The New York herald., 1878-10-29
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES
WASHINGTON, Oct, %, 1873.
ANNUAL REPORT OF The CoMMIssIoNzR OF

WASHINGTON, Oct, %, 1873.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CoMMIssIoNzR OF
PENSIONS.
J. A. Bentley, Commissioner ofPsnsions, has com.
pesea his annual report the Secretary OF the In
terror showing operations OF tho pension service
during the fiscal ycar ended June 80. and making
sundry recomms ndations Tor the future The NUM-
Der OF new claims Of all died during the year
vas 500 OF these sl2 original claims Tor
invalld pensious bong more than double the number
OF tho same hlad Of tho tour years 1871
10 1874 ls 24o Tor Of 1912 SERVICE under the
act OF March Q, 1878. About sne-sxth OF these
claims wero in benaif Of survivors. the balance
were widows' claims; 43, 764 eaims settled, ss
average the government OF $40 Is case.
The average cost In 1877 was $i2 81, and In 1915
SIT IL The saving through the increased efficiency
OF the oce including reduction in tho salary ap.
proprtion OF $33 $50 In 1877 1876 SlSS 050
and In 1873 1875, including the reduction IN the
salary fund of $37, 500. was $3+o172 The number OF
settled 1877 was 22A per cent greater than
In 1876 and 1878 nfty six per greater than IN
1875.
At the beginning OF the year the number Of agen.
cies for paying pensions was, BY order Of tho Prsst
asnt reduced from nftyeignt 20 eighteen, saving in
salaries tor the year Sl42,o
The aggregate saving in bureau for the year In
reductions In the number OF agencies sAs2 l72:
adding $1s0o5 for 1871 the aggregate saving for the
two years In these items alone has been $662, 222
Commissioner Bentley reports that the con-
sodatien the pensions have been paid more promptly
than before, and the pay servios has advanced 20
high degree OF efficiency. He 10 Of opinion. however,
that reduction In the rate OF the agents. compen
saton made by the of last session cannet be man
tanned entire without injury 10 the service, and that
somo farther allowances Should be made for their
psnses.
On the 30th OF June 1873. there we're 22s 99S pan.
sisners on rolls, reduction Of Gas during the
year. 1t is expected that the number Of pensioners
will considerably Increase during the current yeas
account OF the 1872 pensioners. I,
Exclusive Of tho tees OF examining surgeons and the
fees and salaries OF pension agents. the amount paid
for pensions during year 500 $50. 702. OF this
amount $24o, ,901 was retained from the pensioners
and paid 10 claim agents for their fees.
The special invssugations Of frauds perpssratsd Or
attempted under the pension laws cost $ss 2a5. and
resulted saving Of $4o o96 besides the discovery
OF many claim agents ana persons guilty OF ~
oations OF the pension laws, considerable number
OF whom have boon convicted ana punished BY the
courts many otnsrs by Suspension or permanent
prohib,i,on from practice In tho Department Of the
Interior.
Considerable space IL devoted to the claim agency
system and to explanation Of the scs Of Congress
June 20 1878. reducing the caim agents fss from
$25 S10 and changing the plan Of collecting 20 ~
to leave collect their fees instead Of hav
ing them collected for them by she government
through the pension sseLcissL Tho Commissioners
approves OF the act and OF she opinion that will
greatly bsnsn both honest claimants and the govern
ment.
He rensws his recommendation Of tho last year and
the year ontirs change In the system Of
setting by the dividing OF the county into DIS
tricss aud sending into each district surgeon and
skilled clerk examine the claimants and 10 collect
the tsstmo ony in support Of she claims. He aso re-
news suggestions Of his last report and
MAKES new recommendation 70 dispense With the
biennial examinations which he thinks no longer
necessary.
THE PRESIDENT GOING TO ANoruER rA1n.
The President to-day accepted the Invitation ex-
tended 10 him BY J. h. Bond, Collector Thomas ana
other prominent citizens Of Baltimore 10 attend the
fair the Medical institute In that city Thursday
next He Will leave hero for Baltimore the $50 p.
N. train and return to Washington thai night The
Chness Minister has also accepted invitation - b
pFescnl