The Newtown bee., 1880-12-01
The Pension once.

Mir. J. A. Bentley, commissioner ot pen- sions, has completed his annual report to the secretary of the interior. Itshows that on the thlrtieth of June last there were 250, SOP per sons receiving pensions from the government, the list being composed of army and navy ln- valids, widows, minor children etc., surviving soldiers and sailors of the war of 1912, and widows from that war. Eight thousand and torty-seven names have been added to the list since last year. During the year l9 545 new pensions were allowed and 1377 pensioners previously dropped restored; l2,e75 were dropped. The annual pensions average a103 34, an aggregate for all of $25 9l7, 9o6.60. Exclusive of the arrears the payment for the year amounted to $37 046, l8589, ot which S12 468, 19l.20 was accrued pension in the new cases. The payments of arrears con- menced in May, 1879. There was paid in May and June oi that year $3, ,933, 386. 63. and Sl9 980, 808. .23 during the last fiscal year. The total amount paid out for pensions during the year was $57 ,026, ,994 12.
 Commissioner Bentley estimates that it will require upward of $50 0O0,0 ,000 to pay the pen- sions for tue current year.
 The number ot cases in which arrears of pensions has been allowed up to November l, the cate of the report, is 43 9l7. The average in each case is SS56o 15. These cases were settled from the commencement so as to dis. tribute them in equal proportions throughout the country month by month as the work pro- gressed.
 During the nineteen years, from June, 1861 to July, 188e 4I2 459 army and navy claims tor invalid pensions were filed, and PTS, ,4S8 claims in behalf of army and navy widows minor children and dependent relatives; 168,- S56 of the invalids and 193 494 of the other claf ses were placed on the pension rolls. Under the acts of February II, 1871, and
 March g, 1878. granting pensions on account of service in the war oi 1872 36, 339 survivors
 presented claims; and 40 t20 widows and off ho and 2Q2 xpH a
 have been pensioned. There were on June
 30, 2s2 597 live unsettled claims tor pensions of the army and navy classes and l7, 749 claims tor pensions on account ot service in
 the Of 1872 tor bounty land warr nts and for increase of pensions There were allowed during the year l4, 63l original pensions of the | army and navy classes, which IS more than | have been allowed in any since 1871. | Annexed to the report is number of valuable l statistical tables, which cannot be given in | ful, but one is worthy of particular mention, l showing the number of pensioners borne upon 1 the rolls at the end ot each fiscal year, from | 1861 to 1880, and the amount of money paid | oct tor pensions each year. The total amount for the twenty years is $455, ,7l8 ,5o5 70. There are about Z, 450 pensioners residing at l the various branches of the homes for dis. l abled volunteer soldiers, whose pensions
 annually amount to about S30O,Oo0, which
 has been paid to the treasurer of the home 1 and disbursed under the direction of the man l agers, who claim that this course is justified 1 by the law and necessary in order to secure
 proper discipline and good ordcr among the l inmates. The commissioner is of opinion
 that the law does not provide for the payment
 of these pensions in this manner, and requests
 that the subject be brought to the attention O
 Congress and the duties of the commissioner | of pensions and managers of the home in re la,ion to these pensions be more clearly | defined.
 Referring to the operations ot the office 1T
 the investigation of fraud he presents table
 showing that the expenses of the year were | S26, ,466 .l9; that there were saved directly tt | the government by the investigation $s45l, | ITS .65. The commissioner is of the opinior
 that only small percentage of the frauds
 committed have been discovered.