The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-09

States-a pretty fair-siZed army-who
draw their livelihood largely from pro-
curing pensions. They include solicit
tors, claim agents. and a class of tout
ers, or pullers-in, as they would be
called in an old-clothes district. There
are also travelling men-'drummers"
for commercial houses furnishing the
model. The whole lot are digniied
with the title of attorney, whereas COM.
p~aratively few lave any knowledge or
law"
He follows up the investigation of
abuses showing they occur. He tells
how a certain commissioner of
Pensioners, while borrowing honey
for his own private sp~eculations' from
a fellow who practiced before him,
actually gave orders hat the bureau
should make a record of admitting
1000 claims a day" We do not under
take to follow UP the ways Of deception
and corruption. The congress has
known at along hat the greatest
abuses existed. But no cure has been
found, and the last congress caused as
man. names to be added as there
were names dropped from the roll Of
pensioners. And that in 1901, While the
war ceased in 1865.
Mr.. Leupp tells of cetrain abuses
in various states. We cite two from the
south. He writes:
THE riminaI records of the bureau
tell some interesting tales. For in
stance. one attorney in Charleston,
South Carolina, who was also a notary
public, found it more profitable to ex-
ecute affidavits than to represent his
clients before the Pension Bureau;
because, whether a case succeeded or
failed, he could always make his no
tarial fees, whereas, as an attorney, he
would get nothing if a claim were re-
jected.. He was associated with moth
err notary, who was also a barber. He
would himself execute the papers in
cases which he believed safe, but those
which he found it necessary to accom-
pany with dangerous forgeries he
would turn over to his. barber notary,
who would execute them in large
patches every Monday morning. This
attorney forged hundreds Of papers,
filing claims in the names Of dead per-
sons and giving fictitious addresses to
the Pension Bureau so as to be able to
control the mail matter sent out from
there.
o los claims filed by a Tennessee
attorney, only eight were found. On in
vestigation, of sufficient merit 60 have
passed the bureau IL properly prepar-
ed; the rest were wholly fictitious, or
based on forged papers. He pleaded in
sanity when brought before the bar"
In one year 225, 900 claims have been
adjudicated, and this strikes Mr.. Soup
as reaching 1.-The acme OF wrongful
possibilities" Congress is utterly blind.
Indifferent, or incapable. No relief has
yet come from its wisdom or labors.
So corrupt or wantonly neglectful is
| the congress hat the able writer in the
Forum is led to say that the influence
of the attorneys and claim agents APP
| pears to be as large under the dome of
the capitol as their legal privileges
are under the gables OF the Pension
bureau. Whenever a commissioner at
tempts to effect some reforms without
additional legislation, he is promptly
frowned down. To this day the bureau
has its dockets loaded with claims OF
minors who have now grown TO be
middle-aged or elderly men" And all
this corruption, unfaithfulness and
guilty neglect may well lead all fairly
intelligent voters Il conclude that this
is really about the worst governed
country under the sun among civilized
peoples, and IL has been so for ter
years or longer. That the congress is
censurable there is no good reason tc
doubt. That the republican party Is
the chief despoiler and corruptionist is
plain. Mr.. Seupp, near the close OF hi:
timely p says and 1t is to be in.
dorsed; THE blame must rest on con
gress and on the clamorous army o.
claim agents and solicitors who infest
the Hobbies of that body"
0AsTo7EA
0.-x The Kind Yoa Hzfs EtGas Rcuai