The San Francisco call., 1901-11-12
PENSIONS AND FRAUDS.
TT CLAY EVANS, Commissioner of Pensions,
n in his report for the fiscal year ending June

IN his report for the fiscal year ending June
- - 80, 1901 makes exhaustive statement of
the defects of the pension laws and of the oppor-
tunities they offer for the commission of fraud by
unscrupuous persons. In the report many specific
instances Of fraud cited typical of the various
methods used by sharpers in taking advantage of the
lberaity of the Government in providing for the
soldiers of the republic and their families.
The number of pensioners on the rolls at the close
OF the fiscal year under review oo7735 being
1000 in excess of any previous year This includes
for the war of the revolution pensioners; for the
war of 1872, I528 Indian wars 1865; Mexican war,
1907; civil war invalids, 1885, civil widows,
| 234,5o3; Spanish war invalids, $685. Spanish
widows, 2o4o. The total appropriations for the PEN
sion Bureau for the year $I44,ooo,ooo Of that
sum there paid out in pensions $13853 483, the
remainder being employed in the maintenance and
operation of the Bureau.
AS illustration of the activity OF some pension
attorneys in hunting up pension cases and urging
any one who has shadow of claim to apply for
pension the Commissioner points out that notwth-
standing the brevy of war with Spain 'the num-
Der of claims filed for pensions as result of disa-
bites incurred in the service in line of duty from
April ~ 1893 to June &c. 1901 was 4571o and since
that date many claims have been filed as the result
of the muster out of troops at San Francisco during
the month of Tune 1901 The Commissioner adds:
Only little over three years have passed since hos
tillties began and yet claims amounting in number
to about 20 per cent of the number OF men enlisted
tor the Spanish war have already been filed"
Commenting upon these claims the Commissioner
says: L not prepared to believe that those en-
gagged in the with Spain, many of them sons of
veterans of the civil war; were less patriotic than their
ancestors, or that they more covetous; but in my
opinion it is the fault of the system OF pensionng
with its active army Of attorneys solicitors and drum
mers practically employed and licensed by the Gov
ernment to solicit and applications for pen
sions, with the promise of SIS for each claim that is
secured and allowed No blame or criticism should
be attached to the soldiers as they are mportuned
and persuaded that it is their duty to file claims
whether disabled or not"
There now 1902 attorneys entitled to prac-
tice before the Pension Bureau an increase of zz6
since last The fees paid attorneys during the
year out OF tlrs payments to pensioners amounted to
S52o245, being increase of $7386S over the pre-
vous year. There pending 4o356o claims for
pensions.
After citing numerous cases of downright fraud
practiced to obtain pensions and frequently to rob
the pensoner, the Commissioner says: mo argu-
ment is needed to show that the expenditure of such
vast sums of the peoples money should rest upon
system containing of the elements of protec-
ton to the Government than be found in the
methods now in force in settling pension claims The
fault is not with the soldier claimant his widow,
but the system devised for ascertaning their rights
is faulty that it offers most inviting field for the
enterprisng and adventurous claim agent attorney
1t holds out inducement to those that may be
persuaded to file false claims or fraudulent evidence
in support of valid In fact the system aids ad
encourages fraudulent practices of various sorts 1t
is not to be wondered that the Government is con-
stantly being imposed upon When attention is called
to the defects which responsible for these con-
ditions mighty howl goes up in certain quarters
These conditions are not new. They have existed
ever since the war; and able and conscientious Com
missioners, members of both of the great political
parties have in their annual reports strongly pro-
tested against them"