The daily union., 1854-12-15

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revolutionary pensioners under the acts Of July 1896
and February 3s33 the precise namber Of that
faye been paid during the past year cannot be readily
eertaned
II TO be observed that the widows OF the officers and
soldiers OF the regular army, whose husbands die in ser
wee IN me o. peace are not entitled TO the provisions of
these acts while the widows OF under similar cir
eums'anees entitled to benefits kindred character
~ IS notorious fact that the widow Of the soldier is often
eit IN destitute circumstances and his minor children cast
upon the charities Of the world The occupation and paw
4 OF soldier incompatible with the ACQUISITION Of
wealth and he Is often destitute Of that providence which
secures competency for future He seldom serves
his country under the promptngs of avarice but for that
love of honor and which does not furnish ainent
Tor the hungry or clothing for the destitute AT the close
Oh an eVentfu fe 1t IS often Of the bitieest
euish TO the soldier that he must leave
the objects OF his enderest affection without the means of
comfortable support To remedy these evils and place
he soldier ana sailor in this respect upon the footing
would recommend the passage of a law allowing The
widows and minor children OF the officers and soldiers
the regular army who die ia haipay for five wears
under the usuaa limitations and restrictions
There are number Of acts Of Congress giving hapay
Tor hve years to widows and orphans Of officers and sol
ders OF the army that executed in the Office the
Third Auditor OF the Treasury As these are Of the
same general character those above referred TO- which
are executed IN this Office and the applications under
them are not now very and oiimes intimately
connected with the applications here adudicated would
suggest that the further execution of those be transfer
red 20 this bureau,
ilI.--IyvALrD PENSIONS.
Two hundred and thrtyseven original auplications
have been admitted to the list Of invalid pensioners during
the year at the annual of $206ss One hundred and
tive applications have been increased the Of $4IOs "a
annually. Ihe whole number Of invalid pensioners now
upon the list il five thousand aud six The number paid
curing the year four thousand four hundred and eighty
SIX The annual sum required TO pay this class Of pen
sioners Is S444l4 2T. The number OF suspended appca
tons in this division is very large and many Of them OF
very ancient date The labor Of adjudicatng claims in
TINS division becoming difficult and requires great
discrimination and When the disability have
been occasoned by known wound received in the
line OF duty the connection between the and the e
feet was obvious and easily traced But since persons may
receive pensions for disabilities arising FROM diseases
uacted in the service the task OF connecting the result
with the cause assigned Is perpexng We often
reusa 70 lo9k ior las cause Of present disability to
more than forty years ago and TO distinguish between the
nnrmites incident TO old age and the innovations upon
health resulting from the privahOns of military life In
these cases much reliance must te placed upon the opn
ions OF medical gentlemen respecting the Of the dss
by as well as its degree We have derived essential aid
N hese examinations from advice received from the office
OF the surgeon general for which Acknowledgements
due
The people OF this country have ever regarded il a
duty to sustain those who become disabled in military
vice ln T73 the Continental Congress promised pensions
during The continuance of disability, the officers and sol
ders Of the army disabled in service In 1875 the same
body strongly urged upon the State governments make
provision for such vids residents their re-
specve limits and IL among the first Of the fret
Congress under the constitution TO provide for the pay
of the pensions granted by the States Subsequently
the whole matter Of invalid pensions assumed by the
federal government and ample provision made not only
for those that disabled in the Of the revolution
but also for those that disabled in subsequent
and IN the peace establishment
The hrt appropriation by Congress for the payment
invalid pensions made July e 1890 and amounted
the Of S9ee79 ~ For the years succeeding
the annual appropriations for This object averaged $780,
72l So From 1900 to 1903 inclusive the appro-
priaons sos 000 From 1901 1915 inclusive the
annual appropriations Sos,o00. For the first
years after 1875 the annual average appropriations
about S25e00o From 1926 10 1915, inclusive the annual
appropriations for invalid pensions averaged about $780,
900 Since the year sis the annual appropriations for
This object amount 10 nearly slo5ooe From present in
dicatons this cannot for years be materially d
mnished.
The persons who received invalid pensions for dsabil
ties incurred in the revolutionary have with one ex
cepon il is believed ceased be pensioners Nearly the
whole of the present expenditure therefore for this class
of pensions is for disabilities received in subsequent
and in the peace establishment comparison of the pres
expenditure with that of other period since the
ouon leads 10 the conclusion thai the facilities for OBJ
tanning invalid pensions have not been diminished IT, in
deed, the benevolent designs of the government have
| been abused
Further experience has confirmed the convictions ea-
pressed my last annual report that many persons are
improperly ENJOYING the benecence OF government intend
ed only for the n6rm and disabled In where per-
have been placed upon the list through misrepesena
ton and fraud they be stricken therefrom without
ceremony but in where the applicant The time of
his admission, sborDg under disability supposed
have been permanent but which has yielded the
peratye power of youth and vigorous constitution
further legislation is needed Ii Congress unwilling
reensct the provisions Of the law of March g. 1919 requ
ring biennial examinations il is hoped provision will be
made for re-examna,ion Of those in which the
Commissioner OF Pensions shall from reliable information
have good believe the pcnsoner has recovered
from the disability for which he pensioned II affords
pleasure 10 that in two instances where officers in
the Mexican placed upon the pension list for sup
posed permanent disabilities from which they have
cred they have voluntarily renqushed their pensions and
asked 10 have their stricken from the roll Such
examples OF strict integrity and honesty should be
placed before the public worthy of universal
datont allude 10 the of Capt Thomas H. Ford of
the State Of Ohio and Capt John L. Mcconnell of the
4 State OF Illinois
Iy--NAvY PKSsIoSs.
In this division thrtyeight persons have been admitted
to the list Of invalid pensions at the annual of x2
90 The amount Of arrearages these several claims
including the pension is 156 10 The claims
OF thrty-two widows have been admitted amounting
nually 20 the of Si40A The of arrearagrs
found due these claims including the current pension
S7lsf 2s Eleven claims of orphans have been admit
ted, amounting annually to the OF $2l90 The
eaagcs in these found due and paid including the
current pension amount TO the sum of S0l57 62 II will
be observed that the Of pension in the invalid
less hau te current pension while they greatly
exceed the current pension in the of widows and
phans The of this difference is that invalid pen
10 the date of completing the
evidence in the case while the pensions widows
made from the day of their husbands death,
and orphans from the date of their eS decease when
widow survives; and in Of widows surviving,
\ from her death or marriage.
1 The number Of invalid pensioners upon
the rolls s.....'.. ....'..''.' 9sf
4 The amount Of money required to pay these an
nually e5
Ist Observation-Disclosures. 442
The sum required for their payment eil7s 90
! The number Of payable TO orphans is..... 7s
1 The amount OF money necessary 70 pay them
i annually e5is 90