The National tribune., 1882-12-14
THE PENSION OFFICE.
Commissioner Dudley'S Report of Its
Operations Recommendations,


noteworthy for the accuracy and variety of it
statistical tables. The following abstract o.
| the Commissioners report embraces its most
important statements and recommendations:
There were at the close of the year, June 30
| 1857, 2So,691 pensioners, classified as follows
| 173, ,l3o army invalids; 7644S army widows
| minor children, and dependent relatives; 2,36l
navy invalids; 1856 navy widows, minor chill
dreD, and dependent relatives; 7,134 survivor:
| OF the war of 1872, and II, ,661 widows of those
VINO served in that war.
There were added to the roll during the year
! the names of 1864 new pensioners; and the
| names OF 6l9, whose pensions had previously
been dropped, were restored to the rolls, max
ing an aggregate increase to the roll of 2S3l3
| The names of II, 446 pensioners were dropped
| from the roll for various causes, leaving net
| increase to the roll of 49, ,S67 pensioners. AT
the close OF the year the annual pension to each
pensioner was $10270, and the aggregate an
I nual value of all pensions was 500 34l, 10l.62.
The annual payments, however, exceed this
sum by several millions of dollars; i. E., the
| total amount paid for pensions during the year
| exclusive OF the arrears due in pensions which
| were allowed prior to January %, 1879, was
S53,924, ,566.20, the difference being the arrears
due in new pensions from the date of discharge,
in the case of a soldier or sailor, and from death
OF the soldier, where pension was allowed TO
| the widow or others.
| The amount paid during the year upon first
| payment to new pensioners is 500 421 600 l9
| and this amount was paid to 27,703 pensioners,
| averaging to each case as follows: To army in
| valldS, S964.0o; to army widows, minor chill
| dren, and dependent relatives, 81, 1,065.44; to
navy invalids $549.99; to navy widows, minor
| children, and dependent relatives, $561 80; to
| the survivors of the war of 1872, $32419, and to
| the widows Of the deceased soldiers and sailors
| of that war, $20S.24.
| The Commissioner then proceeds to explain
| the statistical tables accompanying the report
and says:
! 1t will be seen by computation that of all
| claims filed prior TO July l, 1872, seventy-fve
| per cent. have already been allowed, and al
| though this terminal point is ten years ago, it
does not represent the maximum of the number
which will be allowed during the time stated.
The Commissioner goes on to illustrate how
the work of the Office is being concentrated to-
wards the great block of claims filed in 1879
and 1880; !. e. of the claims fled during those
years there have been allowed 1876 and IL 2 per
cent, respectively, out of the numbers 80, $50
and 1868 claims of invalids then filed, while
of the claims subsequently filed less than per
cent. have been allowed
EFFICIENCY OF THE BUREAU
In regard to the efficiency of the Bureau the
Commissioner says:
The commencement of the last fiscal wear
found this office with several troublesome ques-
tions to face; and many disastrous occurrences.
and difficulties following difficulties combined
to render the beginning inauspcious First, a
| large discharge of clerks became necessary
Owing to the lnordinate size of the rolls as COM
pared with the appropriations for the fiscal
year then beginning; the assassination of the
President caused an almost total suspension of
business, and distraction of the attention OF
clerks from their work to such an extent that
at that time more than week was consumed be-
lore 1t could again, in any degree, be concen-
trated upon the work of the office so that it NAV
safely be stated that on this account alone. in
the month of July, fully one weeks work was
lost. The incoming of new administration Of
the office, and the disorganization which. to
some extent, always follows such a change,
combined with the knowledge that a large
number OF discharges was impending initiated
also against the efficiency of the office for some
time. Later on, after the discharges had been
made and the force had settled down to work.
1t was found necessary to take an inventory of
the Office, in order that accurate knowledge
might be had as to the condition of its business.
This consumed one month Following this
came the fluctuations between life and death of
The Chef Magistrate, and the succeeding obSe-
qules, during which sad time no ono could
work, so that it was about the 1st of November
before the solid work for the year began |
estimate that, by reason of the various disturb
ances alluded to, not less than two months |
time, between the 1st of July and the 1st of |
November of the whole force of the Office was |
practically lost to the settlement of claims |
rom that point on the efficiency of the Office |
daily increased, and the result of its work at |
the end OF the year was exceedingly encourage
Ing, showing, as heretofore stated disposal of |
over $4,000 cases. Much of this efficiency |
attribute to the unusual and most satisfactory
confidence exhibited by Congress in the Bureau
and It's officers, and the certainty felt through
out the office that its labOrs were being appre-
ciated. 1t Is impossible, | find, to reach per
lection in the administration of so large and
important an office; but l suppose it can be
safely stated that in no Department of the Gov
ernment Is there more conscientious dis
charge of duty by the employees and officers
than in this Bureau. There has been practi-
cally no change i'll the organization of the office
since that mentioned in my last annual report
and to accommodate the force granted by Con-
gress the organization then made has been
simply broadened to receive the new accessions,
ana thlnk no reorganization will be necessary.
RANK AND GRADES OF PENSIONS.
The Commissioner calls attention to a num-
Der of defects in the present pension laws, and
among other things recommends that section
4695 of the Revised Statutes which fixes the
various grades of pension, be amended, so rs
to provide more equitable distribution and
compOrt with the actual disabilities of mem
siOners.
In connection with this subject, he saws:
In fact, the time has come. in nv oninion
when Congress should give thoughtful consid,
Grafton to the entire regarding ofpensions, max
ing disability, rather than rank the measure
OF the pension There can exist no good reason
i'll pensionng UOiitateer force, when for the
same disability lieutenant-colonel shall re-
eelve thirty dollars per month, and private sol
dlerbut eight; both having been drawn from and
returned To the same walks of civil life. This
subject Is one, however, which requires a care
lul and searching investigation; and | simply
make this suggestion in the hope that Congress-
may take such steps as will eventually brine
about an entire change; one which, in nv
opinion, if carefully done, will prove advan-
ageous alike to the pensoner and the Govern
ment
The Commissioner then invites attention To
5he accompanying table, in reference to which :
le says: {
The astonishing fact is there shown that
mere are III different grades of pension now ,
leihS paId TO pensioners. In this brief report | ,
can hardly refer TO the causes which have ,
'Fought tins about, but would state that. in
ny opinion, the almost constantly VARYING :
Gale provided by new Legislation, some of !