The sun., 1901-06-29
GEN: SICKLES GETS ANGRY.
uoyrD LEAD A coLUnS A0AINsT SEws-
PAPER UNYRIENDLY 10 @. A. n.

Produces Lettex ON Vnsee nv "-'~~ ~~'ss~e
rh., National Committee Prsaissl Re
uoysI Of Commissioner Evsas-ssys Prssi-
den, Gave Hin Privately Name Of ssecsses
-nusio Now Evsss lsaS Pct Oct.
Gen. Daniel y. sickles savs out yestsr-
dsv the correspondence which passed be-
tween him and Senator Scott Of West vir-
sinia. from whom. a. member OF the be
publican National Executive Committee. Gen.
SICKLE. declares he received pledge before
election that 10 the event Of Republican snc-
cess. Pension Commissioner Evans would
h. retired. Gen. Sioklcs also gave out
l.tt.r which he wrote to President McKinlsy
!, regard 70 the matter. and IN commenting
poon them he talked with much emphasis
., the Grand Army mon and their critics.
have grown tired Of tho constant attacks
rhich are made upon the old soldiers and
m. members OF tho Grand Army Of the Re-
nnhllo." said Gen. Sickies. These attacks
AZ. made BY supposedly reputable news
napsrs throu ghout the country. They are
made continually. They are made without
justification or cause. One thing Is certain.
snv newspaper In the South should speak
Of the members Of the ConfedarsS, Veteran
camps in the insulting and indecent Ian
spass which Ia applied by the newspapers
in this community and elsewhere to members
Of the Grand Army OF the Republic. In one
hour its building would be razed to tho ground
and its property destroyed. Some OF the
.am. medicine should bs administered here.
II were twenty years younger l would go
downtown myself and do It. Twenty years
ago I was able to do a good many things.
Ia a tnfh ha aflAU m 4 n "a
detractors OF the Grand Army men what
would be done to any Newspaper detractor
I the survivors Of the Confederate armies
am tired OF the attacks on the Grand Army
man and the old soldier
The number OF fraudulent claims presented
70 the pension department is less than per
cent. OF the total II Is proportionately smaller
than the number Of fraudulent claims pre-
sented in any other department OF the Govern
ment For every fraudulent pension claim
presented hundred fraudulent claims are
presented TO the customs authorities and
thousand to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. That is. more fraud Is attempted
by the merchants engaged In the Importing
business. by men engaged In interstate COM
mcrce and by men who conduct tho great
railroad systems OF the country than by the
old soldiers. many Of whom are poor. weak.
and decrept The Pension Bureau Ia ruled
by redtipisn All technicallty ] believed
that Commissioner Evans was an honest man.
trying to do his best. and that he should be
given an opportunity TO demonstrate lis
capacity for the pot which he occupies. lie
has failed TO M il acceptlbly
It would be impossible, for n moro unpop-
ular man 10 hold IL Gen. Black Of Illinois
enforced the laws aS vigorously "a Comnis-
sioner Evans. and retired from the depart
ment with the love or tho Grand Army.
Neither the Grand Army nor myself has
any candidate for the ofilcc. except that
we desire 70 have a man VINO IL representa-
tive soldier Evans va, a Quarter master :
clerk in A Wisconsin nnety-day regiment
That Is his military record. man Ike
Warner ~ Missouri. Walker ot Indiana. Bush
Of Brooklyn-any ono OF a hundred men
whose names are known to any one would
rake an acceptable Commissioner
Gen Sickless formal statement said that
% had been informed by telegraph from
Washington OF the denial by Senator Scott
of the National Committee that he had ever
gwen any assurance respecting the retention
q Nee of Commissioner Evans. and that in
view Of the denial he felt called upon to mako
he correspondence on the subject public.
he Corrcsrondcnce begins with a letter
.lrrd Sept. II. 1900. NJ the Eastern Head
,uarters of the Republican National Conn
iffoc Madison avenue, 10 Gen. Slcklrs
rom senator scott In il Senator Scott asks
Hc General if it would be possible for the
,,mmittce 10 avail itself Of his valuable
..rviccs during the campaign" and asking
him low much of his time he could give TO
.ie committee. II any. and in what territory
3 % would like % operate on Sept 20 on
S.c,,leS wrote 10 Senator Scott from his resi-
G,n,e. % Fifth avenue Ho said that he was
.JrisNod that there was widespread dissatis-
motion among the veteran soldiers. and that
! u usefulness on speaking tour would be
Greatly augmented II he were authorized
'p make the following assurances to repre-
-,n'n,ivo soldiers in disafected localities.
"First-That in the event ~ our success
CommiSSloner Evans will not be reapuointed.
"Socond-Thlt his successor shall be
, erson acceptable to the representatives
to w.t. the Pension Committccl of tho
G. 4 r., recently appointed at the Chca go
Encampment. of which | am one
-rhird-That the administration Of the
pension laws shall be governed by the liberal
construction always given to remedial
statutes
-Fourth-That the administration will
favor the creation o. Court OF Pension APP
peals. substantially on the lines indicated
In tho bill now before Congress. drafted for
the Pension Committee OF the q. A. r, and
submltted to President Mckinley and ap-
lroved by him"
Gen sickles said he was convinced that
Il he were authorized to give such assurances,
,oundentiaily. he would quiet n great deal
of the dissatisfaction and bring the great
body Of veterans cordially in line with the
Republican ticket" This letter closed with
the following sentence Il nm at this mo-
men' n receipt OF your assignment for Balt-
more and Wheeling. which will fll II spared
for the work." showing that Gen Sickes
at that time was campaigning for the Re
publican ticket
The next letter OF the series was from
Senator Scott 20 Gen Sickles on Sept 20,
the same day on which the Generals letter
with the specifications quoted above was
written Here IL ia in full:
Ny DEAR GENERAL. Yous Of the eg,h 10 land
ard contents noted. Of course. Il would te tmros-
htIe fof ne 10 ay TO you that the President would
rot appoint, or that he would appoln, certain indi-
Nousl' but | think can safely say that hardly
MINK Evans will he continued as Commissioner. and
rave no doubt that the President and all Of US who
are Interested In his election will try W see to Il that
Mere is Commissioner OF Pensions who will be salts
sctoiy to the old soldiers
think this is all that could .sy IN That s,,h,sct