The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-19
AFTER RECESS.

At 8 o'clock Chairman II. B. Brown,
of the Committee on Pensions, claimed
the floor, and proceeded to read the ma
jority report of the Committee. 1t was a
very vOluminOuS document, occupying CON
siderably over an hour to read. 1t went
over the same ground trayersed by the
committee for the last three years, but in
still stronger and more unmistakable Ian
guage. 1t pointed out and condemned
some of the obnoxious features OF the
policy of the. present Commissioner, and
supported the Indictment against him by
statistics taken from his report, showing
the constant decline in the liberality Of
pensions The report then went into a
long argument in favor of the proposed
Court of Pension Appeals.
At the conclusion of the long reading
General Sickles advanced TO the front OF
the stage and was received with cheers.
He said he did not sign the report,
though he agreed with most of it. When
first read it reminded him of a consulta
ton of learned doctors around the bedside
Of a patient who, after using long words.
left the bedside without giving u prescrip-
tion. The minority of the committee, con
sisting of Comrade Coulter and himself.
had prepared prescription, which he now
proposed to read. 1t was short and pro
posed remedy, which the other did not
except a very remote one. He read as
follows:
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The undersigned, a minority Of the
Committee on Pensions, believing that
tn. grievances set forth by the majority
renort demand further and other relief
than is called for therein, respectfully ask
for the adoption of the following preamble
and resolution:
10. nIr 1tanfc Cd Of hn
sion Bureau during several years past has
been the subject of frequent complaint
and rcmonstrarce on the part of the vet
Grams of the Civil War; and
Whereas, after careful investigation and
mature consideration, this committee has
heretofore earnestly endeavored in obedi.
ence to the instructions of the National
Encampment to obtain redress for the
grievances complained of by representa-.
tons made to the Chief of the Pension
Bureau and to the President of the United
States; and
Whereas It Is openly charged In many
of the newspapers of the country that the
pension roll, far from beirs a roll OF
honor, as we claim 1t to be, 10 saturated
with fraud and contains thousands and
thousands of names not entitled to the
bounty of the Government; and
Whereas ample means are provided BIZ
law to enable to Commissioner Of Pom.
sions to ascertain the truth Of this charge
or te disprove it, II unfounded; and
Whereas he has not only failed to dc
this, but has suffered this unjust reproach
to rest upon the pension rollj therefore
be II
Resolved, That this National Encamp.
ment believes It to be Its duty to ask the
President, respectfully, WHEN his health
has been 30 far restored 70 to enable him
to attend to public business, to take meas.
ures under the authority given him by
Congress for the regulation Of the CON
duct Of the Pension Office, whereby ths
grievances herein and heretofore set forth
By this committee may be remedied; and
furthermore, that the President be- like
wise respectfully requested to order and
direct that an Investigation be made Of
the conduct Of the Pension Bureau In thu
adjudication Of applications fps pensions,
so that 1t may be ascsrtaiAed and made
known to the country whether or net the
pension roll IL made Up 10 any consider
able degree. as Is claimed, Of pensions
fraudulently obtained.
And whereas there b q widespread be-
jiet and conviction amsnS thu Yaisrans Of