The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09
AN OLD SOLDIER
COmmendS The Sunday Globe and
Tells Some Home Truths.
Washington, June 8, 1901.

Washington, June 8, 1901,
EDITOR GLOBE:
Having read several copies Of your
paper l want to express my apprecia-
tion of it, and also the fact that at last
we have a newspaper the proprietor
of which has the courage Of his con-
victions, and will not bend the sup
plant knee that thrift may follow
fawning." | am aware that the fact
of having served in the Union Army
of 81 to '65 operates against an appli-
cant or an incumbent in many cases,
and as at the Naval Observatory, where
some years ago there were eighteen
veterans employed, the number is now
reduced to one. l believe, and he who
was enrolled as, and is a skilled me-
chanic, is reduced to the most menial
labor and pay accordingly, while the
commandant can have from three to
four men, VINO are paid by the Govern
ment, doing his individual work, such
as attending to his cows, flowers, etc.
Your expose of the number Of entire
families who are being fed at the pub
lie crib will, | think eventually bear
fruit when Congress conYenes, If not
before, as | imagine an investigation
will develop the fact nat nine out Of
ten of said families never rendered any
service to the Government in time of
war and need, or who, if in the service
at all, was on the other side. The
family to which the writer belongs has
served this Government in every war
since and including the war of 1872,
and from the rank of colonel down to
a private; had three brothers in the
War of the Rebellion, one of which lies
buried in the South, while the remain
ing three carry the scars Of battle, and
while never soliciting favors or posi-
tion under the Government, dislike to
see positions given to those who never
merited such favor, and excluding the
many worthy old veterans who would
appreciate and who deserve the posi-
tions Each recurring Decoration Day,
we are told Of gratitude of the people
and Of the Government to the old sol
dier, of what they have done, are doing,
and will do for them, but now different
their practice from their declarations.
True, our legislators have been fair
and liberal with the old soldiers in the
enactment Of laws for their benefit,
and no good soldier will complain of
them But of what avail is it to enact
the laws and then have a commissioner
of Pensions to nullify DIem, as is be-
ing done every day by Henry Clay
Evans. OF course, we know that the
responsibility for this rests on the
President, as, if it is not done by his
orders, he has been informed very fire.
Quently of the outrageous treatment
the old soldiers receive at the hands
of Commissioner Evans and his sub
ordinates, by his direction. The head
of the Medical Bureau (I blush to say)
is a Pennsylvania, and whose rulings
would not be sanctioned ~ any per-
son Of any standing in the profession.
We had reason to suppose that with
Mckinley as President the Cleveland
regime would be reversed and the old
veterans get the benefits that the law
provides they should have, but instead
we find the law ignored as well as the
facts proven, and the old veteran is in
formed that he is mot disabled in a
pensionable degree, even though he has
not been able to leave his room for
lWO years MlluOuL al dllGuuduls bulb
cases are too numerous to enumerate
the outrages perpetrated IN that Bu-
reau. But how different it is when
man comes armed with a letter from
another high Government official.
Then, in that case, | am told, he can
get his pension certificate and voucher
in fourteen days, and arrears to the
amount of 5000, and the limit Of the
law under which it was granted, and
all this without having previously gone
through the formality of filing an ap-
plication 1t has always been a mys-
terry why the President retained Evans
in that position unless it be on account
of his willingness and skill in his en-
deavors to deprive the old soldiers Of
their just dues. II certainly can not be
on account Of his political influence, as
he is not possessed Of enough, either
at home or abroad, to be Of any service
to a Republican Administration. But
this letter is more lengthy than | had
Intended, and | will close trusting
that you will continue in the good
work until the service Is purged of the
incompetent and dishonest officials,
and that each family may be restricted
to but one member in the Government
employ, and that that be confined to
worthy people.
AN OLD SOLDIER