The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-29
BULLY FOR EVANS
HE HAS BEEN AN HONEST PEN
SION COMMISSIONER,
BUT He MAY HAVE TO CO.
A DESPERATE FIGHT is BEING
MADE ON HIM.

The G. a, n. and the Pension Sharks
Are Determined to Get Rid of Him.
Gen. Daniel Il. sicISIes Is Making
Most Vicious Attack, Hoping
Thereby to Become Commander
fn-Chief of the G. A. R.-His Du-
r,.-.sy shown IN BY the Commits
sioner.
Washington, June 2S-The pension grab
bers are on the warpath again, and the
object of their vengeance is II. s. Clay
Evans the present commissioner of pen
sions. Backed by the Grand Army of the
Republic and led by Gen. Daniel f. Sick
les and Corporal" Tanner, former com
missioner of pensions now a pension at
torney in Washington. the enemies IF
Commissioner Evans are demanding his
immediate removal, as they claim, in the
interest of the old soldier, the soldiers
widow and orphan and the general well
fare of all pensioners.
These attacks upon Commissioner
Evans are not new as he has been sub
5ected to them ever since the pension at
torneys realized that he was administer
ing the affairs of the pension office In ac-
cordance with the strict letter OF the law
without fear or favor. AS result OF his
strict enforcement of the pension laws,
several hundred thousand alleged pension
claims have been rejected, thousands OF
names have been stricken from the pen
sion rolls which should never have been
there and hundreds of pension attorneys,
who were growing rich i'm the prosecution
OF questionable pension claims, have been
driven from the business. In spite of the
determined opposition of the pension
sharks and the enemies of Commissioner
Evans in the G. A. r., he has managed
to retain his Office for four years; am al
most unprecedented record for a Commits
sioner OF Pensions.
All of his predecessors in office have
been subjected TO the same kind OF op-
portion and from similar sources. Some
of them were able to hang on for a year
or two, but none or them excepting
Commissioner Evans, has had the
nerve, the courage and the influence
10 continue at the head of the Pension
Bureau for full term OF four years. It
appears that President Mckinley, while
a devoted friend and comrade OF the old
stands full we'll that COMMISSIONS, Ev-
ans administration has been honest,
clean, and patriotic. The only charges
that can be made against Commissioner
Evans IL that he administers his ONCE
with a view TO reducing the pension HIST
instead OF fnoreaslng 1t upon demand of
the professional pension bummers How
long he can continue in his present po-
sition I'm view of the vigorous assault
now being made upon him, is a matter
OF conjecture.
GEN. sicIxIeS had Conduct.
A few days ago Corporal" Tannar
publicly declared that the Republican
National Committee in the last campaign
promised Gen. Daniel T. Sickles that II
Mckinley was reelected Commissioner
Evens would not be re-appointed Com
missioner OF Pensions. This agreement
Is said 10 have been reduced to writing
In the heat Of the campaign when Il was
feared that the Grand Army influence
In a number OF tho Western states
would be turned against Mckinley be-
osuse he had insisted on retaining Com
missioner Bvans In Office. II Is alleged
that Gen. Sicl<lss was induced 10 break
away from the Democratic party. which
had honorcd him with various offices IN
the part. and 80 upon the stump for
Mckinley to hold the GRIND Army men
IN line. His reward was 20 be the on
ciai decapitation OF Commissioner Ev-
ans. To the surprise 81 Commissionar
Evans ana also the Prcsldsnt, Gen.