The National tribune., 1899-09-07

any time during the two years struggle.
1t is another illustration of how much
more literally the Mexican War pension
law is construed than those relating to the
war of the rebellion.
He shows that the total number of pen
sioners has been cut down from 993,714, in
1898, to 991.o1o. in 1899, decrease of
2,195. He does not-'iares not-attempt
to reconcile this showing with his state
ment further on that the number of claims
pending June 80 was 477,239, among
which were 946S from veterans who have
not yet received any pension whatever.
What possible preteXt can he give for cut
ting down the pension roll 2,195, while he
confesses that there are gags veterans.
To say nothing of their widows, who have
been waiting fer years TO have their claims
allowed, and while he has a force of 1,741
clerks ostensibly engaged in the work of
adiudicating claims? The mere statement
is sufficient
He has cut down his first statement of the
S1lipui;t iIt IttuI leu ~ tIlt iINsiSiiy ~
about s212, ,240 ard now places it at 81 ,644.-
94S. This would have put about HOO
of those lorg-waitipg G9,46S on the rolls
at SS month.
He says that the total allowances for
the year WAS S9,O54. Here comes in his
crafty Juggling, for the total additions to
the roll were but 40.991, leaving the enor-
nous number of 4S.063. or much more
than half the entire numLcr issued for the
sole and obvious purpose of padding"
and making Il prctense of doing work,
where little or none of any real benefit TO
veterans was done He will claim that
this enormous number represents increases,
yet the average annual value of all pen
sions under the act of June 81, 1890, is but
which Lochren left them. Report of
June 80, 1880 The average annual value
of all pensions on the roll is but S132.74,
a decrease Of SIPS from the point where
Lochren left them,. Report of June 30
1882 and decrease OF S2.36 from the
point where Raum left them.
The whole payment under the general
law was but S71 5,7O3, where it was
s72052, ,143 nine years ago, and was $780,
292 s31 when Gen. Raum left Office.
The whole payment under the act of
June u, 1890. was s64 ,321 400, where it
was S6S ,259, ,537 the year that Gen. Raum
left Office, and SCI ,6S6,732 when Murphy
went out.
The Bureaus greatest industry during
the year was directed toward rejections
and making allowances" which did not
allow. There was an astounding total
of 10Y ,919 rejections to 37,077 actual al
Iowances, or nearly three for one. The
actual allowances averaged about 700
week; the rejcctions over 1900! And
what is equally startling is that of the
total of 10Y ,919 rejections SO, ,421 were on
medical grounds" "No benefit" was
alleged in 5000 cases, and legal grounds"
in 13,498 cases. That is, nearly nine out
of every IL claimants had proved up their
cases beyond doubt, and had to be de-
frauded of their rights by injecting some
medical bubble. Think of the fragrant
cruelty and injustice Of paltering and
juggling about their physical condition
prematurely aged by reason of the hard
ships and strains they endured in the
service OF their country.
He says 'Ihe Commissioner has given
the right of way to original claims in which
no pension has ever been granted" etc.
In his report for 1898 he estimated that
there were $1,000 Of these. This year he
says there are 69.46S. That is, he has
given the right Of way" to 5,532, or about
one in 15. These are probably those that
he has been compelled to grant by Con-
gressional or other pressure.
He has allowed but BOB of the II $50
Spanish war claims filed. A few months
ago he made as an excuse that he could
not get the necessary data in regard to
these from the War Department. Gen.
Ainsworth at once nailed this by saying
that every call from the Pension Bureau
had been, and could always be, answered
inside of "a hours.
The Commissioner admits that Loeb
ren's Order 225, which was the subject oi
general denunciation in 1896, and which
was condemned by the National Encamp
ment at Cincinnati, is still in force, ant
says that no change has been made from
his predecessors course under it.
His recommendation in regard to ad
mitting to the pension list men who previ
| ously served in the rebel army is INTENDED
to benefit him politically in Tennessee.
, His concluding paragraph about tn,
liberalization of the laws and practices i
J given direct, fiat contradiction by in
stances of bitter injustice furnished b,
every community in the country wher
veterans and their widows reside.
COL. MULFoRD, Of the 1st Neb., say
that q don't think you will see any Of u
e returning to Manila very soon." Prot
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