Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-11
PENSION ADlfINlSTRATI TION,

we noted, u short time ago, the mani
| festations of dissatisfaction in the
Grand Army of the Republic with the
administration of the pension bureau,
particular reference being made at that
state encampment in adopting a resolu-
ton expressing its disapprobation of
| the way in which the bureau is admin
istered and calling for the removal of
| the commissioner Hon. II. Clay Evans.
Since then a number of Grand Army
posts in Kansas have joined in the at
tack on the commissioner of pensions,
peremptorily demanding his removal,
and there is strong feeling of opposi-
ton to him among the union veterans
| of Nebraska.
Tomorrow a committee of the Grand
Army, with the commander-in-chief at
its head, will enter upon an investiga
ton, at the request of Commissioner
| Evans, of pension administration and
pending the report of this committee
the members of the Grand Army will
of course cease their criticisms. Mean
time it may be noted that there is some
strong testimony in behalf of the COM
| missioner of pensions. The union sol
diers have no more devoted and jealous
friend than the next speaker of the
house of representatives, Colonel Hen
dersOn. Until recently he had found
fault with pension administration under
the present commissioner, but per
sOnal investigation produced a change
of opinion. To Iowa veterans Colonel
Henderson said Il few weeks ago that
under Evans more pensions had been
granted the past year than in any prevl-
Gus year since 1893 and lie added with
characteristic candor: 81 want to pub
licly acknowledge the great wrong I
have done II. Clay Evans. Boys, he is
your friend and the friend of the old
soldiers everywhere" Why should he
not be, having himself been a union
soldier and made an honorable record.
Moreover, there is no better friend of
the eX-union soldiers than President
Mckinley and the fact that he ap-
proves the policy and practice of the
pension bureau should be sufficient as
| surance to the veterans that their in
terests are being properly cared for.
The fact probably is that this agita
ton against the commissioner of pen
sions Is largely due to pension attor-
| neys and claim agents whose hostility
he has incurred. In letter to a mem
Der of congress published some two
months ago Commissioner Evans said:
~ have endeavOred to afford claimants
who are not represented by attorneys
every facility for the prosecution of
their claims and have often found IL
necessary to take action which the at
torneys do not like, and as a result they
appear to have organized a systematic
| attack upon the bureau from all direc-
tions, thereby endeavoring to create
sentiment of hostility among the sol
diers to the administration of the pen
sion bureau, when, as n matter of fact,
all the officers and clerks are putting
forth their best efforts to adjudicate
claims justly and speedily and in con-
formity with the law as At exists"
AS we said in previous reference to
this matter, the general public has a
very large interest in pension admins
| tration, which makes a greater demand
upon the financial resources of the gov
ernment than any other branch of the
public service. The people desire that
the pension bureau shall be justly and
| honestly administered-that the law
| shall be faithfully and impartially exc
cuted. The investigation by the Grand
Army committee will undoubtedly show
whether this is being done and we con
fidently anticipate yindication of Com
missioner Evans.