New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-27
MR.. EVANS AND GENERAL sTcKLEs

Pension Commissioner Evans counters heavily
I'm his reply to the attacks Of General Daniel +.
Sickles. He Produces two letters written in
May and June is99. long after the war was
begun upon him by the pension agents and
their honest dupeS among the veterans. in
which General Sickles highly commended his
administration OF the Pension Bureau, expressed
pain at the attitude taken toward him by some
Of the Grand Army organizations. volunteered
10 express to the President approval of his
course. and later stated that he had written TO
the President earnest letter lin which
have expressed the utmost confidence in you
land the same measure of contempt for your
scritcs"
The attitude of Commissioner Evans toward
the veterans has not changed in two years He
was just as sharp eyed to detect fraudulent
pension claims when General Sckles wrote
these letters as he is now. The abuses which
he tried To correct were Of long existence, and
as he points out i'm his reply TO his critics, were
called TO public attention by Commissioner
Baker as early az 1873 and ny Commissioner
BENTLEY in 1876. The fraudulent character OF n
great many of the claims presented at this late
day IS notorious. OF course when Commits
siOner Evans threw such safeguards about the
treasury 10 confine pensions 10 those actually
entitled 10 them under the law he aroused the
bitter hatred of the pension attorneys and they
Of course, represented 10 the veterans that he
was wickedly holding up the just claims of
their comrades and some of them believed ii.
Not so General Sickles. lie knew that Com
missioner Evans doing his duty by the
country and by the veterans who were CON
Cerned above all things that the pension roll
should be roll Of honor untainted by fraud
As leader Of the veterans he entered into CON
sultation with Commissioner Evans. learned
from him in detail tho character OF abuses. gave
the commissions his most hearty commenda-
ton, and planned 10 help him in his reforms
The same commissioner has continued to
administer the bureau i'm the same spirit which
so pleased General Sicllles. He has not changed.
| but apparently General Sickles has, That skill
| In detecting improper applications which he
! commended in 1899 he now complains of as an
evidence of an unsympathetic attitude toward
| pensioners which makes Mr.. Evans unfit for his
| office. And he declares that he has the written
| pledge that the commissioner shall be super
seeded, given him as Il consideration for his
| advocacy of President McKinley's reelection
| In view of the letters given out by Mr. Evans
II would seem 10 he incumbent upon General
Sickles 10 explain more clearly his reversal TO
tel when the good commissioner became a bad
| commissioner. and how. Also. before he really
| foreclOses that mortgage on President Mckinley
| 1t would he well for him 10 tell who gave IL.
What authority the giver had for pledgng APP
pointments and removals before election. even 10
enlist such important eoquence on his side as
that of General Sickles. and generally submit
his claim 10 Mr.. Evans's scalp-or pound of
nesh-as nominated in the bond 10 the court
OF public opinion 1t would be decidedly inter
estlng TO see that political mortgage. and graft
tude is due 10 Corporal Tanner and General
sickles for making its existence known. They
have robbed themselves of mower To usa ~ On
! the dark against Commissioner Evans but II