Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-10

1895 was largely Influenced by the hope OF
tanning in the pension bureau. We submit
that this expected amelioration has not
taken place; that in no substantial in
stance has one OF these harsh rules been
Abrogated but every one of them remains
in fun force and effect as under the pre-
vtous administration. The best Illustration
of this Is the odious rule 225. which was
substituted for the just rule 1G4. to the
Infinite injury of tens of thousands of much
deserving men and women. II seems ur-
necessary TO enlarge upon the fact that
the veterans had the right to expect very
different treatment from the present COM
missioner OF pensions than they received
from his predecessor.
Another fact that IL seems unnecessary
TO enlarge upon Is that time il highly i'm
portant to the veterans. The passing years
have direful acceleration for them. Every
day brings them nearer the grave in in
creasing ratio. Their needs cry out more
Vociferously with every changing OF the
moon, yet the number of weekly allow
ances steadily diminishes. while the PEN
sion commissioner officially states that he
has 625o0 claims pending in his bureau.
OF which he says 1000 so far have received
nothing at all. Elsewhere he states that
about 100000 survivors have received no
pensions, and yet very recently the COM
missioner recommended and carried
through a reduction of 100 IN his force of
clerks, on the ground that he had more
force than he needed-this, in face of the
fact that hardly day passes but that
somewhere or another in this broad land
the pension certificate arrives only in time
TO be laid on the coffin of the applicant.
In the meanwhile. the 1.6ag employees of
the pension bureau continue the dreary
round Of circumlocutioE OF pulling out the
yellowtDg papers, adding a note to the fad
Ing Endorsements and replacing them in the
pigeonholes.s. II has been estimated by a
mathematician fond Of curious calculations
that the mere physical labor employed in
these futile landings has been sufficient
to have picked up the army of the Potomac
IN its produest strength and carried ii
bodily. from Washington to Richmond.
Resolved, That the rule of the pension
Office by which a widow is debarred from
pension If she has an Income of 800 per
year Is unjust. and We ask the president
that the order be abrogated and the min
imum income debarring from pensions be
fixed at not less than 500 per annum. In
this connection we desire to inform the
president that very early in his admins.
itration il was announced by high official
Ia the pension Office that the widows limit
would be raised TO 5000. but IT never ma
terialzed.
: s.fSssolyed, That We ask for the re-es.
~tadfshing of order 1G4 which was enforced
under the Harrison regime. This order ir
simple terms took cognizanee IN raunt
a mans pension of all the disabilities ht
suffered under.
'It was abrogated by the last admins
tration, and it was held that TO be enu-
tied to the lowest rate of IS per month. a
comrade must have some one disability,
which is rated At that amount. If he has
three disabilities. rated at 81 each. he gets
no pension at ALL This iniquitous rule is
maintained up 10 this hour. and We sub.
right to expect from Comrade William Nc
Kinley.
Resolved That in constituting the phrase
inability to perform manual labor II be
construed to mean inability to perform un.
professional. unskiiled labor labor requir
ing muscular effort alone.
Your committee further respectfully
states that IL is willing to receive even the
official statement of the commissioner o
pensions with several large grains OF al
lowance.
He states in one place that there arr
~ 000 comrades who never received a pen
sion. In another place he likes the figure.
al 100000. We are aware that from tint
10 time. he issues glowing statements n
TO the great work he = doing for tn,
comrades, in comparison to what wa
formerly done, but most of his cUmpdri
sons are with the ADMINISTRATIONS o
prior TO the act of 1880 granting pension
after ninety days service Tor disability
honorabiy incurred even after the wa. H.
total of claims was only 3Oo.Gn. when. ow
ing to the small force in the adjutan
generals Office. il took two years 10 ge
report on the claimants record. wher
now il takes only five days. He compare
work with the work done when the clerk
in the pension office numbered only 3I
while he has Leo He diSCreetly refrain
from giving prominence TO the number o
his reflections. our comrades living, an
aloud for Justice We voice their cry. an
bring II TO the ear of that comrade in chic
authority over all the land, confident tha
he will do Justice.
The report was adopted without discus
sion.
AS an Indication of the high regard q
tho eucampment for President MCKINLEY
u NAV be stated that, some time after tn
adoption of the report OF the committee o
pensions a fear seemed to have come int
the minds of some of the comrades tina
some degree of blame had been attribute
20 him. and Judge Torrance, of Miunesot;
moved 10 expunge from the report the ser
tence. This iniQuitous rule is maintaine
up TO this hour. and We submit il is nc
such treatment as we had right to eN
pect from Comrade William Mckinley"
Corporal Tanner Immediately got III
floor and stated that his high regard fC
President Mckinley was not exceeded b
any member of the encampment. that
preparing the report Il had been far froI
his purpose TO cast any imputation upo