The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-20
Points from the Report of Pensions Com
missioner Dudley-The Amount Ex-
pended During Twenty-Five Years.
A Peep Into the Working of the Free
Delivery Postal System.
A Disputed Election in the Indian Territory
Lieutenant Darlington Did Not
DisObey Orders.
PENSION STATISTICS.
The Number of Pensions on the Roll-Pay
ments Since 1861.

Inc NuniDer OF PENSIONS on the Holiday
ments Since 1861.
WASHINGTON Oct 19.-The report OF the
Commissioner of Pensions for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1888, shows that there were
3O3, ,659 pensioners on the roll at the end of
the fiscal year. During the year the names
OF seyenty-six persons whose pensions had
been dropped previously were restored to the
roll, makins 3S, 958 pensioners added during
the year, an excess of 1O, Gas over the preced-
ing year. The average annual value of
each pension is $106 and the aggregate
annual value of all pensions, $32, ,245, 1872,
an increase of 50, ,904, ,09O. The amount paid
for pensions was 0,064, ,009, exceeding the
annual value by several million dollars. The
bulk of this excess was on account of arrears
of pensions, covering period prior to allow
ance of claims. The appropriation for salary
and fees to pension agents was exhausted,
and there is a balance due to agents The
whole number of claims filed since 1861 was
1856, 1877, of which $40, ,939 were allowed Dur
ing the same time $621 073 297 was paid for
pensions and costs of disbursement.
The percentage allowed of army claims
filed has decreased from 1877 per cent. in
1865, to 1914 in $780, The report next dwells
on the difficulties experienced in disciplin-
ing the large additional clerical force allowed
by Congress to settle arrears f-pension cases.
So large an addition to the force of the office
consumed the time and attention of the
more experienced examiners and clerks, vet
so well was the work of instruction of new
clerks pushed forward that they were soon
ut Oplu oil oil
ing arrears examined and proper calls made
for evidence, but it was done so rapidly that
like examinations and calls for test-
mony of one character or another
were made in UPWARDS of 100000
claims filed. Since the passage of the ar
rears act those entitled to arrears have been
shown to be in default in meeting the office
for prompt settlement of their claims by not
furnishing testimony required while those
claims filed during the three years subse-
quent to the arrears act, have not been very
generally afforded even opportunity to
prove their claims until the past year, vet
they have so responded that but 20 per cent
of the claims in this class are in default on
calls made on them for testimony, while
those of the other class entitled to arrears
are in default for some cause, in SO per
cent. of the number pending This state
ment is made in explanation of
the tact that SO many claims
have been allowed which were
filed subsequently, to the arrears period,
while so large number filed at an earlier
period, remained unsettled when they were
presumably entitled to precedence An ex-
animation showed that 204, 299 cases were
delayed by claimants, 9,935 BY the Adjutant-
generals Office 1902 by the Surgeon-g generals
office and %, 523 by the Pension Office buta
large proportion of the cases DELAYED in the
Pension Office are in the hands of examiners
on the board of review, leaving but 81, 161 in
course of examination, most of which have
been recently filed
A large part of the report is devoted to the
renewal of recommendations made last year
touching amendment of the pen
sion laws. The Commissioner says
the law recently enacted, making
it mlsdemeanor both on the part
of pledger and pledge, to hypothecate pen
sion certificate for debt, is already bearing
fruit, by putting stop to this perncous
practice in the large cities and lessening the
demand for duplicate certificates and permits.
He thinks another year of aggressive enforce
ment of that law will effectually end the
evil complained off.
Attention is called to the fidelity and abil-
ity with which the unprecedented disburse-
ments of the bureau have been made
by the agents for payment of
pensions, an average of So, 357,-
331 having been disbursed from each of the
eighteen agencies, at an annual expense of
S10UUo, anu WITHOUT Ine loss OF uOlIaf 10
the government, or a complaint of delay from
the beneficiaries.
Of the special examination system the
Commissioner speaks in commendatory
terms, and says he will be disappointed if
the saving to the government effected by
this division will not be sufficient to defray
the cost of its maintenance. He does not
think it incumbent upon the government to
be at any further expense in endeavoring to
settle Indian pension claims, when the re-
suits of the special commission sent out to
the Indian Territory are considered.
The resolution of the Senate calling for a
list of all pensioners, necessitated the en-
ployment of the whole clerical force of the
several pension agencies in its preparation,
and the report was handed in just before the
adjournment of Congress, but remained un-
touched at the Government Printing Office
until recent date. When complete, the re-
port will consist of seven octave volumes, of
about $50 pages each, of closely printed mat
ter, and it is urged that Congress provide for
the widest possible circulation OF the re-
port
The Secretary is asked to recommend that
the salaries of the chiefs of the review board
Of the special examination divisions, eastern,
middle, western and southern, and the old
war and navy divisions, be each advanced to
81, 500, and those of their assistants to 50, 600
each, and those of the chiefs of other di-
visions to 50 $50 per annum. OF the clerical
force the commissioner SAYS
'If claimants will do their part by respond
ing to calls for evidence, the present force
can easily settle cases enough to expend,
during the incoming fiscal year, the full
amount of the available appropriation"
He expresses the belief that all claims now
outstanding will be disposed of by July l.
1884, and trusts that evidence may be forth
coming to enable the Office to accomplish
this much-to-be desired end so that the
''high-water mark of the annual expendi-
ture for pensions may be speedily known.