The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-18
OLD SOLDIERS DISSATISFIED.
An Interview between General
Dyrenforth mud the President.

Gen. Robert St C. Dyrenfcrth, Com
mandsr-in Chief of the Union Veterans
Union, had long conference yesterday
morning with the President at the Wni-e
House. The subject was the mana cement
of the Pension Office under Mr.. Mck-n-
{ lcys appointee. II. Clay Evans. So keen
has been the popular resentment of the
Evans methods that there hes been g
marked detection from RepGbl en- r-nks
among old soldiers who have been refused
pensions. The matter is assuming a
serious phase. The Republican leaders
are taking anxious account Ct the s, ldier
vote. which they formerly consider, d
solid for the party. The discussion be-
tween General Dyrcnforth and the Pres
ident yesterday related to the present
condition of affairs.
General Dyrenforth, who is head Of 1(O,-
00C old soldiers belonging to the Union
Veterans Union, is little pleased with the
official conduct CT Pension Comm ssioner
Evans. II is declared that big percent
age of the soldier vote that formerly
went solidly for the Republican ticket,
has been alienated by reason Of Mr..
Evans methods of rejecting psn ion
claims. The loss is most serious in the
Middle West, where the can On is hot
test. Authentic reports from Indiana,
Illinois. Kansas, Nebraska. ana Iowa tell
of hundreds of lifelong Republican SOL
diers who have gone over to Mr.. Bryan
during the present summer
The Union Veterans Union is political
offshoot of the Grand Army. Its purpose
is to support the Republican Administra-
ton. General Dyrenforth as commander
OF it. is therefore trusted political ally
OF MIR. Mckinley. Ii is believed that the
disclosures yesterday, gave the Presi-
dent considerable anxiety. He feels that in
the Middle West especially there is great
danger to his campaign in the losses oc-
casioned through the old soldier vote.
1t was felt that there is now little hope
Of regainirg their support, for with the
election only three weeks distant it is
practically impossible to heal wounds that
have been forming for three years or more.
The old soldiers of the country are said to
be up in arms against Commissioner Evans
not only because Of his alleged purpose in
rejection of claims for pensions on every
possible occasion, but also because OF the
system Of espionage, established by Mr..
Evans. II is charged that applicants for
pensions are subjected to the most insult
ing enquiries at the hands of these de-
tectives and that no one, whether wife
mother or sister Of most unblemished
character. is exempt from the insulting
questions of these special examiners OF
the Pension Bureau.
As a result of his endeavors along this
line the Pension Commissioner has been
able 10 keep well within the appropria-
tons made by Congress for pensi, rs, while
thousands of deserving claimants have
been rejected. The members OF the Grand
Army and the Union Veterans Union have
made frequent protests to the President
against the management of the Pension
Bureau. but il has done no good. and The
old soldiers II is charged. are beginning
to feel that ii is with the advice of the
President that Mr.. Evans has conducted
the Pension Office in the manner he has