The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-12
A NOT SCARED.

Pension Commissioner Evans does
not seem to be badly frightened by
the war that the pension sharks and
disreputable attorneys and solicitors
are waging on him, and continues to
defy them and show them up on every
possible occasion. His annual report
was made public a few days ago and
in it he devotes considerable space
to the men who are the leaders in the
efforts that have been made and are
still making to have him ousted from
his position. He points out the nu
merous evils existing in the present
pension system and the abuses to
which they give rise, declaring that
they have taken the form of an or
gained raid on the national treasury.
Particular attention is called to the
large number of application for pen-
sions which has, grown out of the
Spanish war. While the commission.
err does not want to be considered as
believing that those who participated
in the Spanish war, many of them
sons of veterans of the civil war,
were less patriotic than their fathers
or more covetous, yet the records of
his office show a great disparity be-
tween the proportions Of those who
are now demanding pensions for SER
vice in that war and those who dur
ing the same length of time immedi-
ately following the civil war made ap
plications for pensions.
The fault, in his opinion, lies with
the army of sharks, pension attor-
neys, solicitors and drummers, who
are practically licensed by the govern
ment, with the promise of S25 for each
claim allowed. In support of this as
sertion the commissioner shows the
persistency with which soldiers re-
turning from the PHILIPPINES are follow
ed up by these wolves and induced to
apply for pensions where they would
otherwise do so. While the civil
war lasted four years and the casual
ties were enormous. and the Spanish
war lasted only a few months, with
comparatively few casualties, vet it
is shown that three years after the
close of the latter war claims for pen
sions amounting to 20 per CEN of the
number of soldiers who participated
IN 1t have been filed. In 1872, or
seven years after the close of the
civil war, only about 6 per CEN of the
soldiers who were engaged in it had
filed claims for pensions. Not only
is it shown that the soldiers of the
war are greater seekers af-
ter pensions than were the men who
fought in the civil war, but it is also
that they enjoy much greater
benefits than were accorded those of
other war in the amount of pen
granted for the same degree of
disability. In 1895 the minimum pen
sion was established at Sc a month.
For the thirty years preceding, or
rom 1865 TO 1895, soldiers of the civil
to the number of almost 100, 900
received the trifing sum of from 81
% 81, while a disability that now en-
titles a so-7ier to $45 a month in 1865
gave him Oily IS, this for the loss of
leg or an arm.
1t is this way of showing the abuses
% which the pension system has Civ
IN rise and the INSCRIPTIONS manner
n which the government is being rob-
through the scheming and dishon-
ssty OF pension attorneys that has
the storm which is now blow
ng about the ears of the commission
y. 1t has yet to be shown where
commissioner Evans has in any way
lindered the payment of a single pen
zion that he considered just and which
believed should be paid. Himself
of the men who fought in the civil
var and with an excellent record as a
oval and brave soldier, it's does not
seem reasonable that he shold now
seek to take it upon himself to deprive
hose who are entitled to the govern
nent's gratitude and assistance from
enjoying the benefits which that gov
eminent has decreed shall be theirs.
NEBRASKA is ANOTHER,
Montana is not the only state includ-
in the Louisiana purchase whose