The New York herald., 1872-12-02
PEN SLOWS.



and in many cases the poverty OF the applicants.
The whole roll 10 numbered by classes a. follows:-
army Widows ana dspsnd.ns
Widows Of soldiers Of ............. sos
Navy widows and dependent relatives % iiS
In addition to these there have been increased,
by authority OF several acts OF Congress, $3.50 PEN
si0ners. An analysis OF the roll develops the fact
that the average pension OF an army Invalid ia
500 20 per annum, while an armv widow and de-
pendent pension will average S12s. In general
terms, 1t appears that the army invalid roll cosIs
about third while the widows and dependent
roll cost two-thirds OF the total annual cost Of
pensions.
LOSSES TO ROLL.
The total losses to the roll have been Q, 1o4, di-
vided among the diferent classes as follows:-From
the invalid roll, by reason Of DEATH recovery from
disability, &C., 2,2S1; from the widows and depcn-
dent roll, by death, remarriage and expiration Of
MINORS pension, 0.os7 from roll Of ls12 by death,
726.
SPECIAL INCREASE CASES.
by the act OF June 3, 1872, Congress increased
em q R ahaes To- M shs @ az & 81 m
vigorously pushed that 1850 cases have been
acted upon, it being estimated that there are
but about sixteen thousand OF this class
PENSIONERS OF 1872
the act OF February Ia 1911, In all a. 2ds appca-
ITEMS OF which ~ sSs were Survivors and O. 4Su we're
widows. or these cases 29, 754 have been disposed
or OF which q, AGO were admitted and 6,294 were
rejected. The reflections, we observe by the re-
port, were mainly upon the ground Of insufficient
quent to the treaty OF peace, as to widows. Though
original still being received, It is stated
class OF win be so lar disposed of the present
fiscal year as to practically close that division OF
the once.
The total expenditure for pensions for the past
fiscal year Was $50, 109. .341 40, OF which sum the
army invalds received $40 l45, las 40, the navy in
vaids $149,442 85, the widows and dependents OF
the late war SIT 256, 156 %, widows OF navy $780,,
1856 81 the survivors OF the war OF 1872 ST. AIS 81
993 90.
The report exhibits with minute detail at which
agencies and for what specific purpose the whole
amount was expended.
ARTIFIcIAL LIMBS AND COMPUTATION THEREFOR
1870, there have been issued 1854 Communication or
ders in lieu OF artificial limbs and l,24s bills have
been approved and paid for limbs in kind.
BOUNTY LAND.
During the year tut 443 land warrants OF all de-
nominations have been issued The frauds which
have been brought to light renders necessary
very careful examination OF claims In this division.
There are 64,092 suspended claims In the Land
recommends that the third section Of the act Of Nav
IA, 1856, be SO amended as to preclude acceptance
Of parol testimony, which is entirety unsupported
by record evidence, IN cases OF bounty land.
EXAMINING SURGEONS.
In selecting persons to act as examining sur
care has been used to secure mon OF broad views.
liberal education and thorough professional ac-
anirements, without regard to theories or schools.
The roster now numbers ,403.
THE FUTURE OF THE PENSION ROLLS.
Some important facts and figures are given as to
the war OF the rebellion 1858, ,523 soldiers served.
O these only about ,000 or but little over six
per cent have yet made claims for pension. The
maximum Of invalid claims was reached In 1865,
Immediately upon the close ol the war. There
after there was gradual decrease In the receipt
again increased and at present exhibits no
marked dminution and rs the fountain Of supply
Is so large, 1t is but reasonable to suppose that
the receipt OF claims made yearly will not vary
materially for several years TO como.
The maximum OF widows, minors and depen-
uent relatives claims was reached In 1865, and the
ratio OF decrease since that period has been ex-
ceedingly regular
Alter presenting at some length oil the cause
operating to increase and decrease 0l the pension
rolls. the commissioner M says
1T s not probable that any causes win operate to
materially reduce the rolls or the expenditures
during the next four years, while more liberal leg
islation may increase both; and 1t is safe to pre-
several years to will approximate, If not ex-
ceed, 900 annually. We have reached the
considerable extent, where there viii be little duo.
tuation for several years.
"Tha annual increased liberal legislation has fully
Kept pace with the natural yearly losses, as wit
nesses the act OF February ID, 1871, which during
the first year far exceeded the losses; and the act
OF June 8, 1872, which added an amount OF $75o,00O
per annum to the rolls, without increasing the
number OF pensioners. All estimates therefore of
decrease OF the pension rolls will be mere specu
lati0n go long as Congress continues to materially
cnangc the basis OF pension.
FRAUDS AND sPECIAL INVESTIGATION.
So long as pensions a.e TO be granted upon evil
dence which except record evidence) il purely er
pdrte 80 long frauds viii continue to exist. In the
@ 81 Of @ rs
in each Congressional district. The following
language was used:-
Assuggestions leading to the detection Of fraudulent
OF the pensioners residence, where is well known, It
nc the
wona ees ana the
pubic 70 hls right to pension. II y was without
would serve 70 protect honor the deserving land and
ihe charity Of the government iifounded orraudu
The House of Representatives in the new cod
fed bill, have adopted that suggestion by providing
q section authorizing the Commissioner OF Pen
sions to publish the rsl o. pensioners in such man
tageous. Should this provision become q law 1t Is
belleyed that ut least partial remedy will be
speculate as to the extent Of the frauds, but am
OF opinion that their magnitude has been greatly
SO lar as the possibility of fraud exists in the In
valid branch, remedial measure might be found
for future use in the more accurate and extended
record OF the soldier while In the service. The
Prussian record system follows the soldier through
camp field and hospital with pertinacity and
tnorougnness which leave little or nothing to be
provided ior by parol evidence. In our system the
record OF the soldier is too meagre at best, and
during the late war the hospital records were
lily Kept, very frequently, as the experience
OF the office daily shows, SO indefinite
as to be utterly worthless In determining
the origin and character OF the alleged PEN
sionable disability; hence the law authorizes
resort to paroi evidence which is adduced to
sustain the claim, possibly years after the events
in which disability was Incurred have passed
away.
Here the door opens to fraud. We are compelled
to rely upon evidence taken er pdrte, In which the
government has not exercised the right OF cross
Examination and upon which decision could not
be had in any court OF justice. Fraudulent prac-
tices exist toa less extent In the invalid branch
widows or dependent's case is purely e1 pdrte. As
result Of this q very considerable percentage Of
those cases are wrongfully established. Would
IL not be well for Congress to consider whether the
special agents OF this ONCE might not be clothed
with authority to summon witnesses In claims for
pension or bounty land, during the pcndency or
after the admission OF said Claims and to exercise
ouc, ara cd in COu mn onn n