The Sunday globe., 1901-07-28
SUNDAY, JULY 2S, 1901.
COMMISSIONER EVANS.

COMMISSIONER EVANS.
Commissioner Evans, in his state
ment to the public purporting to be
reply to the charges made against him
by Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, concludes
with the following astonishing state
ment:
q beg to call attention to the fact
that the disbursements through this
Bureau, and the numerous agencies
since l came here, nave amounted to
s6Oo .OOO.OO or more. There have been
no defalcations, no misapphcation or
misappropriation Of public funds
There have been no bounty land scan
dsls or charge Of squandering public
funds There has been no selling Of
appointments or promotions. Can more
be asked? Effort has been made to do
justice to all"
Why should Commissioner Evans
claim credit for the fact that the pub
lie funds have been honestly dis
bursed? He has no more to do, and is
no more responsible for the dtsburse'
ment Of public funds tnan any EN-.
ploye under him. No bounty land
scandals. 1t is rather late in the day
to claim credit for that fact.
There Is not another public official
under the Government who would
claim credit for not selling appoint
ments and promotions. We are asked
% infer, from the way in which he
states the fact, that selling appoint
nents and promotions was an every
day occurrence and that he was the
only Bureau officer in Washington who
was not engaged in this nefarious busi-
ness.
He doth protest too much for
while he has not sold promotions, he
has done what is tantamount to the
same thing; he has permitted the
CLIQUE that runs his Bureau to distrib-
ute promotions to their friends and ia
vorites, and whether the clique receiv-
ed valuable considerations is another
story.
1t il an undsniable fact that merit
has never been considered a factor in
determining promotions.
1T seems a story from the world Of
spirits, when anyone obtains that
which he wants, or any merits that
which he obtained'-under Evans.
His claim that there was no misap-
preparation of public funds is abso-
lutely false. The s5,OOOOOO which he
has turned back to the Treasury was
clear and direct misappropriation Of
money appropriated by Congress for
ths benefit Of the old veterans, who
had offered their lives for the perpetu-
alton of the Union. 1t is evident now
TO the most casual observer that be
was appointed Commissioner Of Pen
siOps with the understanding that he
would return $5,OOO,yOO or $4,000, 900
10 the Treasury. To do this he adopt,
ed two detestable policies, viz:
1. To cut down the ratings Of dis
abilities and reject every claim that he
possibly could without too ilagrant a
violation Of law and usage.
2. To promote the inefficient and
worthless and reduce the efficient and
worthy.
Bv the first method he cut down the
appropriation directly, and by the sec,
ond method he reduced indirectly by
demoralizing the working force and
thus retarding the work Of the Blu,
reau.
We propose to prove in future issues
of The Globe
/. That Evans has administered the
Pension Office with the view of graft.
flying the plutocrats Of this country
who. while rapidly absorbing the
wealth produced by the people, be-
grudgingly pay their share for the sup.
port of the Government, and bitterly
complain that the pittance that is paid
TO the men who preserved the nation
is TOO large.
.. That he has cOntemptuously ig
nored some. and has failed to execute
other laws enacted by Congress.
3. That he has ignored the civil sery
ice law and appointed men TO office
who have not been certified by the
Civil Service Commission
A. That he has demoralized every di
vision by rewarding spies and inform
ers. promoting the inefficient and i'm
moral. and unjustly discriminating
against the efficient and high-minded
Without malice toward Commission
ed Evans, we have quietly conducte
an investigation, which while far from
being complete. has disclosed con
diton Of affairs existing in his Blu
reau that it seems almost incredible
we would not believe many statement
until supplied with incontestabl
proofs.
Employees driven to suicide, prema
ura deaths by drink, system OF petit
tyranny and espionage that brings