The National tribune., 1900-01-04
WHERE THE >UGGEsrros CAME FROM

An examination OF the printed testimony
taken before the Senate Committee on
Pensions IS very Interesting.
Tho first witness was the Secretary of
the Interior Hon. e. \. Hitchcock
who said thal he held the Office since Feb.
20, 1899. He knew that there were such
! things as Orders No. 1ei and 225. but
was mot familiar with their practical or
administrative operation" He had heard
| that. some had claimed that Order 1Gi was
too liberal" aud that others claimed that
| Order 225 was altogether too restrictive,
but II am told by The Commissioner that IN
practical operation there is no difference at
GH-that is, in the matter of rating dis
abilities. That is the keynote of the
whole matter.
This confirms what we have previously
himself about the pension business. relies
wholly on the Commissioner for his in
formation, and is eggregiously misinform-
ed.
Senator Gallinger asked the Secretary:
"The other point, as l understand it,
that the Grand Army has pressed upon the
President and this Department is that in
estimating the amount of pension TO be
allowed the Bureau shall take cognlZlncc
OF the several disabilities that the soldier
may have. and aggregate them, so as /"
reach 4 conclusion rs 10 the amount oi
pension thai should be granted. There
has l,eau great deal Of contention on that
rttr Tl Al
Hr2nd Array OF the Republic, covering u
r"ri't oi 10 or II years. Have You amy
know ledge rs to whether or NOT that Is the
practice OF the Bureau nj the present time
OF whether the c0mUl2int made by the
Grand Army is weil-fountcd:'
To this the Secretary replied:
q should NOT like 10 give a positive ar
SWer. because the details "l thr practice are
properly left with the Commissioner. who
can best answer your question.
That is. the Secretary Aad absolutely no
knowledge OF any Of Ire practices Of the
Pension Bureau. and particularly in re-
lation 10 these srec:;l orders. except what
he gained 10y casual conversation with the
Commissioner
Assistant Secretary Davis said substan-
tally the same, and referred the Committee
to the Commissioner as to information
about combining disa bilities. He himself
favored raising the limit to widows in
comes TO $3.50. But the most pertinent fact
was his testimony as TO the origin of the
idea of a Codiffcation Commission. He
said:
81 would merely say that I feel enthusi-
astic regarding the first suggestion-the
Of a commission. The Secre-
tary Of the Interior spoke with me about it at
the beginning of the Summer"
The Secretary of the Interior Immediately
him, saying:
"The Commissioner of Pensions spoke
TO me about If before He wrote me on
the 2Gth OF July, 1899. a letter making the
of Commission. i think
we are all agreed about its importance. III
order 10 remove all indeiiniteness regard
ing pension legislation and especially
the indefiniteness regarding means of
support and daily labor"
Here We have it placed beyond doubt
that the Commission was a cunning device
Of Commissioner Evans to put shield
between himself and those who are in
dignant at his notification of the laws,
and to stave off a settlement of the question
at least until after the Presi-
Dental election.
As we have said before, the veterans have
no objection to the Codfcation Commits
sion per sc. They have little interest
whether the laws are codified again or not
But they do most strenuously object to
having that device be made an answer 10
their appeals for immediate justice. They
resent being amused by an elaborate and
cumbrous commission, which will post
pone the day of relief until hundreds Of
thousands Of them are in their graves. |
and hey uiiG earthly relief. They demand |
that plain, mandatory laws now on the stat |
ute books, and which have seemed sufi- |
GENTLY clear to much ADLER men than are |
now in charge of the pension system, shall |
be executed according to their plain, man
datory terms, and not be juggled with by |
a man whose main object is to find pretexts |
for not obeying directions expressed in |
clear, unmistakable English words