Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-10
G. 4. 3. VETERANS.
CONTINUED from page l.,

the prosecution of pensions by technica
requirements not within the province OF
the law and which are only calculated II
hinder and obstruct in the effort to obtain
lawful pensions.
! Two years ago the country was stirred
to It's depths ny complaints of the injus-
tlcc of the then administration of the
pension bureau. Beyond doubt. the pO-
lliticai campaign of 1856 was largely innu-
eneed by the hope of ameliorating the
harsh conditions then existing in the PEN
| sion bureau. We submit, that this ex-
pected ametoration has moi taken place.
that In no substantial instance has one OF
| these harsh rules been abrogafcd. but
| every one OF them remains in fun force.
The veterans had the right to expect
=, very different treatment from the present
commissioner OF pensions than they re-
| ceivea from his predecessor. Every day
| brings The veterans nearer the grave in
! Increasing ratio yet the number of week
! Is allowances steadily dimnishes, while
| the pension commissioner states that he
/ las s25o0 claims pending in his bureau,
Of which he says ECO so far have re-
ceived nothing AT all.
Elsewhere he states .hat about 100000
| survivors received TO pensions. and yet
recently the commissioner carried
through a reduction or 100 IN his force OF
clerks, on the ground that he had more
force shan he needed. In the meantime
| 1000 employees of the pension bureau con-
time the dreary round of crcumlocution.
| Resolved. that the rule of the pension
| office by which Il widow is deoarrel from
| a pension IL she has an income Of 800 Is
| unjust, and We AK the President that the
order be- abrogated and the minimum de-
| barring from pensions DC fiXed at not less
than 500 per annum.
Resolved that We ask for the re-estab-
fishing Of Order lsi which was enforced
under the Harrison regime. Fhls order
| took cognizance in rating mans pension
of all the disabilities ne suffered under.
| 1t was abrogated by The last administra-
| ton aud Il was held that to he entitled 10
| the lowest rate of So per month A COM
1 rade mast have some one disability which
is rated at that amount. II he has three
pension al all. This ubiquitous rule Is
n,aintained up to this hour and we submit
| Is not such treatment as We had right
10 expect from Comrade Wm Mckinney.
Resolved. that the phrase Inability TO
perform manual labor is TO be construed
To mean inability to perform unprofes-
sional. unskilled labor. labor requiring
muscular effort alone
Your committee further states that it Is
wise 10 receive cvenatile official statement
of the commits sioner of pensions with sew
eral large grains of allowance. He states
! in one place that there are 5000 comrades
| who never received 4 pension In another
| pace he fixes the figures at 100000
From time to time he issues glowing
| statements as to the great work he is d.
! ing for the comrades in comparison tol
what was formerly done. but mos; Of his
com parsons are with the administrations
of Presidents Grant and Hayes. prior to
the act of 1890. granting pensions after 80
days service for disability honorably in
cured even after the war.
| He compares with the period when the
sum total of claims was only $4,000. when
4 owing to the small force in the adiutant
! generals office. 1t took two years to gel
| a report on the claimants record, where
! il now takes only five days. He compares
work with the work done when the clerks
| in the pension office numbered only 300.
while he now has 1900. He disereetly re-
Trains from giving prominence to thu
number of his reflections.
| Our comrades living and the widows of
comrades dead cry aloud for Justice. We
voice their cry and bring ii to the ear Of
| that comrade in chief authority over all
the land confident that he will do justice.
| ,,;Yl,,
some TIME "i'' t"e ""op'i'n vi 'ne
port Oh the committee on ishsions' ie'i
seemed 70 nave COME my cue "ii'u ~
some cohfaues '''"e s'hie o'"ine NV" "ee',
attribute" 10 iesiesnt MVN'"'es' an"
Judge Torrance OF MinhcSota moved 70
eApuhsc iip'' t''e i.i'l' ~
ihis ii'id"'l""a i"ie - ',''.'' '''i'eu up :"
.i's ho"' anu VIC suDiii'' :" N'' s"''.
srea'fiit III ., We i''ou :, '','"' 10 eNpeN'
from Comfaie "m MCKINNEY.
,oipo''i a'''.o me III p'ep'i
''s ''ie ,ef'oi. II '''' oe." .'i i1oi'' ~
purpose 10 '',' '"s ,'"p"''"oi upon 'i's
fres'aen', -" ne 'she" unanimous COLI
sem 70 ''u ~ we se'1.''iee "hie' y was
sousnt :" No. .Np"nse" an" We are
eo'i'u."t - W. 's '"ee 'ei,eNeo
rom ~. "''sn.s i'i'''''s - ,S't'o'''i an"
W. W. .''. va, ~" 'o''-
nm M -, '"''o''' ~ WIN sec ''''' JUS
'ice IS ooHc'
mission to mahn tpe ,dai,;an - ~ -,
nort ard the mot;on - oxn,nu ~