The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-01-01

clSlonS, letting them be final In any CIV
EN- case.
II this method were pursued, the
whole force of medical men now acting
IN the secret service of the pension bu-
reau, in the capacity of travelling med
ical inspectors of pension claims, could
well be dispensed with, and the saving
would be of no small magnitude. 1t is
said that two billions of dollars have
already been paid out in pensions, and
that fully as much more will be requir-
ed in future hence, the total for pen
sions is likely to exceed all other ex-
penses of the War Of the Rebellion com
bined.
AS the administration has of late been
discussing measures for reducing, in
some way, the current expenses of the
| government, l know of no better place
to begin than in the pension depart
| ment. Doubtless, politicians would not
regard 1t as very wise polltlcal move;
yet, II / mistake not the consensus OF
opinion which seems to prevail IN the
public mind, the time is not far distant
when the question of retrenchment VIII
become vital issue btween opposing
| political parties. 1t certainly Is an az
fair in which little courage should De
shown; wisdom, justice and common
sense should prevail, rather than pol
icy. What, then, is the best course TO
be pursued in cutting down pension eN-
penditures? In answering the questloh
l will offer few suggestions Tor the
| solution OF the problem.
| In the first place, let there pc thoi-
| ough review and re-eXamlnation OF an
| pension cases now on the rolls by eNalh-
| lining boards of surgeons appointed lor
| that purpose called boards OF REVIEW
which shall be composed, as far as pos
sible, Of surgeons, irrespective OF party
| who served as such during the Waf' Ior
| the reason that, other Things peins
| equal, they are better quahhed LOT lhe
duties required than surgeons VINO new
err saw service in the field, or mliltary
hospitals; having a better knowledge OF
| the nature, pecuiarities ana eHects, OF
gunshot injuries. ,-N.
| Having in view this composition OF
boards of pension surgeons, Mr.. Whlt-
ing introduced the following Dill INTO
| the Forty-ninth congress, bill estap-
fishing the qualifications of examining
surgeons in the pension department, the
text of which was as follows.
BE it enacted by the senate ana
| house of representatives OF the united
States of America, assembled, that no
person shall be eligible for appointment
| to the position of examining surgeon
of the pension department unless ne
shall have previously served as surgeon
or assistant surgeon in the army or ma
Wy of the United States, except In dis
tricts where no person who has served
as aforesaid, qualified to hold said po-
sition, can be obtained.
Section 2. That all persons now hold
| ing the position of examining surgeon
| of the pension department, who nave
not previously served as surgeon or as
sistant surgeon in the army or navy OF
| the United states, snail cease 10 hold
| said position OF examining surgeon IN
three months from the passage of this
act; and In filling all vacancies so caus-
| ed, and in all appointments to said po-
sitions, persons shall be appointed ire
| spective of the political party to which
| they belong, preference being given,
| other qualifications being equal, to
| those who have served the longest time
| as surgeon or assistant surgeon, as
aforesaid"
Thus far the selection of pension sur
geons throughout the country has been
| in obedience to party dictation, and In
| accordance with the political predilec-
lions of the subjects for appointments,
instead of any special fitness for the
duties required.
During the last administration. this
important branch of the pension bu-
reau was placed under the civil service
law. after almost the entire force of the
exnerienced surgeons on duty were de-
| posed and a new and Inexperienced al
lotment of examiners were installed. Sc
,ectea nc before with snecial regard
IN their noIitical strine Whether this
w.s a wise action or not the future
,,,,st daoida
That thara ore many good c.nab1e
.ta,, 80 ao,,h+,. NE
-, - -, 49,, - 4tno,,e.t 49,;
-, -, s,,a ....a..a 49,,
,..,s -, 49,, haeaaa 49, ,,,oao5
eAoN nc, .i,t.,s.e
l'nuei 1iVii 5ei VIZ ,a", ~ 20
Wouio nav peeii i'i 81 ,i pei.en.ase "
qualiheu SURGEONS IN ,fie iis' 'nah 'iie LETS
Is now LUIS iiiedeui "ouiu haNe Suai
ahteeu more eiaeient service III Inc lu-
ture, by way OF lhteihsent olasnosls
ana wise decisions upon Whlcn an pen
sions are supposed TO pc, ana shouid De,
based.
REWRITING to the boards OF review,
| t+,rtn T h1x ~ Cllo