The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-02-02

! 1uere IL OccdSIOHdIIy oil ieoi"'oN
case. .All the boys who wore the
iblue were not Sunday School
scholars. But I was Informed at
the pension bureau that in nine
hundred and ninety-nine cases out
of a thousand where man volun-
teered from motives of patriotism
no fraud is ever found in his
pension claim, and in the few cases
where it does appear, in nearly
every instance, it originated with
the man who wanted the fee and
not with the man who wanted the
pension. Pension attorneys are
| responsible for more fraud than
pensioners. Of course, that class
of men that went into the army not
for love of country-but for love
of money, or because they had to
would steal man blind and then
steal the dog that led him around
if they got chance, and they
would plumber the pension bureau
to finish if given an opportunity.
The pension record of true soldiers
is as bright as their record on the
field of battle; that of mercenaries
las discreditable as their record in
the service.
The people are proud of the
legitimate pensioner; they love him,
1.-THE longer he continues to draw his
pension the better they will be
satisfied, but they do want to see
the pretender oustcd. Honest
industry hates to be taxed to sup
port successful criminal shrewdness
and mnch would the people rejoice
to see the thousands of pension
attorneys, sharks and blood suckers
who !fatten and thrive on the fees
and omissions received for
securing pensions, and "the postage
necessary to carry on the cores
pondence," wiped out of existence
by statute, and simple expeditions
method provided so that everyone
entitled to pension or an increase
of pension would promptly receive
the same. They are willing to pay
Literally for the loss of the earning
capacity and make gratuities to
men who fought to preserve the
nation, but they do not see any
necessity for their sharing it with
a class who never did anything in
the country except to devour the
substance of it's defenders.
1t should be made an offense for
a man to solicit pension business.
If man has just claim he knows
it and he does not need to be
coached. No attorneys should be
recognized in the pension bureau.
The army of examiners who are
travelling over the country at a
large salary and "expenses' the
aggregate Of which "expense"
makes the salary look exceedingly
small, should be dismissed from
servide. No afidavits ought to be
Freceived, personal testimony >onght
to be used as far as possible.
Pension courts should be estab-
lished i'm central and convenient
towns and cities, these courts hold
regular sessions at stated periods.
The applicant could appear before
the court with his witnesses, their
actual expenses be paid by the
government, their testimony taken
and record made of the, same.
The same applicant could be care
fully examined by competent
physician, his physical condition
determined and the case speedily
made up and forwarded to the
pension bureau. At the same time
the applicant could give the names
and addresses of the witnesses he
desired examined residing in diff
ferent localities. They could be
cited to appear before the nearest
court and their testimony taken and
then the completed case would be
made up of the evidence of the
parties giving the same and not of
a lot of prepared statements doe
tored and fixed by persons anxious
to get the fee. Meritorious cases