Evening star., 1901-06-29

The controversy over the commissioner
ship of pensions between Senator Scott,
representing the republican national COM
nittee. and Gen. Sickles. representing the
Grand Army. brings developments which
are discredtable to both participants. The
charge is that bargain was made by
which Grand Army votes were cast last
November for the republican presidential
ticket in consideration Of the promise that
Commissioner Evans should be removed
from office, and that, in effect, his
cessor and the pension policy of the gov
ernment should be determined by the pen
sion committee of the G.. A. r.
The correspondence shows that some such
deal was suggested by Gen Sickles, and
that Senator Scott treated the proposal in
a shUtfiing. equivocal fashion. stating that
OF course it would be impossible for him to
say that the President would not appoint
certain individuals. but think l can safe
y say that l hardly think Evans will be
continued commissioner" Cen Sickles
ii seems. treated Senator Scott's Delphic
oracle deltverance as a pledge by the re-
publican national committee. binding upon
William Mckinley, and circulated the al
legged promise everywhere that his cam
paign labors carried him.
The letters up to this time made p,bIic
very disag:eeable impression. do not con-
stitute a contract of traffic in votes in ex-
change for an office. But If the actual
communications between the parties did
create in legal effect the alleged contract
In consideration of presidential votes to re-
move from office an honest and capable
official. who has stood like a wall between
the public treasury and plunderng schenr-
rrS. the agreement would be corrupt and
dlssraceful. and the people of the United
states should annul it on grounds of pub
lie policy
Tn" country will welcome disproof of
a charge which casts discredft upon the
Grand Army a trafficker in votes as
well as upon the republican national COM
mittee- The people have shown their ap-
probation Of the services of the Grand
Army by liberal pension laws literally in
t-rpr'ted. and there is not a thought In
any patriotic bosom of a policy which
would change this The republican national
committee represents one of the great par
Ties ana now the triumphant party, and
"hhe much Is allowed in the management
OF an important and exciting campaign,
the country would learn with the deepest
disapproval that the pension bureau. with
Its enormous expenditure of money patrt-
pledge anywhere to anybody in return for
partisan votes
Commissioner Evans has administered
the duties Of his office most intelIfgent1y
and honestly. There has been no reason
Tor any other course on his part The Pres
lient Is an old soldier. and would not have
tolerated injustice toward his comrades in
one OF MS appointees- In addition to this
sentiment n the law. and that compels
such treatment of the old soldiers as makes
hAhdredS OF thousands Of them more COM
Portable than are the worn and deserving
veterans Of any other nation in the world
There are doubtless some good men who.
IN one way or another, have been enlisted
In this crusade against Mr.. Evans: but the
organizers of the crusade. and the men
who have pushed 1t the most vigorously. are
i~HSI"n agent sharks" who. with loud
professions OF devotion to the boys and
tA~!r interests. are simply seeking to use
the pension bureau for filling their own
wallets with fees.
Cen Sickles does not charge that Mr..
Mckinley prior 10 the election knew Of the
alleged promise in his name, or that nv
"JTd Or act he Countenanced it. The claim
now that such d binding pledge was given.
and the threatening. almost Matchmaking
demand upon the President that he carry
out corrupt bargain. alleged to have been
made for him by others or suffer the con-
sequences. would seem to render It i'm
possible for the President in self-respect to
make at this time any change in the COM
nissionership Of pensions which he may
have for other reasons contemplated. even
UPON the basis of the intended promotion
OF Mr. Evans 10 a more agreeable and de-
sirahle position.