St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-03-25

every invalid claim SLOWED. az vel,
a. many OF the Other classes. will
have In It from several hundred &c
several thousand dollars due the
claimant at the first payment. It is
admitted by those best informed that
there have been not less than
$2,O00,OOO paid out annually fol-
fraudulent pensions. In my judg-
ment the estimate is below rather
than above the actual amount. Will
the temptation to the commission
OF fraud so greatly increased and
the road to the Treasury SO easy, the
consequences can easily be foretold
Not only will the people be taxed t.
pay an annual tribute to the un-
worthy man, but with so many claims
pending and still to be. presented 1t
will be little less than miracle If
extensive official corruption does not
follow.
Did the arrears act satisfy the
claim agents and other beneficiaries?
Yes; so long as ready and willing
claimants could be gathered In
punches; but after wrestling huns
dreds Of millions of dollars from the
Federal Treasury by means of this
act, or rather accomplice in sin,
claimants became few and far be-
tween. Hence it was necessary to
write a new principle into the sys-
tenn in order to create another
strong and vigorous group of claim
ants. Therefore Congress, on the
9th Of June, 1890, adopted an act
which provided
That all persons who served 80
days or more in the military service
OF the United States during the Civil
War and who now or may hereafter
be suffering from a mental or physi-
cal disability OF permanent charac-
ter, not the result of his own vicious
habits, which incapacitated them
from the performance of manual Ia
Dor in such q degree as to render
them unable to earn a support,
shall be placed upon the list Of in,
valid pensioners.
Furthermore. the widow of such
q soldier under this act Is entitled
to receive a pension without proving
the soldiers death to be the result
of his military service.
The soldier is merely required to
show 80 days service in the Army
or Navy. and procure medical Ger
tificate certifying that he has a men
tai or physical disability that dist
qualities him, in whole or in part
from earning hus support by manu-
al labor, provided, however, that i
is not the result Of the claimant:
own vicious habits, which simply
means that every conceivable dis
ability from which mortal man ma.
suffer Is pensionable.
Where Is the man who, under our
ex parte system OF evidence, can no
bring his disability within the mean
ing of this act? There is no dis
tinction between the rich and tn,
poor. NO distinction between those
ills superinduced by the service ant
those the inevitable result Of care
lessness and self-neglect.
In 1891, the first year after the
adoption of this measure, the Gov
eminent granted, in obedience to Its
102,387 original claims,
and in 1892, 1880, costing the
taxpayers the first year $8,9O7,636,
and the second year $51, 4O7,971.
Seemingly there is an unwritten
law that We shall not endure our
pension rolls to shrink or dwindle
Whenever such a tendency evidences
Itself Congress forthwith broadens
the laws granting pensions. In 1912
our pension disbursements dropped
million dollars. Immediate
" thereafter a pure service pen
sion law was enacted for the Union
soldiers and those who fought in
the Mexican War. This act had the
usual desired effect. Our pension
rolls aggregated in 1912, $685.
LOB. The following. year We dis
bursed on account of pensions $174,-
l6O,717.
It Is the basic duty of pension
statesmen to keep the pension roll
n strong and vigorous condition
The exigency of contriving new
schemes and writing them into GU.
pension system doubtless entails 6
great deal Of labor Yet, be it said,
% their eternal credit, that they have
lever been found deficient.
On February 16, 1916, we passed
- act which seeks to establish In the
Var Department and the Navy De-
'artment. respectively, roll desig-
lated as "The Army and Navy media,
4 honor ROLL
The beneflciaries Of this act are
who have attained or shall
Ittain the age Of IS years, and who
ave been awarded medal OF homo,
or having distinguished themselves
by gallantry or In
repidity.
Under the provisions of this act,
he Secretary Of War and the Sec
etary of the Navy are required
the evidence in favor OF |
ach applicant literally and favor
bly,, and In cases Of doubt. the ap |
licant shall be given the benefit O
he doubt. and each person whose |
ame shall have been entered on thi. |
oil under the provisions of this &C
hall receive special pension of $1f
er month for life.
On the 18th of February, 1916
70 had the privilege of adopting an
Their most admirable measure; tina
J, II Its worth Is to be measured
y its prospective tax-absorbing ca
acity.
II an officer or enlisted man who
erved 80 days or more in the Army
avy, or Marine Corps of the United
tates, either as Regular or volun-
.er, during the War with Spain O;
le PHILIPPINE Instruction or in
hina. between April 81, 1898, and