The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-13
ON HIS ADMINISTRATION OF
PENSION OFFICE.
ExONERATE The PRESIDENT
Senator Hawley Will Fight Attack
and counsels Modera-
ton.

reports by the commander-in-chief,
adjutant general, chaplain and var
ious committees.
The proceedings of the day we're
prefaced by the adoption of a resolu-
ton offered by General Daniel E.
Sickles, rendering to the president
the affectionate congratulations of
the G. A. R. upon his rapid con
valescense. The resolution vas en-
bodied in a telegram which was i'm
mediately sent to Mrs. Mckinley at
Buffalo.
The action of the convention on
the report of the committee on pen
sions is still a subject of all absorb
ing interest with the veterans. 1t
was expected that this matter would
be disposed of at today's session, but
the convention adjourned without
taking any formal action of the re
port.
Commander-in-chief R~assieur, in a
spirited address severely arraigned
Commissioner of Pensions Evans
upon his administration of the pen
sion bureau. He complained of UNI
fairness and %direlection of duty in Of
flee.
General Sickels was careful to ex-
onerate President Mckinley and di-
rected his attack at the head of the
pension bureau direct. @
Senator Hawley announced his in
tention of fighting the attack upon
Commissioner Evans. He expressed
the fullest confidence in the admins
tration to rectify any existing evils
in the pension department and coun-
selled moderation.
The majority report of the pension
committee critieises the present pen
sion system as much, if not more than
it does the commissioner. It sets
forth that the system is wrong in
that the interests Of pensioners are
entirely in the hands of one man.
The pensioner has no appeal from the
decision of the pension bureau and
cannot take his case into court. The
establishment of a court of appeals
is advocated.
The grievances of the veterans in
relation to the pension system are
carefully worded, so as to avoid i'm
putation of criticism against the ad-
ministration and are placed in in
terrogoratiye rather than assertive
form.
The minority report states that it
is openly charged that the pension
roll, far from being a roll of honor,
is saturated with fraud and contains
thousands and thousands of names
not entitled to the bounty of the gov
eminent and recommends that the
president be petitioned, NOW that the
term of Office of the present commits
sioner has expired, to appoint a sue
cessor of knwon integrity, capacity
and fidelity, who will faithfully exc
cute the duties of the office in obed-
fence to the laws of congress-"
1t was thought tonight that the
majority of the delegates were in &C.
cord with Senator Hawley's views.
Define action it is thought will likely
be taken in reference to the matter
at tOmorroW's session of the conyen-
ton.
The report of the committee on
credentials was adopted, the roll pre-
pared by the adjutant general show
ing a total voting strength of 1910;
said to be the largest in point of at
tendance in the history of the organ
ization.
A number of cities are in the fight
for the next encampment of the G.
A R., Detroit, Denver, Atlanta, st.
Paul, Salt Lake City and Charleston,
w. Va, being mentioned in the list
of contestants. The place of next
meeting will be decided at tomorrow's
session of the convention.
The Woman's Relief Corps, auxil-
larry to the G. A. R., had the first ses-
sion in their annual convention to-
day. Address Of the national pres
ident and the adoption of the reports
OF the other national officers and of
various committees consumed the
first days session.
Woman's Relif Corps is in a pros
condition, the t~reasurer's re-
port showing a total in all funds of
.$i2,140.71. with no liabilities. After
reading Of the reports a message of
sympathy was telegraphed to Mrs.
Mckinley at Buffalo. Roll Of officers
md delegates to w. R. G. shows a
sotal voting strength OF 1858. Elec-
ion Of oficers will be held tomorrw.