The National tribune., 1908-10-22
DEMOCRATIC ABUSE OF THE VETERANS.
Major McKneys Terrific Arragnment of CeveIands Pension
Policy.
Extract From Speech Mckinley September 1896
Extract From Speech by Maj Wm Mckinley September 1885,
A BoId and Unscrupulous Attack.

A Bold and Inscriptions Attack.
At the beginning of President Cleve-
iand's second Administration his de-
termination to reform the pension SyS-
tenn then in existence and to purge the
pension roll from the large number OF
pensioners accused of drawing their
pensions fraudulently was formally ao-
yertised and very soon old soldiers,
who had been for years drawing pen
sions and those who had claims pend-
ing in the Pension Bureau, became
convinced that they were again under
fire and almost in the hands of the
enemy A bold and unscrupulous at
tack was made from Washington upon
thousands Of pensioners. Their names,
in the Summer of 1893, were dropped
from the rolls by the Commissioner OF
Pensions, without any chance being
offered them to show their right to con-
tinue there. Invalid pensioners were
simply informed that there was evil
dence in the Pension Department that
they were not entitled to their pen
sions, and that hereafter they would
not be paid, or if paid at all it would
be at a lower rate than that which
had been granted them on their pen
sion certificates. The public indigna-
ton was so great that the practice OF
dropping pensioners from the roll with
out examination was stopped by law,
and after this the invalid soldiers were
given 80 DAYS notice in which to prove
their right to remain upon the pension
roll. The so days notice was very Ell
fectuaI in reducing the pension roll.
Often an ignorant and feeble old soldier
was unable to undertake the work OF
proving up his claim again, by reason
of the expense and labor that such ac-
tion imposed upon him. Probably more
than one-haif of those who received the
notices of being dropped from the roll
or the reduction of their pension, dld
rpSn0n6 in bllt allowed the
program of the Pension Department to
be carried out Many of the pensioners
accepted the challenge, however, and
sent to the Pension Bureau new and
indiSputable proofs that they were on
titled to the pensions they were recaiv-
ing. In most cases. however, even these
pensioners We're cut down, as in its in
scruteble wisdom the newly organized
Bureau had adopted new rulings and
new ratings, so that what had been
lawful and proper under former rules
and regulations of the Pension Depart
ment no longer had standing there
Robbing the Widows.
The temper of the present Democrat
ic Administration toward pensioners
was again very forcibly illustrated dur
ing its early days of power by its re-
fusal to pay the small amounts due
deceased invalid pensioners to their
widows from the date of their last quar-
terry payments to date of their death
as usual, and according to law. 1t was
ruled that the accrued pension due to
date of death of a penSioner under the
act of June 27. 1890, was not payable
to his widow, and for almost two years
these pensions remained unpaid. The
ground taken was so untenable that il
had to be receded from, but the amount
of suffering caused by this one action
was very great. When a poor man dies
there, are always many expenses incl
dent to his last Illness and burial which
fall very heavily upon his widow or
family. To have the main certain
resource of the family cut off at such
s time was very great hardship.
Terrific Onslaught on Claimants.
The Pension Bureau by no means
confined its attack to the pensioners al
ready on the roll. It's real business was
with the claimants. A terrific onslaught
was made in 1893, and continued thru
out 1894 and 1895 on all claimants for
invalid pensions. Few pensions under
the act of 1852 were granted, bur those
applying under the act of June Il.
1890, were especially singled out for
defeat. This law, enacted by the last
Republican Congress, under President
Harrison, provides pension of from
Sc to s12 month to all honorably dis
charged soldiers who served in the re-
bellion 80 days or more, and who are
tiles, not the result of their own vicious
habits. incapacitated for earning a sup
port by manual labor. Every effort
was made. to embarrass, humiliate. tire
out and discourage this class of claim
ants, by all the methods of evasion and
delay SO well known to Bureau officers
Against whom, let us stop 20 inquire
were these devices employed? Enemles
of society, one would imagine, ner
against whom it was considered moth
ing could be devised which was too Sc
we're Alasi no; the men against whom
the Pension Bureau was fighting were
70 the most part, old, poor, weak in
strength, broken in health. and rner
who in their youth gave of thaii
strength, life and property to support
and maintain the Government whose
elected administrative officers were now
their prosecutors.
If this was not crime il was q
blunder Republicans are quito sur;
IL was both.
Reforms of the law, one would think
should begin with the law The Demo
cratic Party during the last three ant
one-half years has not touched the pen
sion laws, has not added to them in am
appreciate way. 1t has attacked then
thru its executive officers. This is th'
sort of treatment the old soldier ma,
expect from the Democratic Part,
whenever il gets into power. If reforms
are needed in the pension code of tn,
United States there is but one way fol
such reform; that is by law. The Re
publican Party is responsible, ant
makes no denial of its responsibility
for the present pension system of tn
United States. 1t has always endeav
ored most strenuously, thru its laws
and thru its executive officials. to pro
tect the Government from fraud il
this Department as well as in all 9th
ers The Bureau of Pensions, in IL
different Departments, including tn
special service, mas been devised an
pnt in action by the Republican PARTY
No man in the Republican Party de
sires to see pensions paid 10 person
who, by law, are not entitled to then
NO old soldier desires to see such
thing. Every Republican and every Of
soldier desires TO see the pension lay
carried out according to the letter an
the spirit. The whele system of delas
subterfuge and mystifcation employc
"Leuthcr Breeches."