The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-24

The official was soon after dismissed 70
| telling more than the noble army of pen
sion agents in Washington and elsewher,
wanted him to, and SO far as we are aware
the roles and regulations which rende
fraud so cheap and easy has never bee,
changed. We do not believe that out o
| this 300, 900, 600 the soldiers and thei
widows and orphans viii get over $50,
900, 900. The rest will go to bogus
claimants and the aforesaid army Of agents
| leaving out of the calculation whatever
may have been required to grease tn
wheels of legislation.
It might be supposed that with an an
nual pension appropriation of 100000,
600, the persons directly and indirectly in
terested in this tremendous drain upon tn,
treasury would be satisfied. But they ar,
not and probably never viii be. Lik'
Oliver Twist they cry for more and re
Gently took long step toward netting
more SO neatly and quietly that few out
siders noticed the operation. twas in thu
shape of bin passed by the house in
creasing to $40 month the pensions o
soldiers and sailors who lost leg or arm
| in the service. In the very brief debate
| which proceeded its passage, the statement
was made that the bill, if it became law
| mum, At the request of Senator Mitchell
Commissioner Dudley addressed letter te
| the senate committe ON pensions, in which
he says;
THE data in my possession enable mt
to give you very close aud intelligent es-
innate of the full cost, which I submit
herewith for your information. Mum
Der who have lost one arm, q. ISL; number
who have lost one leg, Area: number
who have lost one arm and one leg, 30 As
the two first mentioned receive pension
of S1S and $24 per month, the mean in
crease in the rate of the $3.50 would be
$40 per month. or an increased annual value
of &C. 246. 4S4. The twenty pensioners who
have lost one hand and one foot would be
increased only 81 per month, or an annual
value of 5000, making the increased an
nual value on roll for amputation 90. 247,-
IA"
Referring to equivalent disabilities the
commissioner says:
''The 500 pensioners who now receive
$31, $25 and $26 per month. respectively.
would involve net increase to the roll of
$4,000. The 1000 pensioners who are In
receipt OF $24 like increase OF 81 344 600.
and the $40 who are receiving each % a
month like increase in value %, las, 900.
The total increase Of annual value of roll
of equivalent disabilities would be $3. $40,
900. 1t will be seen that the total cost of
the bill viii be IS, $780, 400"
Moreover, the commissioner is of the
opinion that at least five or six years work
by the pension bureau would be required
to settle the claims of those entitled to the
increase and investigate the claims of APP
plicants not entitled to the same. He
recommends that in case the bill passes the
senate proviso should be inserted giving
claims already pending before the bureau
precedence over those under the new law.
We shall be agreeably surprised II the
senate does not rush through this bill, in
volving an additional annual pension ex
penditure of IS, 700. 400, as hastily as the
house did the 800, 100000 pension APP
priation. In fact, congress seems pension
mad and If the business keeps on at the
present rate of increase, it is liable, at no
distant day. to absorb the entire revenue
of the country.