West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-10-21

Nhen scors Of years bas elapsed
alter The end of the war, the annu~
ities granted to soldiers and their
families bavs very greatly decreased
through the dlminution by death OF
the number of pereops entitled TO
TO them. This country has had a
different experience. q few years
ago the constant inroads made BY
death among the pensioners had Just
begun to decrease the annual aupro-
Pria,ion for this purpose, when Con-
gress, az if alarmed at this prospect,
hoodad the rolls with a new set OF
beneGoisries. As consequence, al -
though II, 446 pensioners were drop.
ped during the last fscai year, from
various causc9, 1864 were added,
aud 649 who had been formerly drop
ped were restored 80 that the net
result was nearly seventeen thousand
pensioners during the twelve months
Aud these seventeen thousand
were no ordinary increase. The av-
erage amount paid yearly to each
name on the roll is little over a
hundred dollars; but under the
vicious arrears legislation Of Con-
gress, the amount paid to the names
added last year'averaged nearly a
thousand dollars each. In precise
figures, the Grst payments to new
pensioners alone during that year
we're S26.42l .669. The 10 the record
seventeen years after the close OF
hoaiilities. During The last twonty
yeors more than S56O,oOO.0OO have
been disbursed to pensioners Of all
SORTS and at the present rate ofin-
crease, before the next twenty years
are ended The amount will have
reached billion dollars. Indeed it
is certsin that for several years these
enormous increases oil twenty or thir-
~ millions year for the arrears oil
new pensioners will 90 on. There
are now over 100000 claims for pen.
uons pending, the last fscal year
having added $1,000 to this number.
Stupeudous aa are these pension
outlays, past and prospective it must
not be imagined. that the end Of the
increase was reached with therecsnt
eztTaVagant arrears legislation. Judg.
ing from experience, the time cannot
be lar distant when new classea OF
Penalonera will be placed or the rolls,
who will more than make mp for
those dropped by natural casualty.
During the present Congress one
such project has been introduced
namely, that Of giving a pension to
every Union soldier who was captured
aud Imprisoned, whether wounded or
not - this extraordinary premium
upon surrender being due lees TO any
desire to inoulcate upon troops the
Importance Of being captured, than
to the easerusso 10 end a new class
OF voters whose good will might be
secured at the expense OF a fresh
raid 90 the Treasury. Another pro.
Jet which was strongly urged last
winter, was that OF pensioning all
survivors OF the Mexican war.and OF
The Creek, Seminole. aad other To.
dian ware Immediately preceding II,
irrespective Of wounds, disease, the
value Of the services rendered. or the
present needs Of the claimants.
What this plan would involve NAV
be eonjeoiured from the fact that
for the war Of 1919 more than S25.-
100000 have been paid on; within
The iaat twenty years, and that there
are nog on toe rolls no fewer than
24,G5l persons claiming 30 he widowa
oil those who served DO the war OF
1872 a number nearly four times
AZ great ss tibet Of lbe alleged sur
yivinP veterans Of Che war, astooisb-
ing as these latter have been in their
contributions 90 tie statistics Of ex-
copioaai longevity.
With tas example o. The war Of
1912 anI che great pressure already
exsrtsd on Congress 10 pot 40 the
Mexican veterans alec upon tbspe1.
too Dee. ). e. oIesr that before The
prosut csai1ry Dee closed tbsrs Will
be as vigorous a4 attempt TODD .ls
same for a.liba suryv5ra Of bs
Ca.ar army who -srv.I even larrv
isga larrg t.a absH1r. even r
only Home G1arIs Usrt. even
tat very slender r7rs7'atsB ab..b
Conn rrer Dr1tEYu a6,ets ev-
are oat .-r ths reelection sftts sa
nuaI re.I sHaf nsrg y.ar t8us
proportions affea 7.srrae5
a'r9 vs'Hs whatever Uniform
pere1e teaches ihatat ifs6.t