The National tribune., 1900-02-08
THE APPELLATE COURT.

The legal experts are still at work on the
bill for a Court of Pension Appeals, but the
work has not yet advanced to the stage
when it can be presented for consideration.
Unusual difficulties attend the formula
ton of such measure. The veterans and
their families understand the great ad-
vantage it would be to them to have claims
adjudicated by regular Court, instead
of being, as now, subject to the biased
views and contorted vagaries of Com
missioner of Pensions. They would gain
not only in having the laws passed for their
benefit properly construed. but their PEN
Sions would have higher standing in the
eyes of the people. Americans have a
proper respect for the judgments of their
Courts, and a pension awarded TO claimant
by decision of Judge would have much
higher moral esteem than one which was
the gift of a Commissioner of Pensions.
A pension certificate received from court
would be an award of honor, indeed,
about which there could be no question.
But the first question that arises in this
matter is that of time. That is of i'm
perative urgency. With from 40, 900 to
proportionate number of widows, it is
vitality imperative that we shall have as
little as possible of the laws delays"
The comrades and their widows have
already had to wait three intolerably long
years for the justice that was confidently
expected would be rendered them imme-
diately after the incoming of the present
Administration. If there is to be a court
it must be equipped to do at once the things
that should have been done when Evans
first came into office. This phase of the
matter presents the greatest difficulties of
all. Unquestionably any court of COM
petent lawyers would reverse or sweep
away the whole mass OF sophisticating
and delays which Evans
from Lochren, and has still farther
developed. But the trouble will be to get
the cases before the court, and have them
acted on before the claimants die. The
advocates of the court believe that this
can be accomplished by having large
number of members, dividing up the cases
into classes, and having each class assigned
TO certain member, who could pass upon
them with great rapidity. 1t is also be-
lieved that the court can lay down princi-
pies which will govern the Commissioner
In his adjudication, and that they can COM
pei his observance of these principles by
the ordinary means at the command Of
courts.
Unquestionably, the Secretary of the
Interior and the Commissioner of PEN
sions will fight the creation of such a court
with all the means in their power. The
Secretary Of the Interior will resist, as all
officials do, any attempt TO diminish his
functions and prerogatives. That is hu-
man nature-especially official human
nature in Washington, d. G. The Com
missioner of Pensions will bitterly resist
being reduced to mere clerk to register
and execute the will of the court, and he
iieio d NcIOIiouS uloiihe W IldNlBp HCtS
passed upon by men who understand the
law, and believe that it should be executed.
If the bill formulated for the creation of
the court can be made tn meet the reason
able requirements Of the veterans and their
friends, and hold out sufficient promise
10 them of immediate relief from the present
situation, the plan will have
the solid and enthusiastic support of every
veteran and friend of the veterans in the
whole country.