Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-11
Old Soldiers and Pensions.

To the Edito- OF The Evening Star:
/ believe you mean to be not only fair,
but generous. toward the old soldier But
the people do not generally understand the
special pension grievances which so many
old soldiers complain of.
The law of 1880 provides that where an
honorably discharged soldier suffers from
Il disability which might have originated in
the service which incapacitates him from
labor, he may receive pension.
Now, il is a fact that nearly every old
soldier who is crippled by old age, thinks
his disability originated in his army serv-
ice. Granted that many are mistaken. Still
the disa bili,ies exist, and the people must
either take care of these old hulkS or let
them starVe. No one proposes the latter
alternative. 1t is therefore a question of
pension or poOrnouSe. We who are out
side the poor house, propose to keep our
old comrades out by any and every means
in our power.
The rule formerly in force in the pension
office was. II a man was crippled so as TO
be unable to work, although no one special
disease at fault still he was entitled to
pension. The rule made by Loughran and
maintained by Evans is that he must show
by evidence that he Is crippled to pen
sionable extent by some one particular dis
ease Now it makes little difference to the
old vet whether he is crippled by a gunshot
wound or by complication of rheumatism
chronic diarrhoca and blind staggers. And
as under this same law. the complication
was formerly pensionable, he cannot be-
lieve in the generosity or justice of a ruling
which now cuts him out. And this IS the
first and greatest grievance against Evans.
Second. The old soldier feels that the
kind of testimony now required to prove
disability originating in the service is I'M
reasonable. For instance, in a case recent
~ decided. man swore he was ruptured
by being thrown from horse, at a par
ticular time and place. His captain swore
to the fact of the accident, that the man
acting nnIar orders and that the
was carried to camp, and afterward walked
with a cane, and complained of rupture.
The captains testimony was declared in
sufficient because he did not actually re-
move the mans clothing and view his
naked body. AS not one officer in hum
dred ever did such thing to make
man expose his person, and, of course, had
thought at that time of what he might
be expected to know in after years, such
ruling on testimony is considered unfair,
and certainly contrary to the spirit of the
law
Third. I did not meet an old soldier at
Philadelphia who does not in his heart be-
lieve that an order has been issued that the
expense of the pension roll must not be
increased. law or no law. Old soldiers be-
lieve it to be the duty of sworn officers. to
obey the law.
Fourth The old fellows were and are
hot in the collar when they learn that one
of the questions asked of a soldiers widow
is: Are you living in concubinage?"
Wouldn't you turn in your grave if your
widow were asked such question?
Personally, l don't believe Mr.. Evans
has done anything but to Loyalty obey or
ders. And l cannot believe that those who
gave him the orders understood just how
the thing would work. Nor do I believe
that the redress of these grievances of
overstrict construction would add two mil
lions year to the pension roll. But I
know that. while many old soldiers feel
that the nation has been very liberal in
pension matters. there are few who do not
feel indignant at some of these rulings by
the pension office, and Mr.. Evans now gets
the "cussfng'' which, in my opinion prop
erly applies to those above him.
September 8, 1899. w. A. BARTLETT