The National tribune., 1902-02-06
VETERANS WIDOWS.
The Commissioner of Pensions
Scored in a Republican Maga-
zine.
CAPT. j. NJ, MUM, IN DECEMBER CRI-
TERION.

iy in humane and brotherly treatment OF
the widows and the fHtherless, is not be-
ing very closely followed in these latter
days, if the recently published report of
Pension Commissioner Evans is to be
taken as n criterion for forming a iudg-
mcnt. The advice of the elder Mr. Weller
as to the propricty of being on ones
guard in all matters wherein widows are
concerned seems 20 have produced Il pro
found impression upon the worthy Com
missioner though he has modified the
sage advice of the venerable coachman 10y
restricting its application to the widows
of those who served their country in the
capacity of soldiers
Fraud animatcs the cXOrdium of the
latest Pension Bureau report: fraud makes
up the body of the document; fraud fur
niShcS the inspiration for the pcroration.
| Fraud on the part of soldiers widows,
aided and abettcd by pension sharks in
the form of lawyers and agents. is the
bugaboo of the Pension Office. To oh
viate fraud the Pension Commissioners
would limit, to the greatest possible cy-
tent. the rights Of widows and others to
mako applications for pensions Carried
TO its logical conclusion, this plan would
close the Pension Office altogether. Blu;
Mr.. Evans will never recommend such an
extreme measure. since in dcpriving all
old soldiers and their widows of pensions
he would, Othelo-lillc, find his own occu-
| Iation-an honorable and lucrative one
| gone.
| The report calls attcntiOn-as previous
reports have dOne-tO the necessity of re-
rcaling the act of June Z, 1888. which
swept away all limitations as to tho filing
Of widows claims under the general law
and brought about conditions which are
strongly stated to be standing invita-
ton to file fraudulent claims, the arrcar-
ages being so large and the chances of
detection so small. 1t is set forth that
while formerly the claims Of widows We're
usually filed within 30 days after the
death of the soldier and husband, since
the passage of the act referred to many
claims have been filed by alleged widows
of soldiers who died or were killed dur
ing the civil war.
Here, of Il verify, n Daniel took his
place upon the wool-sack; seized and with
firm and righteous hand held aloft. the
scales of justice, so nicely adjusted to po-
sition, and turning upon such fine bear
ngs as to accurately weigh an orphans
tear and widows sigh. With a care
fully selected corps of Pension Commits
sioners at work the day of judgment
might well be dispensed with.
In the days when there was a time
limit for the filing of widows claims they
were usually promptly filed, before it was
too late. How remarkablei And when
the time limit was removed this alacrity
was no longer manifested. Strange.
Fraud, evident fraud,
This gentleman, who writes so hippant-
lV nf tho honor bp bauDt. 80 yIoI
widows of those brave men who bore
arms in that grand Union Army in whose
support he vigorously welded n pen. as
sumes that. where money considerations
are involved, all human motives are nee
essarily bad and that the widows of vet
Grams are only waiting for an opportunity
to defraud the Government their hus-
bands fought TO defend.
little Christian charity, ordinary sa-
gnclty. even, would suggest to the Com
missioner that women. possessed of more
honesty and delicacy than men, are often
iu:tth to accept, much less press for favOrs
with which they are in q position to dis
ptEse. AS rule, the widows of our civil
war veterans are no longer young; indeed,
most of them are grown old, feeble and
helpless, and are sorely in need of that
bounty provided by a grateful Nation
which, in days of comparative prosper
lty, they made no effort to secure, would
hdNt ht'Illltu lO utttDl.
A public office is scarcely the place to
study delicacy Of feeling, yet / can assure
the Commissioner that American women,
even though they have the misfortune TO
be widows of volunteer soldiers, are not
lacking in the commodity and are pos
scSse6 of as high a sense of appreciation
honesty and honor as the women Of any
nation or age upon which the sun has
ever beamed or the Almighty smiled
In my enthusiasm for the gcntler sex
| am far from assuming that all women
attain the high standard that we have
erected for the sex. That they attempt,
sometimes perpetrate, fraud upon the
Pension Office, cannot be denied. Their
applications should be closely scrutinizcd.
tried by the severest of those tests which
the Watchdog of the pension apprOpria-
tiOns has devised, and, when proven
fraudulent or lacking in merit, be prompt
Iy rejected.
the Commissioner be ii recorded-are al
lowed under the present system. In the
Pension Office everything is done decently
and in order. Caution" not Rush" is !
inGursed upon every application for a pen
sion, and undue haste in granting peti-
tloI;s is not the rule, as many a deserv-
ing old veteran and suffering widow can
attest.
Provided with an army of clerks. Ex- |
aminers and Special Agents of the detec-
tive persuasion, the Department of Pen |
siOns ought to be able, as it doubtless is, !
to reduce fraud to a minimum. 10 pro- |
tect the public money without restricting |
the rights Of those who, under the laws |
of grateful country, are entitled to slIc-
cor III their distress. 1t is clearly the |
duty Of the Pension Commissioner to pro- |
tcct his Office against the preparation of
fraud Of any kind or description, yet he |
can do this, as already suggested, through |
the vast machine that he manipulates, |
without publicly denOuncing his country
men, and, more especially, his country
women, as frauds and thieves.
In his report the Commissioner says
that while the act of August Z, 1882. is |
in many respects very delicate one to |
administer, yet he cannot recommend its |
repeal. It. must be understood that the |
act referred TO provides for the forfeiture |
of widows pension upon the presenta- |
tion of proper proof that her manner of |
life is immoral.
Washington is, beyond all question, one |
Of the most moral cities of America-of |
the world-and the enforcement of this |
act must, almost of necessity, prove em- |
barrGssing to one residing among such |
chaste surroundings. 1t is highly crafty |
ing to know that considerations of deli |
cacy have not swerved the Commissioner
from pursuing his plain course of duty. |