The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-28
TO INVESTIGATE.
Commissioner of PensiOnsEvans
Will Explain.
Invites a G. A. r.. Committee
to See Him.
PENSION ATTORNEYS,
He Declares, Are Making the
War on His Work.
Has Waged a War on Frauds
in the List.
PENSION ATTORNEYS.

washington, June 2S.-Ihe actlnS
commander of the G. A. r., w. H john
son of Cincinnati and the G. A. RS
committee on legislation are coming to
Washington to make an investigation
of the complaints being made against
Commissioner Evans administration Of
the pension office. The commander and
the committee will be here on July II.
They come to Washington upon the in
Vitation of Commissioner Evans.
Some few weeks ago Commander
johnson and the chairman of the G. A.
r. committee on legislation wrote
Commissioner Evans calling his atten-
ton to the number of protests from G..
A. r. posts against his treatment of
pensioners and applicants for pensions,
and suggesting that explanation
from him was desired. In response to
these letters ConmiSS lOner Evans wrote
both gentlemen telling them of his will
1ngnesS to furnish them with fulI en-
lightenment upon the administration of
his office, and cordially inviting them to
come to Washington for that purpose.
He promised them to put at their com
mand every ia eility- for obtaining full
and complete information upon any
subject connected with the pension Of
flee which they desired to investigate.
To this they responded that they would
come to Washington on July II.
The amount of attempted fraud upon
the pension rolls which Commissioner
Evans has stopped during his term of
the evidence bearing upon such cases
will be turned over by Mr.. Evans to the
G. A. r. committee, the coming inVeSt1-
cation will open up an entirely new
view of Commissioner Evans admins
tration from a G. a. r. standpoint. Mr..
Evans has insisted from the first that
it was as much to the interest of the
worthy soldier as it was to the interest
of the government that the pension
rolls should be kept free from the faint
of fraud. His axiom has been that the
more money paid out in fraudulent pen
sions the less there would be for de-
serving pensioners. 1t is in acting up
to this precept that he has incurred the
enmity of the pension attorneys all over
the country, the interest of the pension
attorney being to get as many claims
through as possible, without regard to
their merit. 1t is the pension attorneys
who have stirred up many of the c. A.
r. posts to passing resolutions con-
den1ning Commissioner Evans for lack
of liberality in his treatment of the old
soldiers. Commissioner Evans has am
pie proof of this, and it will be sub
mitted to the G; A r. c Ge9r I1t,7e
One instance of the pension attorneys
work in this matter may be cited One
Sunday afternoon Commissioner Evans
received in his mail paper from
Neoga, Ill. 1t was marked copy and
contained an editorial viciousiy attack
ing him. Mr.. Evans sat down and
wrote the editor a letter. In a kindly
nisstatenaents and gave him some facts
which showed him how unjust his as
SauIt had been. He concluded with the
statement that the United States gov
eminent had been more liberal to its
soldiers than any government which
had ever existed upon the face of the
earth and that he himself, an old
soldier, while in favor of generous treat
ment to all deserving veterans. was
aiming to keep the pension roll roll
of honor, in order that the deserving
might continue in the enjoyment of the
governments bounty, and that the fair
name of the American soldier-whfch
was more than all-should remain I'M
furnished.
This editor was a man. He replied
to Commissioner Evans letter by the
next mail, informing him that the edi-
torial in question was not written by
himself, but by some pension attorneys
of Nation, whom, he supposed, were
honest and knew whereof they spoke.
He was convinced, he said, that he had
been nisled for unworthy motives, and
asked permission to print Commissioner
Evans letter, which was personal, with
an explanation of his own. Permission
having been given him, he did print
the letter, and with it a statement
signed by himself, informing his read
ers how he had been imposed upon.
His apology to Commissioner Evans
was complete and manly.
PENSION ATTORNEYS WORK.
The pension Office has Just finished