The Washington times., 1901-09-28
President Roosevel,s Policy.

If President Roosevelts purposes are
correctly foreshadowed in the news re-
ports, on two points his policy will
be commendable.
First, it is said that he intends to
retain Pension Commissioner Evans in
his present position. In saying this, The
Times does not assume that, apart from
political considerations, there was any
especially cogent reason why Mr.. Evans
should have been appointed in the first
| instance, or that there are not other
equally good men for the office. But
we think there is an eminent propriety
in retaining him because of the nature
of the attack to which he has been sub
jected. The charge made is that he has
been narrow and illiberal in his inter-
probation of the pension laws This is
simply another way OF saying that he
construes the laws as they are written,
which is exactly what he ought to do.
Every honest pensioner on the roll
ought to sustain him in this course for
nothing could tend more strongly to
bring the pension system into disrepute
than for the belief to gain ground that
the laws were being construed in d lax
way, in order TO let in doubtful claims.
There is, in truth, widespread feeling
that this policy has already prevailed
to some extent, and the ever-increasing
length of the pension list in a measure
justifies the feeling.
General Sickles admitted that five per
cent of the pension claims filed were
fraudulent. In view of his position, we
may safely conclude that the percent
age is considerably larger. for of course
he only referred to those the fraudulent
character of which was known. Aside
from this, the pension laws are liberal
even to the point OF being lavish, and
there would be manifest impropriety in
making them still more so by loose and
slipshod Interpretation. The COM
plants made with reference to Mr.
Evans conduct of the office go long
way toward proving that he is the right
man in the right place.
1t is also stated that the President is
opposed to any reduction of the repre-
sentation of Southern States on ac-
count of the partial disfanchisement
of the blacks. Whatever may be
the merits or demerits of certain
measures intended to restrict negro
suffrage, cutting down the repre-
sentation is not the proper remedy.
1t tends to the injury of the disfran-
chised as well as those who still have
the right OF suffrage. Every man. wo-
man, and child in a State is interested
in having the Commonwealth fully rep
resented, no matter who does the vot-
ing.
We grant that partisan amendment
to the Constitution provides for a re-
duced representation where the male
suffrage is limited, but it has never
been enforced in any State. North or
South, and it never ought to be. 1t
stands directly opposed to the whole
theory of representation, which has al
ways been based upon population and
not upon the number OF voters. The
amendment was never intended to Sc
cure equality of representation. The
amendment was adopted, as before
stated, with a strictly partisan pur-
pose. 1t was greatly to President Nc
Kinleys credit that he looked with dis
favor upon any scheme of reducing
Southern representation. and 1t is to be
hoped that President Roosevelt is ac-
curately reported as taking the same
view of the matter