The National tribune., 1901-02-21
GEN. sIckLE,,s APPEAL.

Owing to ill-hcalth, Gen. ID. E. Sickles
was unable to be present with the G. A. Il.
National Pension Committee at the time of
its visit to Washington, but he sent the
following strong and convincing letter TO
the Chairman of the Committee on Invalid
Pensions:
Il am, as you know, very much inter
eSted In the passage Of the Pension Court
Bill. | believe that measure deserves the
favorable consideration of Congress. Our
war veterans are without a judicial tri-
bunal, to which they can appeal for jus
tice. The so-called Board of Review, in
the Pension Office, is made up of a detail
Of clerks in the Interior Department who
are expected to revise and confirm or re-
verse the action Of their superior officers
which, from a judicial point of view, is an
absurdity. A Judicial body must be indie
pendent of the executive authority creating
it. AS for the legal attainments of the
Pension Office Board of Review, they are
what might be expected of group of law
yers, who, perhaps, never tried case out
side of a Justices Court. Our veteran sol
diers are entitled to their day in Court, if
they demand il. No judicial tribunal to-
day is open to them when they desire TO
review an adverse decision of the Pen
sion Office or of the Department of the In
terror. When Congress created Court OF
Claims, and opened it TO hear every claim
ant in the land, the veteran soldier who
had pension claim was expressly denied
hearing in the Court of Claims. This
unjust discrimination should cease. 1t is
too late now to admit veterans TO he heard
In the Court of Claims, because that Court
is so oyercroWded with cases that il can
not transact half of the business before it.
Nor can the Board of Review in the
Pension Office dispose of the pending ap-
peals, and only one official, an Assistant
Secretary of the Interior Department, il,
designated to revise decisions of the Board
Uf Review. If Congress will create q Court
of competent jurisdiction, providing FIVE or
seven Justices, all the cases in arrears will
soon be disposed of and principles and
rules established for the government
and guidance of the Pension Office, whicl,
will remove all substantial and reasonable
grounds of complaint. An authority will
be recognized, in such Court, to which
the Pension Office and the Interior Depart
ment will bow witt. Difference and respect
and which will be recognized eyerywhere
by veterans as competent, impartial and
just.
Il had occasion, during the past year. tc
hear the views, on this subject, of veterans
residing in many parts of our country and
without IN exception, all OF them ex
pressed themselves in favor OF the earl,
establishment, by Congress, of a Pension
Court of Appeals. l assure you, sir, thai
the feeling among the veterans on this sub
ject is widespread and emphatic. Assum
ing, as do, that Judges of such a Court
nominated by the President and con
firmed by the Senate, would be men OF
learning, character and ability, L am per
suaded that the passage OF the bill. b,
Congress, will be received not only by III,
veterans Of the civil war, but by all gooC
citizens with universal satisfaction. If
might have had the honor to appear befor,
your committee, and my strength ant
health permitted me to do SO, | could am
phfy the argument in support of thi,
measure, but, as it is, must content nv
self with an earnest solicitation for Won,
favorable action. Very sincerely yours.
(Signed ID. Z. SIcKLEs."