The National tribune., 1900-06-14
A FEW INSTANCES.
The Record OF the Pension Bureaus InJustsice
in One Little Neighborhood

Ine RECORD OF the fenSion bureau lnJustslce
in One Little Neighborhood.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Will you
allow me to address few words to the
Commissioner of Pensions through your
columns?
To II. Clay Evans.
Sir: You can put white flower in your
buttonholc, for Margaret Greenstreet Is
dead. Margaret Greenstreet was the
widow of VIM. Greeastreet, an old sol
der. She had been trying for three or
four years TO get pension, and submitted
proof enough TO gain her case in any court
enough to satisfy any one except the
Pension Department under your admins
traton. But through one pretext and an
other you kept her out of it. until she
died in poverty and in want Of the COM
mon neccsSaries OF lifc-Starved to death
for the want OF n few dollars that were
justly due her. And | wish to call your
attention to a few more facts that will
probably make you rejoice Asa Rogers.
who was 4 member of the oath Mo,
served through the war and had four
brothers killed in different battles during
the war. lie applied for a pension and
could not get 1t. and died in the poor
house. Mary Jones, widow Of Capt. VIM.
Jones, of Co. II. Sth Mo. Cav, who
served through the war. and contracted
disease, from which he died, tried for ~
or Ia years to get a pension; submitted
volumes of testimony, and a few days
since you rejected her claim and there
by saved few hundred dollars to this
great Government. She has no property
and nothing for her support and Is too old
and feeble to work, and if it was not for
trends would have to go to the poor farm.
She is justly entitled to a pension and
ought to have it, and under a just and
loyal Commissioner she would get it
Isaac n. Browning, an infirm and de-
crepit old soldier. who served three years
IN Co. ii, Sth Mo. Cav, contracted dis
Ease that developed into palsy and rheu-
Eatism, so much so that he can hardly
feed himself, and can get around only on
crutches. He gets the magnificent sum
Of 50 per month. He applied for an in
crease, and few day since received in
formation from you that the sum of So
was all he was entitled to. Only think
of IL. $G for a soldier that is wholly dis
hbled- 1t IS outrageous. Under the new
law he IS justly entitled to Sl2 and under
he old law he should have $50 per month.
Lieut.. Pond is another. He served three
and a half years in the Federal army.
and contracted disease that has followed
Iim ever since he came home until now
He is wholly disabled from any labor Of
any kind
He has heen trying to get an increase
and has failed up to this time He has
supplied an armful of testimony, testi-
mony that is unimpeachcd and unim-
peachable. and furnished petitions from
neighbors and friends, and doctors Ger
tficates innumerable. and has had his
Senators from Missouri and Representa-
tives from his District to call up his
claim, but all to no purpose. He might
as well appeal to a stone. The above are
a few facts from the many that can be
established by any amount of testimony
and many other similar cases can be found
in this County.
You have by some hocus-pocus led the
President to believe that the charges
against you emanate from pension claim
agents and not from the old soldiers. but
| can tell you they come from the old SOL
diers themselves, as you and the President
will learn if you don't change your prac-
tee. They may not vote for Bryan. but
they will not vote for Mckinley. They
roted and shouted for Mckinley the last
election with the understanding that he
being an old soldier and member of the
u. 4. r., was their friend. But when he
selected you, their enemy, TO be Commits
sioner, as shown by your administration
Of the Pension Office, they are led TO be-
lieve that he is as bad as yourself And
II there is not some change thousands OF
them, rs true and loyal as they ever were
and as true Republicans as there are in
the United States. will not vote for him.
You. by your acts. have shown your
self TO be good watch dog for the Treas
ury, and by your paISimonious admins
tration OF the Pension Office have saved
many thousands of dollars TO the Govern
mcnt-saved it by starving and causing
many old soldiers and soldiers widows to
die Of want, to die for lack OF few Of
the common necessaries Of life that they
might have had had you granted them the
small pittance they We're entitled to- Now,
L may be a great satisfaction to you to
tell your friends the vast amounts you
have saved TO the Government. But at
the same time you should tell them of the
many thousands of soldiers and soldiers
widows that you have been the instrument
in starving to death, sending TO the poor
house and causing untold misery in every
way by withholding from them their just
dues.
But in few years they will all be
gone. Then You can PIT Il wreath of
flowers around your brow. build a big
bonfire and have big dance for joy.
Unfortunately you can not be prose
cuted for the many people you have
caused to die III want and peuury. But
if his Satanic Majesty don't take yon to
the internal regions he should he i'm