National Republican., 1880-11-24
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PENSION STATISTICS.
A Synopsis OF Commissioner Bentley's
Annual Report.
ovor II Quarter OF u minlon Names on the
Pension Roii--O poratiun5
oil tho bureau
somc valuable Hints for Lerls,asfon,

aud ,577 pensioners previously dropped restored,
1855 were dropped.
The annual pensions average slO3 IS. an aggre-
gate for all OF s259l7qOG Co Exclusive OF the ar.
rears the payments for the year amounted to s37
oid $3.50 Of which Sl2. GS,l9l.20 was accrued pen
| sion In the new cases.
The payment Of arrears commenced In May
! 1879. There wGs paid IN May aud June Of that
year So Q333SG 90 and SlDQ30 S0S3 during the last
fiscal year The total amount paid out for pensions
during the year was SjTOl6D0Ll2. The commits.
soncr estimates that II win require upward Of
$50 C0o0)J TO pay the pensions for The current year
An equal amount Is estimated for The next year.
| The number of cases In which arrears OF pension
| have been allowed up tu November /, the date Of
| the report IS 1917. The average In each case is
s56Olb. These cases were settled from the com.
| mencemcnt 50 as to distribute them IN equal pro-
| portions throughout the country, month by month,
| aS the work progressed.
during tic nineteen years from June 1861, to
| July, 1880 AZ i59 army aud navy claims for In.
valid pensions were filed, and 27SlS claims IN be-
| half of army and navy widows, minor children
and dependent relatives. One hundred and sixty.
| eight thousand eight hundred and fftysi of the
inyalids and l03iJ Of the other classes were placed
on the pension rolls. Under the acts of February
IL, 1871, aud March ., 1875, granting pensions on
| account of service in tho war OF 1872, 1889 sur
| vivors presented claims and dOO2O widows.
Twenty-Five thousand four hundred and seventy
stoned. Thers were on tho 8Oth of June 2s269f
live unsettled claims for pension OF the army and
navy classes and l1,I0 claims for pension on uC-
| count of service in the war of 1872, for bounty
land warrants and for increase of pension. There
| were allowed during the year 1861 original pen
| sons OF the army and navy classes which is more
than have been allowed IN any year since 1871.
Annexed to the report IS number of valuable
| statistical tables which cannot bo given in full
| but one is worthy Of particular mention, showing
| the number OF pensioners borne upon the rolls at
| the end of each fiscal year from 1861 to 1850 and
| the amour. Of money paid out for pensions each
year. The total amount for tho twenty years is
Slj1.TlS,5O5T0
claims which has been In course Of preparation for
many months, and now approaching completion,
which classics the claimants by their proper mill
| tary organization These records when completed
| win comprise l76 volumes of $50 pages each and
contain q record of the claims on account of SER
vice in 2,26S regiments, l9l battaltons 706 nde-
pendent companies. 70S batteries and 4B star corps
| The reorganization in November last OF the Office
force engaged in settling the army claims for SER
vice In the war of the rebellion, aud learrange-
Inent OF the files to correspond, has been Of great
advantage to the service. This Encouragement is
upon geographical lines, so that all claims on NC.
| count OF service in New York organizations are
settled in Que division and on account OF Pennsyl-
vnnia service in another, aud so on.
| The report next takes up the subject OF Indian
pensions on account OF service In the three regi-
msnts Of Indian home guards, raised in the In
dian territory, which have been source Of much
trouble III the department for many years. In
| 1879 the commissioners detailed two special agents
| to visit tho Indian territory and investigate the
claims upon their merits. The investigation was
successful and the claimants are about to be paid
their dues. large ofaccrued pensions is due i
each case, when under the law must be paid by
check issued by the pension agent. The commits
4
| cial institutions in the territory upon which the
pensioners can depend to exchange at reasonable
| rate current money for their pension checks, and
The pensioners are in danger OF being oyerreachcd
| and defrauded of their pensions by unserupulous
spectators and adventures, who ilest the Indian
and border settlements, unless some precautions be
takeu for their protection, and recommends legiS.
laton to authorize The accrued pension to be paid
| in insallments not 10 exceed SOD each, as u
measure OF protection,
There are about 2 ij0 pensioners residing at tho
various branches ofthe homes for disabled volun.
tecr soldiers whose pensions annually amount to
about S3lOU0O which has been paid TO the treasurer
| of the home and disbursed under the direction Of
the managers, who claim that this course is justi-
| fled by the law and necessary in order TO secure
| proper discipline ANA good order among the III.
| mates, The commissioner is Of opinion that the
law does not provide for the payment or these
| pensions In this manner, and requests that the
subject 90 brought 10 the attention OF congress,
| and the duties of tho commissioner of pensions
and managers of the homo in relation TO these
pensions Le more clearly defined. Legislation to
authorize the payment OF the pensions 10 the wives
and children OF insane or imprisoned invalid
pensioners is recommended,
The report also recommends legislation to au-
thorze the pensions of innor children. to be COM
menced al the date OF the last payment OF the
| widow of the soldier, In cases where she has re-
married and concealed the fact and continued to
| draw the pension
1t also recommends legislation to enable the
| commissioner TO more equitGbly dispose OF claims
| for increase of pension than can now be done un-
| der the law, and providing Tor the review of un.
Just rates of pension which have boon established
The report next doals with the subject of attor
neys fees. IL calls attention 10 tho fact that since
| the act OF June 70 1873, there Is doubt whether
| the penal provisions OF section 47o5. Revised
| Statutes can be enforced against attorneys, and
recommends an amendment to dispose OF the
| doubtful construction.
IL also recommends legislation to protect the de.
| paTtment aud claimants against dsOagred altor
| neys who continue TO practice after dlsoRrment
| The commissioner repeats tho recommendation
oil his former reports to substitute Tor the present
secret er parte method OF presenting tho evidence
| a., gf,ttf fl NJ
by public proceedings before officers of the goYerll
| mient, in the neighOorhood OF the claimant and
witnesses, and urges carly legislation TO accom-
Referring 10 the operations of the oiice in the
investigations Of frauds, he presents laoig show
ing thar the expenses Of the year were s2G, G,iO6l9i
that there was saved directly to the government
| by the investigation SIJl,7llOo,
| The commissioner is o! the opinion thotthe great
number OF frauds discovered year by year. when II
is considered that their discovery by INC office Is in
u large degree charseable TO accident or to yolun-
tary Information IS quite conclusive evidence mat
but small percentage oi inc iIauus comh!'Ieu
have been discovered,
Upon lha subject Of tho pay service the report
| ssys; 'Ih9 consolidation oil the agencies for pay
| ing pensions under tho order OF the president,
dated May L 1871 has worked great reform in
the service, not only In tho direction OF economy,
but in the rapldity aud prOmpIne3s WIN WhiCh
| the quarterly payments are made ~ the last
September payment lsl9O5 pensioners were paid
| in the tir5tton days ,, ..,
pen,Ntlon of the agents is too small, ana recon-
ineuds revision Ot tbs law liking Ihelr coinpGA-
salon and increasing it by extending 10 them the
right to uso tbs oncial penalty envelope in their
otiiCal correspondence lie also recommends
that an additional fee OF twenty cents be PAID
| them for their services in paying arrears
| The report closes with recommendation for an
increase in the number OF clerkShips OF lhe classes
l. and A aud also or an Increase IN the salaries
OF chiefs of divisions, appeal CLERK, ohiei clerk,
deputy commissioner and commissioner OF pen
| sions