The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-06

NY Intervene on humanitarian grounds |
to, save from starvation any more Of
the people now suffering torture and
slow death in Cuba under direction of
the government of Spain. i am sorry
went on that trip, for the picture of hu-
man misery which was branded upon
my brain Is constantly with me and win
meyer fade away. The words OF Sena-
tor Galiinger. Senator Proctor and
Senator Thurston do not In any man
ner exaggerate& the awful conditions
there. but on the contrary. language
cannot fully portray the desolation and
agony which we Witnessed In Cuba"
II Mako Hls Life Burden.
1T Is almost Impossible for me to
keep pace with my correspondence"
said well-known congressman today.
II should not like to have the old SOL
diers In my district know that they are
bore to me, for am not out OF poll
tics yet;s butithe fact is. they make my
life a burden"
The old soldiers, widows. orphans,
dependent mothers. fathers. and other
relatives write me day after day. say
ing: Please go to the pension office
and inquire concerning the condition OF
my case. ] cannot get answers to my
letters, either from the commissioners
or my attorneys. must depend on
you to look after my interests! None
of them seem to realize what II means
to call on me for such work. ] am OBJ
| liged to go to the pension ONCE. and
that takes half an hour out Of my day.
| only have two hours. between 10
| o'clock in the morning and noon. be-
| cause promptly at IL o'clock the house
| is called to order, and am expected to
be In my seat ready for the work OF
the legislative day.
Time 1t the Pension Onice.
1.-THE house continues in session until
o'clock d. m. and the pension ONCE
closes at L. So the only time at my dis
| posal Is between 10 o'clock and noon. 1t
| takes half an hour to get to the pension
office, and there must spend consid-
cradle time waiting for each case. go
to the room Of the chief clerk, write
upon a slip the name of the soldier, his
regiment and state, the nature OF the
case, and wait for a messenger to bring
1t to me. When 1t comes I must read
through half a bushel NJ papers TO as
| certain the exact s6rc VI the case
This takes from fifteed minutes TO hail
an hour, and sometimes whole houi
is devoted to the thorough examination
| of a single case. 1 usually have from
| ten to twenty cases on hand ana an
always behind my docket. The people
who write to me do not understand TINS
state of affairs; and they do not stoI
| to think that have others than them
selves to look after. Each one or then
thinks the world revolves around MIN
self alone, and If my answers are no
prompt. they are all ready to knife m
politically. My life Is anythihs ou'
picnic"
II is al, very well for members of con
gress 70 complain of their work, bu
| thew all overlook one important poin'
The house of representatives IL mig
gardly and stingy in some particular.
while II Is shamefully lavish and prodi
cal in others. AS single example &c
ms consider the bills making appropria
tions for rivers and harbors
, Money That Is Wasted
r These bills call for the expenditure
from s15 600 600 to $40, 900, 900 every yea
r The money so appropriated is. in
.raat degree. wasted Thousands
s 6cllars go for the improvement of litt
. NJonev q appropriated for these insit
r r,ecant streams solely in order that tf
: oonev may give employment
J, sona noliticaI workers and frient
Of individual congressman. In OH
ar words. the public money is use
a., order 70 secure denominations ar
A r..e,ections. The river and harbor o.
|. n merely a sample Of the useless al
: nronriation of money in many case
n Cthar hills are passed which are
o ranrehensible. But the members OF Col
d gross object with seeming patriotlc re
q 40 liberal appropriations for the pc,
~ sio, office. The clerical force In u
! oans,on office is only half numero'
d enough TO promptly handle the pusine
Il which has accumulated there. IL
; ,,,orLing force of that office ought
10 doub,ed Think of 1t! There
r. bout two thousand clerks employ
.r a. tho pension office now, ana the
Il ought 10 be four thousand at least
n order IN keep pace with the work OF
~ Laen II in shape for prompt actioh
70 snecial cases called for by congresshe
y Letters by the Thousand.
TO ..r,ov constantly appeal to me-" co
e. 80 NV congressional friend, u
10 | CauSe they Cdnuot 81 =
lg letters which are addressed 10 theil
IN torneys. Now, how can their attorhe
re answer their letters when the pens
,e Office cannot answer their attorney
in thousands of letters are received I'd
in the pension office which are mere
aIed away. no matter whether III
,g come from the claimants or their
A. tornevs. We must go there In pe,s
ce ~ we want to find out about TN
IT, pending cases" :. IN =,
r very true, but the cause Is IN 9.
ar gress. 1t is not the province Oh
he Correspondent to have any views :,
he corning pension laws, what Is wise =
of unwise in the matter OF granting -
st sions to claimants. but 1t is certa y,
Sc the right Of the correspondent. "
is the facts and for the people 10 ac.
It cordingly when the case Is piaceu
us fore them. The fact is, there are ny
as dreds Of thousands OF cases penulns
in the nension office. No matter wnell
.ot thev are all meritorious or lacking
on sr,, II is certain that they ougnt
.,aarod and disposed or one v