The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-07
MANY FAULTS IN
PENSION SYSTEM.
Commissioners Fierce in Attack on.
AttorlsYsaand Solicitors.
MANY GASES Oh FRAUD SHOWN:
Guardian. Frequently Draw Pensions for
Their. osn Use, While Their Wards
Are Scing Maintained al
Public Expense.
MANY GASES OF FRAUD SHOWN.
(By Associated rrcssl

WASHINGTON. u. c.. Nov. G.-In his
annual report Inc, Commissions OF PEN
sloiis E1scusses ut length tile faults of the
present system OF pensicninG and the
otMcui1les In the way or determining the
S merits OF Claims Tor PENSIONS and in
crease.
Attention is directed To the friction and
onhind feeling that attends the add
Hsiiistrauon CT the act OF August z, 1882;
winch provides that the open and no.
toflous adulterouS Capitalization of a
widow pensioner shall operate to termi-
alatc ncr pensions. out the absence of such
q law. WoCtd encourage and permit sucf,
pensioners to live in adultery and dis
honor tie memory of Their soldier hus-
baEds, Mhiiesstill enjoying tile bounty Of
The Government and on the other hand
shs Rioc"s.sto prospects the law. and
btItc1s sccieJN bgslegaliy entering into
The MARI aye relation loses her pension.
TIC commissioner says that while the
law is a most delicate and difficult one
TO administer, yet he cannot recommend
its repeal
.INVlTATIoN FOR FRAUD.
ASterucn is invited again to tho neces-
stty OF TeBcaling the act of June, 1855;
which swept away ali limitations in III
inE WIDOWS claims under the law, and
brought about claims which are stand
ing invitation to file fraudulent claims,
the arrange being SO large and chances
OF detection. SO small. 1t is stated that
widows claim are usually filed within
thirty. days after the death of the soldier,
but since the passage of the law of 1855,
r.enys claiifs have been filed by alleged
widows of soldiers, that died or were
killed during tine Civil War.
Referring to slave nSar11ia geS'' the
Commissions declares that With
shrewd and competent attorney, backed
by willing witnesses, the government
had no chance to ascertain the facts The
Interested parties cry aloud that THE.
spies OF the Bureau" are prosecuting the
widows.
In January, 1900, q rule was adopted re-
curing guardians; Of pensioners to render
to the Bureau annual accounts of their
receipts and expenditures of pension
money. Guardians were found to be
drawing pensions long after the death Of
their wards. Many cases were found
where insane prisoners had been placed
IN asy;luns aaId seth ar public Institutions
AS INDECENT persons and the Bureau had
no knowS>sges that these persons were,
prisoners While the guardians had drawn,
the pension during the whole. period.
Other cases were revealed in which the
guardians were appropria ting the pen
sion to their own use. while the wards
We're being maintaineG,at, public expense.
FAULT IN SYSTEM.
The report presents; a. number of inter-
esting features connected with the filing,
of claims FOR pensions. owing TO the war
with Spain and tho Instruction in the
Philippine Islands. While the Civil War
lasted for four years and tho casualties
were enormous. and tho Spanish-Ameri-
can war lasted only about four months
with comparative few casualties it IS
shown that three Years after the close
OF the Spanish American war claims for
pension Amounting toabout &c per cent.
Of the number OF Soldiers engaged in that
war had been filed, while in 1872 or seven
years after the close of the Civil War,
only about six per. cent. of the soldiers
engaged in that war had filed claims
The commissioner states that he is not
prepared to believe that those who en-
gagged in the war with Spain, many Of
them sons Of veterans Of the Civil War,
were less patriotic than their ancestors.
or more covetous, but in his opinion it
IS the fault of the system OF pensioning
with its active army OF attorneys, solic-
ttors and drummers, who are practically
licensed by the Government with the
prOmiSe of S25 for earh claim a 1Iou-ed