The National tribune., 1899-07-06
EyANs,s rAcrIcs.

Some of the tactics TO which Commissione
Evans has resorted in order to save up mi
lions of dollars from pensions to return to tn
United States Treasury for this year are yer
wonderful.
Early in February, 1898, Evans had pre-
pared little book, signed by him as the all
thor, and published April 8, 1898, instructinl
the Office force what to do, entitled Practice O
the Pension Bureau
In this book, tucked away nicely in tw'
lines in an outof-the- way place near the bet
tom of page 116 is one OF his sly tricks which
overruled the settled practice and law of eigh
years standing in mothers claims under tn,
act of June q, 1890, and caused the unlawful
rejection of 1000 of these old mothers claims
These are the only words he used to de
the hostile work:
''The remGrriage of a mother after the dedti
Of the soldier is bar TO pension under this act.
This same question had been fully consid-
cred by both the Harrison and the Cleveland
Administrations on the special requests oil
Commissioners Raum and Lochren, and de
cided exactly the other way, both Administra-
tons holding that a mothers remarriage be-
fore applying for pension under the June law,
did not bar her claim if she was still in des-
titute Or penSionable condition as to property
and income. (Sce decision of Aug. 6, 1890,
published in P D., 240; 6 P. d., p. so; 7 P. D.,
p. 543; P. D., $50, and Ruling PAP, of April,
1917
Why did not Evans, as his predecessors had
done, ask the Secretary for public ruling on
the question before he began his wholesale re-
jections against these old and helpless moth
ers? He knew very well that he would not
get to reject single one Of those claims on that
ground if he raised the question. He also
knew that by entering up the order in this
quiet, obscure way lie could rush through the
reiections before case could be appealed and
reached for reversal
That is precisely what he has accomplished.
On April 8, 1898. his work began, and for over
a year these old mothers claims were col
lected from all parts of the Bureau as fast as
taey e.lld be found, and hustled off to the
Board of Review for rejection, and notice OF re-
lection given. The shock no doubt killed
many Of these infirm women, just as the shock
killed thousands of old soldiers whom Lochren
unlawfully dropped from the rolls.
On June Is, 1899 lone year and three months
after the work of rejecting these mothers
claims began), the first appeal was reached by
the Secretary, and Evans's action reversed
But he. had accomplished his purpose. The
saving had been made for his June, 1899 re-
port.
1t will be five years, if these mothers live so
long before all these rejected claims will be
reached for reopening. AT least half of the
mothers will be then dead, and the saving
made permanent.
Evans is doing a similar wrong to a class OF
minors claims under the old law He is
placing them on the @hold-up files, refusing to
consider them, although the question has been
decided against him and Lochren dozens OF
times by the Secretary and the Attorney
General. Lochren was simple enough to begin
rejecting these minors claims; and, just as
Evans has done with the mothers claims, re-
jceted some 5000 before an appeal could be
reached TO stop him. Evans is profiting by
Lochren's experience and has learned better
way, one that will not give them chance to
appeal He refuses to act, and as fast as they
reach the Board of Review, he piles them
away, if ready for allowance. During the last
two years he has piled up 5000 of these
minors claims that have been submitted for
allowance or for the field, as prina facie COM
plete. He allows the adjudicating divisions to
complete them before he holds them up. These
are many OF the same claims that have beer
ready for four and five years. which Lochren
rejected on same ground that Evans now holds
them up in the Board of Review. Had he E)
taken this course with the mothers claims, he
could have worked it for two more years; for
only mandamus can compel him to take them
of the hold-up files.