The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-01

The report of the Commissioner OF Pensions
shows that at the close Of the last fiscal year
there were 303,658 pensioners, CLASSIFIED as fot-
lows:
Army inyalids.- -:..-.-.-::.-.---;-- --l99'o4o
Army widows. minor children, and de-
penuenJ relatives. -.-----..--.--------- f4'oc6
Navy invalids. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2468
Navy widows, minor children, ard de-
Survivors of the war of 1912. ........... 1881
Widows of those who served in the war
OF 1872 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2l,5oo
There were added to the pension roll during
the year the names of 3S,162 new pensioners,
and 796 whose names had been previously
dropped from the pension roll were restored,
making the total pumber added to the roll dur
ing the year 3S ,959, being an excess over the
number added the previous year OF 1O645. Dur
ing the year 2O,997 pensioners were dropped
from the rolls for various causes, leaving net
increase over the rolls of 1891. The number
of persons dropped from the rolls included the
names of those who have been carried on the
rolls after death until final settlement and pay
ment of the amount due such pensioners.
sion at the close of the year is S1C6.1S,
and the aggregate value of all pensions Is
$32, 245, 192.43, an increase over the value for
the previous year of $2,904,o90.81, The total
amount paid out for pensions during the year
was $50, 064, O09 %. The excess on the annual
value of pensions is manly for arrears of pen
stone GOV eriug the period prior TO the allowance
of the claim. The total number of claims filed
for disabilities incurred While In the service
amounts to 400, 72l, of which PAS, 210 have been
allowed, and by WIDOWS on account OF deaths
chargeable to tue service 1909, of which
| FOG, ZIG have been allowed The total number
of claims filed since 1861 is 1885, 1877. of which
number 510,93S have been allowed. During the
same period there has been paid for pensions,
with cost of disbursement, the sum of 1921 ,073,-
| 297. go The Commissioner says:
OF the whole number of army invalid claims fled
period five while hewar of the rebellion was
the next Ave years to 1870 SsS per cent have been al
lowed for the next five years to 1879 O. per cent
terminates the arrears PERIOD 80 per cent have been
allowed and for the next period of three years to 1859
| Ito date). 40 cent. have been allowed OF all
claims of this class of army invalids filed within the
been allowed and there still pending ILL., $50 army
invalid claims at the close of the present fiscal year
| The number of cases appealed from the Com
missioner of Pensions to the Secretary during
! the past year is 746 These cases involve much
| labor and attention on the part of the Secretary
aud his assistants. The g commissioner reports
| that the system of special examination in the
field is of great importance both to the office and
| to claimants, and that results obtained through
| it nave been satisfactory.
The PASSAGE of the arrears of pension act of
March 3, 1879, caused the fling OF large num-
! Der of additional claims by parties who dld not
/ before that time consider the amount to be paid
! sufficient to compensate them for the trouble or
| annoyance of securing pension. great
| number of persons have established pension
| agencies, so called, for the procuring OF pen
sions and it has been ascertained that a NUM-
/ Der of them have resOrted to various
devices and tricks to induce the
! soldier or dependant relative to apply for pen
| sion. Circulars have been sent out advising the
| soldier that large amount had been approprl-
ated and that all soldiers would receive pen
!
have been pursued to induce the applicants to
nay the fee part of it, The office has been
! embarrassed by such proceedings, and In many
| cases, the soldiers have been swndled by paying
| fees TO parties who well knew the soldier was
not entitled TO pension. Evidence collected
| has been withheld by such pension agents or
attorneys until the soldier would pay them
| fee. Anumber of persons detected in such evil
! practices have been suspended and disbarred
| from practlcng before the Department of the
Interior. The evil complained of is one of con-
siderable magnitude and Congress should pro-
/ yII nv irah aoiG afiO lIiuio
ment.
Payments are made to pensioners in
three months. Very many pensioners are Who'll
| ly dependent on the amounG received from the
government for their support. The amount paid
is generally small that 1t is exhausted befOre
| the next payday, and the pensioners resort TO
the money lender to secure a small lOar, at ex-
| Orbitant rates, to be paid at the next pay day.
In most cases the interest exacted is from to
| 20 per cent. per month. Congress having pro-
hibited the use of certificates security for
money loaned, the lender has no security, and
makes that the excuse for extortng such con-
scieDceless interest from the needy borrower.
| If the pens1oner was allowed to pledge his GER
tificate for the payment of small loans be would
doubtless be able to get such loans at better
rates. but the mprovident and needy would
real wa Value Of their pensions The
government for the protection of the pensioner
having denied to him the opportunity of using
his certificate as a security for the money he
may need to carry HIM to the next payday,
ought to provide for the payment of the money
as it becomes due each month whenever it can
be done so, without great Inconvenience and
loss to the government. ! think the agent should
be allowed by law to advance at the end of each
month the amount the pensiOner is entitled to
per month"; BY so doing the pensioner will be
relieved from the necessity of submitting to
such eXtortionate rates. 1t may not be prac-
tcahe for the agent to make payment i'll all
cases; but the agent should be authorized to do
so whenever in his Judgment the necessities of
the pensloner demand IL 1t can be done with
but little extra labor whenever the pensoner
resides iE the vicinity OF the agency, so the pay
ments can be made in person.
PATENTS AND OTHER MATTERS.
The report of the Commissioner of Pat
ents shows that 80, S45 applications were re-
ceived during the year; the number of pat
ents granted, including reissues and designs,
was D. 1856. The receipts of the Office from
all sources were 81 ,095, S84.70, and the
expenditures, not including printing, $704,-
343. As, leaving surplus of 1891, $780, 5
The work of the Bureau of Education has
largely increased In all branches The Com
missioner renews his recommendation that
some manner of federal aid be extended to
public primary education based on the num-
Der of illiterates reported in the tenth census,
as measure of immense Importance to the
| present and the future of the nation. The
Secretary approves this recommendation
and adds THE appropriation by the
general government should be made de-
pendent on similar aid by the States, and
for few years it should be increased as the
State increases its facilities for its expendi-
lures, and then, in like manner, the aid from
the general government should be gradu-
ally withdrawn, and the State increase its
appropriation in proportion as the national
aid is withdrawn, and ultimately the State
sh0uld be left to conduct its school system
without national aid"
In the latter part OF the report reference
is made to the report of the Commissioner
of Railroads, and. tables are given showing
the condition of the accounts of the several
Pacific and other subsidized lines.
a liberal appropriation is recommended for
publishing the reports of the geological sur
vey.
The population of Alaska is not far from