South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-07-06
Letter from Washington.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. DC. July ..

A
The Commissioner OF Pensions IN
HE last report presents mass Of in-
teresting statistics, and he also indul-
ges In some curious estimates. After
presenting several tabular statements,
he adds: AS near as l can ascertain
there are about Sc, 800 representatives
of deceased soldiers, who have not
yet applied for pension And again ::
The general proposition, however, is
presented, with the best available in.
formation at hand, tina, there is sur.
viving soldier population ola little o.
yer i 1000 900, out Of which claims for
pension in the future may be made
by those who incurred pensionable
disabilities
1t is evident that the restless spirit
OF Mr.. Dudley will never be at ease
until he shalt have granted n pension
to every surviving soldier of the civil
war. and to the relatives OF those who
are dead. Alexander wept for more
Kingdoms TO conquer, and Mr. bud.
ley weeps for more pensions TO bestow.
Unfortunately as the law now stands
there il no authority for the Commits
sloner to grant pension until an ap-
plication is made. The volume Of
business of the Office could be greatly
increased by making it obligatory up
on persons to receive pensions.
The present system Of drumming
up business, after the manner of COM
mcrcial houses, by means of several
hundred special examiners is working
admirably, bat the scheme is defcien t
IN several particulars and hardly com.
prehensive enough in its scope. Some
claims, through the unsympathetic
natures of special examiners, are una
voidably rejected, and it occasionally
transpires that no individuals can be
found to answer the names of claim.
ants and witnesses, in which case the
pension lapses and the money remains
uneXpended.
On the whole, it is an undisputed
fact that there is vast amount of
money in the Treasury that cannot
under the present laws be circulated
among pensioners, or Gisbursed in the
expenses OF the Pension Office =
Though there are still over | 900 900
persons who may be induced by = pro
per canvass of the country 10 sic
claims for pension, yet the cash i'll the
Treasury Is constantly accommodating
and more than supplies the demand.
Here Is grand opportunity 70: time.
~ legislation. a bill to facilitate the
granting of pensions to those who will
not apply for them, ought to receive
the earnest support of every true pa
triotin The present Congress. There S
millions in it,
| Iensioners are proverbially a long.
lived class, but the last report of the
Commissioners of Pensions shows a
death-rate among them SO low that it
hardly seems credible. 1t appears that
on June 30, 1882, there were on the
rolls 175,499 invalid pensioners, and
during the year ending on that date
the names OF / 1885 invalid pensioners
were dropped by reasons of death
This shows an annual death.rate of
liz Fer thousand. In ordinary
healthy communities the annual death
rate IS about % per thousand, or in
other words impartial Fate is about
twice as apt to knock at some other
persons gate than at that of an Iuyal.
id pensioher
Among the pensioners of the war
of 1912, we find that, with q total of
| III ,795 pensioners, there were during
the year !, 450 deaths,an annual death
rate OF 40 per thousand or about twice
rs great & death-ratc Is among the
entire population. Yet the former
class OF pensioners, if legally such, are
afflicted with wounds, injuries or dis,
eases, and the latter class must be well
advanced in years for the war in
which their services we're rendered
closed siXty.eight years ago. Our
war-scarred veterans are evidently
destined to stay with Us and enioy
the bounty OF Government many
years TO come. PHoNo.
If there is Justification for taking
human life, aside from an act of pure
self.defense, the killing Of Dukes by
young Mutt, at Uniontown, Pa, was
such a case. Dukes was cultured
rufiian. lie was graduate of Prime.
ton College, had attained eminence
at the bar, had been houored with a
seat in the Legislature, yet had all
the instincts OF scoundrel. He dis
graced Nuts sister, tainted his faith.
or with It, and then wantonly mur-
dered him. when he attempted to pro,
tect his daughters reputation. The
jury made a mockery of it by acquit,
ting him, and there was nothing left
tor young Mutt 10 do but kill him..
Nota hair OF his head should be touch
.ed.-Jefferson City Tribune.
I CONSCIENTIOUS DyTY.-T conceive il
to DC my duty 80 you and 10 the public
equally wrote WILL Iofton T.r,,ro,.o