The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-09
PENSION 1RREIRd0ES.
An Appropriation Of saa, 900, 900 Required
to Pay the Arrears Now Due.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Thc dc facto Score
tnry Of the Interior forwarded to-day to Con
gress n letter from the Commissioner Of Pen
sions on the subject OF the Arrearages Of Pen
sions bill. The Commissioner says that there
will be- required to pay tho arrears OF pensions
due In cases which had been allowed previous
To the date of the passage Of the net tho sum OF
s3i O00. 900. OF which tGO0,0O0 win be required
for the arrears in the navy cases. II IL esti-
mated that the round sum Of t2,5OO.0O0
will DO required to pay the pensions Of the cur
rent year OF which 5000 will be required for
navy pensions. and 5000! 900 may bc set down
as the amount which will bo required for pen
aous during the fiscal year ending June 30.
1880. The estimate Of t34 900 600 il not the re-
suit of actual calculation IN all cases. hut aver
ages were obtained by calculating amounts due
on large blocks Of cases adjusted in each OF the
years from 1868 To 1877 inclusive. the remainder
tn Jan. 1, 1879, being estimated. The aggregate
obtained for Invalid cascs is f25 ~ so; Tor
widows cases, s75s O67 total. t53SI2, BOZ.
Tho balance to make t3i 900 900 is added To
correspond to the arrcarages from Jan. to the
date OF the passage Of the act.
The Commiss snys that the object OF the
act WAS 20 place As nearly ns possible unOn the
same footing all pensions for disabilities which
originated during tho war Of the rebellion. He
concludes. consequently, that tho proviso de-
claring that arrears In cases where claims were
filed more than i've ycnrs after discourage, ana
allowed prior TO Jan. IS. 1879, should bo com
puted Mt the rate per month which the pensions
were originally allowed. is Intended simply to
facilitate the settlement OF those arrears With
out eubiecting them Ia process OF reopcning
and readlustmcnt upon uncertain data nnd that
this is the only ofico performed by that pro-
| vision.
Numerous illustrations are given to show tho
| inadequacy OF the act ne an equalizer OF pen
| sons, between claims to he admitted which
have been allowed but did not come within the
| five years limitation on the one hand and those
| which have been admitted and Tell under that
| Limitation on the other The imaginary case Of
| two soldiers who each lost an arm above the
elbow and were discharged June 20, 1864 n
| cited. No. filed his claim on June q, 1869.
| day before the Arrears bill became a law.
| No filed his claim on June 80, 1863, and the
| pension wns allowed the same day The total
| pension for each on the day of the paasage OF
the act was S. 032 for No. l. and 80 cents for NJ.
| 2. BY the passage Of the net the pension 81 No.
| became IS .032. and tho pension Of No. 2.
A.i96. an ineguality IN favor Of No. TO the
amount OF t1.lG3. The aggregate amount
| which will be paid 10 pensioners over and above
| what they would have received for their disa-
| biities from the date ot discharge had the ir
put at several millions OF dollars. The Com
| missioner recommends that the proviso in the
first section OF the act be stricken out. and thpt
| the following be substituted
shall be- allowed aud computed shan In no cas- exceed
halt OF the total pension Of the soldiers rink Tor the
81 disabilities which record and which have been
pcrnanentin degree In excess ot half from his dis
4 change
IL IL also recommended that the section be
amended IN accordance with the intention with
| which Il was passed. so as 20 include under its
4 provisions claims on account oil death and dis.
| abilities incurred after the historical date oi
| tho close OF the war Ivy those who enlisted be-
4 fore its close. especially for service therein.
| The adoption OF these recommendations
| would IL is estimated reduce the amount netsss-
sary for arrears In eases allowed TO s25 900 900
| Tor the current year 60 flb0O.OOO. anu Tor the
| next fiscal year 10 5000 QUO.