The evening times., 1901-11-08

on IIi >luE1CT E4NllnN' port
The report of Pension Commissiancr
Evans directs public attention 60 a
number Of matters connected with our
pension policy that are deserving OF
much careful consideration more. pr. D.
ably than they viii receive at the
hands Of the people in general That
the roll contains almost a million names
is a fast with which most people have
become somewhat familiar That the
annual expenditure ON this account
equals or exceeds the cost of maintain
ing Jhc whole standing army of "a first
class European military Power Is not
So generally known. but IL is true, nev-
ertL"leSS. These circumstances in them
selves. can have no tendency to shake
the resolve Of the American people that
the defenders &C the Union and their
deperlants, within proper limitations.
shall be- suitably cared for in the days
of their need. Hut the figures are suft-
ciently startling To- impress the great
taxu1yiu- public with the necessity Of
extreme care ia the Interpretation Of
the pension laws ami of something like
stIictuess i'm the scrutiny of the proofs
presented by claimants.
As the Commissioner shows. the evi-
deuce upon which the Pension Office
must act is purely ex rarte. II is evi-
dence upon which no judgment could
Doe obtained in a court of law. I'm fact
il would Jonfy be accepted upon coiIat-
craI matters. The main issue must be
proved by testimony given either
orally or by deposition. In such manner
that the opposing party may have an
opportunity to clcss-eNamiue the wit
neSses and offer couutervaiHuE proofs.
But pension claims against the Gov
eminent are established By amdaviJs
prepared by the claimant or his attOV-
ney. the atlantis swear generally to
facts and circumstances which trans
pirod many long years ago, and n
cernju- which. in numerous cases. their
memories may easily be at fault
leaving al question Il false swearing
ont of view. 1t IS clear that in these
cases every advantage IS with the
claimant. and that there Is abundant
opportunity for fraud.
Again. We are reminded that when a
claim is once allowed the Pension Bu-
reau ordinarily takes 10 further notice
of il. and there il stands. d charge
upon The Government even though it
was IN unjust claim in the first in
staure. OF the disability may no longer
exist Besides an this. the pension at
toruey's fee is by law made dependent
upon the allowance of the claim This
serves as am inducemeut 20 him to
strain every point in order To secure
favorable action. and it is easy to per
cciye what this may mean if the attar-
uey happens To- be- NOT Over-scrupuIous
Finally. while q claim once allowed be-
comes almost res adjUdicata against the
Government, il il Is denied the claim
ant may try over and over again. with
or without additional proofs. until he
may at last run UP against some exam
iuer Of more HbaraIIty or greater lazity.
who passes favorably upon the Oft
rejected claim.
It is conceded b. all who have any
familiarity with pension matters that
there are many fraudulent claims
Some are detected in time and disaiIow-
I cd. while others slip through and now
rest securely upon the roll The dis
. honest claimant takes advantage Of a
1 generous public sentiment in favor Of
/ the really deserving pensi0uer. and
! many persons Of absolute personal in
/ tegrity themselves. become bitterly in
/ dieuaut at the safeguards against
/ fraud. because they. occasionally make
/ IL difficult for an honest old soldier 10
prove his claim. Commissioner Evans
4 clearly recognizes the existence Of this
/ feeling. and, indeed, ne has quite re-
/ Gently had some rather unpleasant evi-
/ denCe OF how strong fl is. But II is
! gratifying 20 observe that he has met
/ the issue in a just and proper spirit
/ With nearly . million names on the
4 list. and the number steadily ircreas-
/ ing, with the pension account now foot
/ ing UP a hundred and forty million dol
( lars annually, and the end not yet in
/ sight although the civil war closed
. thirty-six years ago. it is obvious that
while honest claimants should receive
al just consideration, there are my
riads Of poor people in the country
forced contributors to the fund. who
also have rights that cannot in fairness
be ignored.