Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-09

other proof when necessary to these newly
alleged causes. But in view Of the change
above noted I think that these appellants
aptly say that they are unable to ascertain
from any source that Is open to them what
new causes of disability they have alleged
and therefore, If required to file any evi.
dence they could do nothing more than file
duplicate evidence. (Taber & Whitman. 10
p ID pages 400 A.
1t Is plain that this crude and uncivilized
practice followed by Evans is to prevent the
soldier from attempting to have the fraud
corrected to get relief This scheme would
be disgrace in any court among the half
civilized tribes in the Philippine Islands
The fact that II has been tolerated so long
in a civilized land by the suffering veterans,
shows how tong-spfering and forbearing the
men who saved the country are. The prac-
tice is not particle of benefit to the bureau,
except as an instrument Of fraud. Raum's
practice was an intelligent practice, and did
exact Justice to both the Government aud to
the veteran on this point. No government
can afford to follow such devices for de-
frauding its citizens. But Evans is shaming
great executive ability
AS handmade 20 this uncivilized prac.
tice of concealing from the peusioner the
grounds of pension by emitting all diseases
from the pension certificate, Evans on
September go 1900, devised his scheme for
having the local medical examining boards
in the counties conceal the true degrees of
the veterans diseases. (See Globe, Nov.
II and "A, 1901, and Jan. 26, I9o2) AS the
veteran gets older and his disabilities
rapidly increase, Evans resorts to addi-
tional schemes for concealing the increas-
ing frauds to which he resorts to reduce
pension expenditures, and return money to
the surplus each June. This device of 1900
was conceived by him to circumvent the act
of May 9, 1900, which requires him to ag-
gregate all disabilities He had been pay
ing no attention to the lesser disabilities
and not even rating all the large ones.
GLOBE Jan. 26, 1902. When Congress
passed the Act of May Evans turned pale
and looked at the surplus" He told
Hitchcock, Secretary Of Interior, that some
thing must be done to conceal his work as
he got it in, thereafter. The order was is
sued, although in plain violation Of all
laws, and il has been followed ever since
now u years. Judge Rassieur in his speech
for the removal Of Evans, delivered at the
last National Encampment said of this
order
If I were asked to formulate the instruc-
tions under which the new form of report
was directed to be prepared for the examin.
ing surgeons would say that the instruc-
tions under which the new method was
evolved, required the author to prepare and
submit such form of report for the sur
geons as will enable the medical division
of the Pension Bureau to do what it pleases
in each case regardless of the law, and
without exposing the Pension Bureau TO
the charge of malfeasance in Office. This
was new modification, and seems to
furnish the clearest case on record of how
not to do It, I know il is astounding to
make this charge, but tits more astounding
to find the charge we'll founded" " Judge
Rassieur's speech before the last G. A. r.
National EnCampment)
Still, Secretary Hitchcock, of the Interior
Department, says officially, in his last re-
port, that Evans is the best friend the vet
Grams have, and Congressman on the floor
of the House praise Evans fake executive
ability" GLOBE, Dec. aud IS 1901, and
Jan. 76, Eeo2) Verify politics make strange
bedfellows. last you wait until after the
Nov mber elections You win hear some
thing drop, and it will be Evans and about
half the present members of Congress.