The National tribune., 1900-01-11
HOsrILE MIscoNsrRuCTIoN.

y ct achieved In It's laDorS Tor the veterans
and their dependent ones. We have never
had an ADLER or more Jealous Pension Com
mittee, and it has labored most faithfully
10 secure some tangible relief. 1t has
done its full duty in calling the Presidents
attention to the grievances of the veterans
in the maladministration of the Pension
Bureau since the present Commissioner
far we are all familiar. The Committee is
sanguine that the bill which they prepared
and which is now before Congress will cure
many of the evils, and compel the Com
missioner to do his duty. While we wish
We could feel the confidence of the Commit
tee, we have strong misgivings that it will
not prove effectual. There are none so
blind as those who will not see, and we
have little hope that any additions of words
to the laws will make them any clearer to a
| Commissioner who is determined to see only
doubts, difficulties, and "obScurities. To
far ADLER men than even Mr.. Evans thinks
himself the act of June 27, 1890, was ex-
ceedingly lucid and unmistakable. Never
was n Congressional act more so. Never
was more thorough and painstaking piece
OF legislation put upon the United States
statute books. For 10 Years it had been
under the most exhaustive discussion
Every word. every clause in it had been
go8c over thousands of times, painstaking-
| y and thoroughly, by the ablest men in the
| country. The veterans had discussed it in
| the PoSt-rooms, at Reunions, in Depart
mCnt and National Encampmcnts, in the
press and at political gatherings. The
| GAR. National Pension Committee had
had it under consideration for nearly 10
sessions it was constantly before both
bodies. The Pension Committees of the
Senate and House studied it in committee
rooms, and made frequent and exhaustive
reports upon it, and then it was discussed
on the floor of both Houses in four Con-
crosses. Each House repeatedly passed
it, and once they both passed it in one
session, and it went to President Cleveland,
who discussed it in message, in which
he said it meant just what we now claim it
means, and vetoed it for that reason. Again
Congress repassed it, and President Ben
jamin Harrison, recognized today as the
very foremost lawyer among English
speaking peoples, signed it, and ordered
its execution according to its clear intent
and purport, which Interpretation we de-
mand shall be restored. Congresses
one Of them Democratic-gave this inter
probation sanction by voting the money to
carry it out. When Mr.. Cleveland came in
again, with his openly proclaimed hos
tility TO all pensions, his legal myrmidons
set about inventing doubts and obsclIri-
ties" to defeat the execution of the law, and
these Mr.. Evans has inherited and in
tensifed.
Now, with all these facts in mind, can
any one hope that law can be passed in
doubts and difficulties in the way of doing
his duty? If he can find these in law
so well-considered as that of June 81, 1890
will he fail to find them in any law that can
be offered him? We find conclusive an
swer to this in his treatment of the act of
March 6, 1896, passed to restrain the Com
missioner Of Pensions from cutting off
claimants from arrears by bubbles. Mr..
Evans treats this as an absolute dead letter,
his pretext being that it was passed at the
instance of the pension attorneys" state
attorneys have no pecuniary interest in a
claimants getting arrears. Their fee is
the same whether he does or not. Mr..
Evans is law unto himself. and simply
ignores any law or part Of law which does
not suit his purpose.
There is a special danger about the Com
mittee's bill, which seems to have been over
looked SO far. In both the clauses relating
TO the pensions of invalids and Of widows
is the phrase such pension shall COM
mence from the date of the fling of the appli-
cation in the Bureau Of Pensions after the
passage Of tlis act"
! 4 friendly Commissioner of Pensions
would undoubtedly rule that as this is an
amendment of the act OF June27, 1890, the
pensions should begin at the date of The
filing Of the original application. But, from
Mr. Eyans's course in the past we must
assume that if the bill passes he will rule
that new applications must be filed in both
invalids' and widows cases, under the act
us amended, and the pensions only begin
from the date of such filing If he does
this, it will operate to cut off all arrears from
every claim now on file under the act Of
June p, 1890. This would save" an i'm
mense amount to the Treasury, as great
numbers Of the claims have accumulated
many years of arrears. Very many of
them must 20 clear back to 1890.
This is a very grave matter, ard should
be carefully looked into by the GAR.
Committee and the friends OF the veterans in
the House Of Representatives.
IF there was areal desire 10 codify the
pension laws clearly, inteIigentIy, and
promptly, there could be no better instrli-
lmnu,al;ty found for This nurp,.en th.,, ,Ia