The daily gazette., 1881-02-05
FIVE HUNDRED MILLIONS.

The de bate in the Senate This week
on the Pension Appropriation bill has
brought into still stronger light the
appalling burdens thrust upon the
Treasury by the Arrears of Pension
act of March 8, 1879.
When, seven weeks ago, Mr.. Hub
bell announced that $242, ,00O, 900
would probably be needed for pension
arrears alone, the country was as
founded; for The friends of theArrea =
act had procured its passage by pre-.
tending that $50, 900, ,UJO would settle
all the claims. When, fortnight
ago, Commissioner Bentley unofficial
ly declared that, first and last, the
Arrears act would add over $400, 000,-
00O TO the burdens of the country.
there was fresh shock OF surprise
and alarm. But now Senator Davis
of Wet Virginia has laid before Con
gress officially fr IN Mr.. Bentley show
ing thai the prodlgIous sum of S5l0,-
oOO,O will be required to meet ex-
penses incurred under the Arrears act
alone.
The first fruits Of that stupendous
stroke of Iecklessness are to be seen
III the pending bill. 70 the annual
appropriation has been added this
week SIT 1895, OBI SO for addiilonal
army pensions, $3.50, 274 80 for addi-
tional navy pensions, and $50, 900 for
fees of examining surgeons. Thus
the annual appropriation has already
been Increased mole than eighteen
millions. the sum required now every
year for pensions is over fifty millions;
aud these annual payments will grow
larger and larger until they reach, as
the Commissioner estimates, sixty
millions. At or near that sum, which
dwarfs other expenditures for routine
administration, the pension burden is
likely to remain for'years.
What Congress has done tor the
country by its reckless pension legis-
lation is manifest in comparing the
annual pension disbursements since
the war. Tney reached their maxi.
mum, 1t was supposed in 1871, when
they amounted to $33, or ,3S3 Co.
| Three years later, in 1874, vhey had
fallen 10 $50, 593, TAO So. The var
following they fell 10 S29, 593, 749 So;
and in 1878 they had dropped to $685.
| S44, 415 1S.
InIs was natural decrease since with
the lapse of years deaths diminish the
number Of pensioners. That year Con.
| gfess cdne in with additional Legislation
So that now we are paying over fifty
| millions.
Iu 1914 the number of applications tor
peu.l) )us was 6,73i; In 1850 the mum be-.
l4l 4G6. The provisions TOR giving not
s'nly d future pension tp those who
might apply bul arrears, amounting on
an average, - $1,000 or 81 200 for each
-uecesstui clatm, caused this enormous
increase OF applications. Yetthe country
would not nave been ungenerous without
the ArrraTs acf. tor 1t has paid out in
pen,ioging. 70 m the year 1874 O The year
1880, inclusive over tour nuuuled and
nifty million dollars.
H. may be suggested that the startling
d cures OF the cost of the Arrears act ar
Ouly conlectuTal But conm unIcatioI
from Commis siOner Bently TO the Sen
a gives them in ditatl with all til,
facts hat support them and this is tht
result:
Am3uut OF arrears to old
pensioners. ...... 49,. S25, ,SD3 063 81
First payment of nensiOu-
err 10 July !, l8S0...... 1891 1926 0!
Arrears IN pending claims 192, ,00O, SAT 81
Annual pensions To l25 600
new pensloDers........2 2S4, 1856 900 o.
|
Total. al.................,.. SOLO, ,30l 1861 2
1b,s amount is charg-able solely t,
the Arrears act Of N arch 3, 1879. To /
must bs added rue figures of the alread
vast annual pension roll as 1t preViousl
existed.
Pubic Indignation may we'll be ex
cited to learn from the Comm 1851 ne
lhaf he believes thai oB1 dollar in ever
ten IL pain on fraudulent claims; We
Congress, In voting enormous sums, ha
not even at emptad TO ferre' out III
'raufs or TO check the new ones.-
y. Y. sun.