The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-26
Commissions Evans Has Begun
Crusade Against Them.
NOTICESPOSTEDAT ARMY POSTS
Forbid the DrummsTs Working al Them.
Over $4,000 Applications for Pensions
BY Volunteers Ia Spanish War.

Washington. Nov. 26--Pension Commits
sioner Evans crusade against pension
drammers working up business among
TIE soldiers returning from the Philip
pines has caused orders 70 be posted at
all the military reservations that no so
licltors shall worN there.
Pension attorneys and their agents FREE
Quenty have been arrested AT The Pre-
sidiu ~ San Francisco confined ga tho
guard house an hour or two and then
marched on the reservation ipdcr an
armed guard.
Commiesioucr Evans has been Informed
hy agents OF his bureau that scandal
Gus condition of affairs existed az the
Preside, whore the returning regiments
from the Philippines were mustered out
and whore many sick soldiers were placed
Ia the hospital
UNDER GU1sE or CHARITY.
He says that men and women. under
the gnise OF charity and Us visitors 20
the sick have invaded tho hospital whose
only purpose was e. obtain the doclara-
tion of some soldier and his signature
10 an application for "a pension. Ia some
instances the soldiers were induced to
sign an application. before being muster
cd out Of the service which Is against
the law These applications were dated
sion Office
Because OF tho unusual activity among
the pension lawyers and claim agents
the Pension bureau already has received
more than 50.3i3 applications for pensions
from volunteers who were in the Span
ish war or ia the Philippines. many of
which are without merit.
This Is more than 70 per cent Of the
entire enlisted strength The Pension Of
flee records show that seven years after
the close OF the civil war less than six
per cent OF those who served had applied
FOR pensions
For many years after the close OF the
civil war soldiers were granted pensions
At the rate OF s. and 81 "A month. Under
the presen. laws the lowest pension
which can be granted soldier OF the
Spanish American war Is 81. and this
runs up As high as s72 month for a
total disability. Under the old laws a
soldier who lost leg or an arm received
only s.. while now he gels SI5 a MONT
Commissioners Evans IA an interview
said
FAULT OF TIE SYSTEM.
81 do not believe that those engaged
in the war with Spain are any less pa
triotic than We're their ancestors wh,
served In the civil war. nsEs that thes,
young veterans are any more covetous
In my opinion the rush for pensions Il
the fdult OF the system OF peusiOning
with its active army OF attorneys. drum
mers, solicitors and agents practically
employed aud licensed by the government
10 solicit and secure applications for pen.
sions. with the promise OF SO FOR eacl
claim that Is secured and allowed. NJ
blame should be attached 20 che soldiers
az they are importuued and persuaded
that II is their duty Go Ale claims wheth'
or disabled or not.
II am convinced that granting a smal
pension. say one OF s6 or N month. e
a young man for an obscure disability
is corferring upon him misfortune fol
the reason that IL puts him at disad
vantage in the race for livelihood. Th,
fact that he is drawing a disability
pension marks him as disabled aud a,
unable TO perform the amount OF laho
expected of sound man. IL seems lik'
lnisplaced generosity Oh the part OF tn
government 80 thus place handical
upon the young soldier ia his search TO
employment"