The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-10-25
PEESIOE>.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY's REPORT.

COMMISSIONER DUDLEY'8 REPORT
WASHINGTON, Oct l9-The r port Of tho
commissioner of pensons for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1883. shows that there were
300, 658 pensio ors on the 70 Is 1t the end Of
the fiscal year. During the y ar the names Of
70 whose pensions had beeu dropped pre-
viousy were restored to che roll. making
80, 958 pensions added during tho year. an
excess Of lO,645 over the preceding year.
The average annual value OF each pension is
$lo6, aud tho tgg5sg.te animal value
crease OF $29O.4o0 Inc amount paid
for pensions was sou. O64, OOa exc I'd. ny
The annual value by several millions r
loliarA Tue bulk OF t.is excess wa on &C.
cnu.,t Of arrears Of pe"-l0ns covering the
D, rod prior 10 the allowance Of claims The
q ,ents was exhausted, aud there j. bal'.uce
due agcu.s. Tne whYIe lumber If cIslms
filed -ince 1861 was a6G. 1877. OF which 81,
$50 re allowed UAr.us the sam tine
$62, lO7, 237 were taL out for pensions aud
Gus 9 OF disbursements The percentage al
low. d of army clam tii..d has decreased fr. m
rs 7 per o,ut in 1867 to 80 4 per cent in
1850 The report mex. dweils upon the d fiji
cult es exp ric1ced in Glscip ining tna large
aduitluuai clerical force Il owed by congress 10
settle arrears of pe"s'on cases: So large an
addition 10 The iurce If tue Office consumed
time and attention of more experienced OK
am ners and clerks. Yet, so we'll WAS the work
of ,us, ruc,in., new clerks pushed forward, that
they were soon efficient. Not only were all
ella ms involving, Arrears examined and proper
call, made fer svi.e"ce, but 1t wa. done q
rapidly that like examinations and calls for
testimony OF Que cha acter or snother We're
made in upwards of 100000 claiEs fi..d
since the arrears. Those emitted to arrears
nave been shown to defaul. in m citing Of
fers f. r The pr mpt settlement OF u.eir Chains
by furli -hiuK testimony required, while those
whose claims wer, i'll u uu1ing three
wears sulJ> equtOt to the arrears act have no,
b en- very Z nerally afforded even opp"r,uni-
IT, to rove t',eir clums until toe past year;
vet thev have SO responded that but 70 pei
cent of the Claimants OF this Q ass arc in do
fault upon cali,p made up tuem fer evil. nee,
while lluse of be other class e1Altled ar
,esr- are in defa Q1t, for some cause. il SO per
cent Of lie numb,T pe,.dinS Thl, staemeut is
made in exp .auati,W of Ihe fact that that 90
many Gains have been allowed winch were
filed subsequently so'ahe arrears period, while
20 large a number fileN ~ IN carrier perluu re-
mai cd Unsettled when: tlsoy We're presumab.y
eutltled to precedence.
CAUSES OF DELAY.
An examination shove i 2U4. POO cases we're
delayed by claimants, 8. H5o by the adjuta"t
gen. rar- Office, 2,9O2 ny the surgeon gen
9, all oftic AMI 23, 523 BY Tho pension ofice;
hut large percen q 70 Of the cosos delayed IN
til. pe .sion Offic, are in the hands OF SPECIAL
examiners or bOaras Of re- Vi~w. large part
of tho r-por, IS uev"t d to Renewal vi reconl-
menda,ious mad last year I, euchinS tue ameud-
m.ut Ut the pension laws. hv commlssio. or
says:
The law recently enacted me- king it a misde-
meanor botn the part Of the o.'ger aud ,ledgee
to h. pohecate pension cert'fc 1e tor oebt, is all
readv bearing fruit by putting stop to this prac-
tice in large cities and essening the demand tor
the dup lcAte certificates and PERMITS. Another
year uf aggressive enforcement that law wilt f.
main nod nf
is called TO the fidelity ami ability with which tue
unprecedented disbursements Of The bureau have
bse e In Of
from each Of the eighteen agentles at an annual
expense of Sl6,OOS. and without ttse loss of dol
lar to The government or complaint OF delay from
Of the special examinskicn system he com.
missioner speaks in cOmnendatOrv terms. and
say. liz will DO d.s.pno1,ted it the saving to
the government eff cted lr7 this DIVISION will
not b. sufficient def ~ tNe costs Ut lis MAIN
tenaucr. He dues not think 1t incumb Mt upon
the government t. be At q. fur. her EXPENSE
in emu eayorinS to settle II'den pension aims
whit the result OF tho special commas On seat
out to the Indian Territory art cousld.r O. The
resolution >f tue senate ca linz for llst OF all
PENSIONERS uccessltat>d the mp oyment o. tue
whole ce ica@ force Of seve raj peuslon ageuc' es
in its preparation, and he rep ut Was
handed in lust be ore the adjourn
m, Mt of con- ro<s. but remained un-
touch at The government pruning once.
un,il recent date. When cOlD plo'e the report
will con-is. of =, ven octave " lanes about $50
pages each. closely lined m IT,, and 1t is
urged that co 'gre-s pr V'de tor the widest Pos
-ib.e circulation of the eport The secretary
8 asked to recommend til ~ .''e sa'ares ol the
Chief review boa,u OF spe, r.1ex Mutation ,.' d:v';
old var and navy divisions b, each advanced
TO 81, 500, aud those OF IL ~ar assistants &c
s., 1000 eacl aud that OF the chiefs OF Other
dlvi-i"ps t" 81, $50 per an"um. VI me Ger
'cai force the commissioner says II claimants
will do their part by respo dug TO tie Calls to-
evidence, pres mt force eau easily .e tie cash
enough to expcnd, during the incon. 'i!s hSca
year, the ,ul amount of the availabl app O.
pr,ation He expresses belief that all claims
now outstanding will be dispos of by J, ny !.
1884. and trusts evidence may b. fsrthcol = ng
t. enable the Office to accomplish his mu VII
t'-be- desired end. 80 that the ''h'gh-wa ~
m .rk" il annual expenditure for pen-i Ms ma '
be speedily k"' wn. The relortc nc udes with
a ,racefu' complimentary reference to the
effective labors of sub,r llnatea