The National tribune., 1902-10-16
A CRUSHING INDICTMENT.
The Reports of the National Committee Pensions to the
President and to the Encampment
THE REPORT Tc THE PRESIDENT.

the Grand Army of the Republic, held nj
Cleveland, Ohio, Sept II and 13, 1901
! the Committee on Pensions, composed OF
seven members of well-known integrity
and ability, made reports thereto. The
gist of the report of the majority is con-
tanned in the following:
REPORT OF MAJORITY.
"An impartial and intelligent study of
the pension system of the United States
will establish in the mind of fair man
two propositions as conspicnously true:
."First-An expanding liberality in leg,
islation based on growing and patriotic ap-
probation of arduous and exacting service
well performed at a mighty cost; and
"Second-A variableIess and instabil-
fly in the administration of the laws pass
ed by Congress not compatible with the
spirit of justice, which is presumed to
characterize the official acts of great DE.
partment of our National Government"
REPORT OF MINORITY.
A portion of the report of the minority
is as follows:
..And whereas there is widespread be-
lief and conviction among the veterans OF
the civil war, whom represent, that the
Pension Commissioner is not disposed to
administer the duties of his office in that
spirit of equity and justice to deserving
applicants for pensions, which they have
a right to expect from generous and Just
Government, representing the iberality Of
a grateful people toward their defenders;
and,
Whereas all our remonstrances against
the misconduct of the Commissioner of
Pensions have been SO far unheeded; /;
Therefore,
Resolved, That we are constrained in
the performance of our duty, as last
resort, to request respectfully that the
0f h. Tod tot will hn
pleased, now that the term of office of the
present Commissioner has expired, to ap-
point a successor of known integrity, ca
pacity, and fidelity, who will faithfully ex-
ecute the duties of the office in obedience
to the laws of Congress"
Both reports were printed and set down
for discussion on the morning of the 18th,
but owing to the apprehended death of
President Mckinley, the Encampment
unanimously voted to elect officers and ad
journ, and all pending business was refer
red to the National Council of Admins
tration. At meeting of the Council of
Administration the following action was
had:
Resolved, That all pension matters
now pending before the National Council
Of Administration be referred to the Com
mander-in-C Chief and the Committee on
Pensions to be appointed, with Instructions
that at a suitable time, at the discretion
of the Commander-in-C Chief. the whole sub
feet shall be brought to the attention of
the President of the United States for his
consideration"
INVESTIGATION OF PENSION BUREAU
METHODS.
Pursuant to such action, the Command
sr-in- Chief and the present Committee on
Pensions submit the following report:
We have held two meetings in the city
Of Washington, and certain of the Com
Enittee, with the Chief, have
made careful investigation of the actual
workings of the Pension Bureau.
First-An examination was made of
particular cases, wherein special complaint
had been made to the Committee by indi
vidual applicants or their attorneys.
Second--Of a portion of the current
workings Of the Bureau, reviewing the re-
jections Of the previous day.
The Honorable Commissioner of Pen
sions and his subordinates treated US with
great courtesy and afforded us every OPP
tortunity to make thorough investigation
not only OF the special cases referred to us
for examination, but of the system and
methods under which the business of the
Bureau is conducted.
As a result of this investigation we
found that many Of the special complaints
faade were without merit, due in most
instances to ignorance of the law, of the
1lBhlo VI Lie dppuCdnI VI tuS CudTdC-
ter Of the proof necessary to sustain the
Application, while on the other hand we
found that many claims had been rejected
that In common justice and by every fair
and reasonable Interpretation of the pen
sion laws should have been allowed.
THE MEDICAL DIVISION.
The dead line" or place of execution
Of the veterans claim, was found in the
Medical Division of the Bureau, where
unlimited discretion seems to be vested, to
ignore the reports and ratings of Examin-
Ing Surgeons and to minimize the soldiers
disabilities.
From a personal investigation we are
convinced that scores of claims are re-
jscted every day that should be allowed
In many cases We found that the ratings
Of the Examining Boards of Surgeons
based upon painstaking, ineligible, and
satisfactory reports, bearing ample evi-
dence Of professional skill and conscien-
tious work, were wholly disregarded by
the Medical Bureau.
The report of the Commissioner of Pen
eions for the fiscal year of June 80, 1901,
page 25, discloses that during the preced-
Ing year 81, ,S42 claims were rejected on
medical grounds, the majority Of which
were cases in which the Medical Referee
found no ratable disability, or no disabil-
tty warranting a higher rate than the pen
hioner already received.
The Commissioner justifes the action of
the Bureau thereon, for the reason as he
claims, that such ratings were not in ac-
cordance with the 'pen-pictures' of the
applicants which were parts of the re-
ports.
1t seems to us needless to suggest that
the living pictures which the local Exam
lining Board Of Surgeons had before it in
the persons of the claimants undergoing
close scrutiny, were much better ones from
which to determine the disabilities than
the so-called pen-pictures reviewed at
Washington.
The average age of the veterans of
1873 is about 62 years. At that age a
substantial impairment of the vital organs
cannot be regarded as temporary, and one
90 impaired cannot reasonably hope to be-
come better, but must, of necessity, grad
ually, and in many instances rapidly,
grow worse.
Such condition, which we found ap-
parent in many of the cases examined, and
the logic thereof, seems to have been dis
regarded by the Medical Referee and his
subordinates in the Bureau. Doubts that
should have been resolved in favor of the
claimant were, in our opinion, resolved
against him.
TECHNICAL, MARROW AND HARSH RE-
QUIREMENTs.
We find that the Bureau has been ex-
ceedingly technical, narrow and harsh in
the application of rules Of evidence, even
to the extent Of requiring applicants to
establish their right to q pension beyond
all reasonable doubt.
Many Of the rules Of evidence applied