION
Private Jesse Gates Claim Put Through in
Haste.
Wounded by a She'll in Cuba-Presi.
dent and Depa artment officials
Helped His Case.

| with Spain was granted today by Commits
| sioner Evans to Jesse F. Gates. late private
| in Battery a. I'd United States Artillery.
| The issuance of this pension so soon after
hostiiities ceased was due to the personal
| interest of President Mckinley in the appli-
cant.
Jesse F. Gates fought with the regulars
| in Cuba On the I'd day of July last in the
| assault upon the Spanish intrenchments
bullet from machine gun tore away most
| of the upper lip of the soldier fracturing
| the superior maxillary and knocking out
six teeth. Gates came to Washington to
secure an audience with the President.
His condition won the sympathy of the
| executive, who directed the Secretary of
War personally to see to it that Gates APP
piieation for a pension was promptly acted
upon.
Gates next visited the commissioner of
| pensions, and the latter. before he learned
| of the Presidents wishes, set the machin-
cry of the pension Office to work. Then
came the letter of the Secretary of War
| to the commissioner of pensions. in which
| the interest of the President was cited.
Furnished the Evidence.
special examiner was put upon the
case and the War Department Immediately
notified to furnish the necessary evidence
| of the soldiers enlistment and within
! twentyfohr hours from the date of his ap-
plication Gates ordered before the
medical examining board. This board
amined him carefully, found the injuries
represented and made its report which en-
titles the applicant to pension of 81
month from October %. 1898, citing specifi
caly as to the disa bility. shell wound of
mouth and resulting defo.mity and loss of
teeth"
| The certificate which was issued today
has double distinction. Aside from being
the first pension issued by reason of the
war with Spain. it holds the record for
| qufckness in adjudication under Commits
sioner Evans
Not Enough Pension.
1t will be recalled that the commissioner
of pensions, in an interview some time ago.
stated that the laws of the United States
In relation to pensions were not adequate
enough to compensate this soldier for the
sacrifice he had made for his country and
that mis- case should be made the subject
| of special legislation by Congress. 1t is an
ucipated that bill increasing the pension
of this soldier will be presented at the next
session of Congress, and determined effort
| made to have it passed.
There are pending before the office
LIS navy, exclusive of the Maine claims
and 1,94T war claims account of the war
with Spain, and it is expected that this
number will be largely augmented soon
the various volunteer companies are
mustered out.
While the examining surgeons were eau
toned to use the utmost care in examining
volunteers before enlistment, number got
, into the service who were incapactated.
The reports of the surgeons who are now
mastering these men out show A large per-
centage OF them in very bad condition.
There are many LESSONS of the heart noted
and it is expected that there will be several
| thousand claims for pensions by reason of
minor disabilities. Claims coming in
now very fast. Today forty-five were filed.
The pension office is rapidly putting the
81,
cation, and the War Department is doing
its utmost to furnish the military records
fast possible. From now on pensions
based on the Spanish war will be granted
+o---
Keep the Philippines.
From Puck
! Arguments against the keeping of the
| Philippines are plentiful. They are good
ones, TOO. The islands are far away: their
| people nomads, savages and pirates; their
| resources undeveloped: their value pro
ducers uncertain; We have territory enough
already; also a sufficiency of race troubles.
| Clearly. the retention of these islands means
| and additional burden and expense. And
/ yet. in spite of these good arguments, the
| sentiment of the country seems to be unmis-
| takably for keeping them. Ii is sentiment
: not based upon their value, and hence it is
| superior to all figures showing them to be
undesirable. 1t is a sentiment which wants
| them whether they are desirable or not,
sentiment willing to make a monetary sac
| rifice in order to keep them. National
! pride perhaps best describes this senti
ment: and, to define it more closely, ma
! tional pride in the achievements of Dewey
and navy. He, representative,
Won a fCOthold in those islands in a way
| that thrilled every one of us; and we have
a feeling that to give up the position now
would be 10 belittle his victory, himself and
| ourselves. Possibly all that the anti-annex
ationists say of this sentiment is true. 1t
may be primitive and unreasoning But
| there it is, a very important sentiment
among those by which human nature ex-
presses itself, and what you going TO
| do about it? But it must be said that min
gied with this purely selfish sentiment is
one that is unSclfiSh. a genuine impulse to
protect the Filipiuos from the oppression of
| Spain. in accordance with promises plainly
implied if not worded, and to help them IN
the ways OF civilization. Cali it Quxotic,
If you like, it persists just the same. There
is just much human nature in nation
as there is in an individual. Should these
sentiments prevail, as we believe they will
we shall keep the islands: and, no doubt
twenty years from now, We shall be con-
graduating ourselves upon the far-sighted
policy that gave Us a fOothod in the east,
forgetting that We took it merely out of
pride mixed with philanthropy.