National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-13
PENSIONS AND PENSIONERS.
Interesting Statistics Furnished in the An.

Interesting Statistics Furnished In the An.
nual Rcpost Of Commissioner Dudley.
The secretary Of the interior has tccciycd
the annual report Of the commissioner of pom
sions Tor the fiscal ycnr ended June -, ISL
Tho report is dated Nov. TO- and IS signed by
w. w. DGllcy, commissioner. II states thnt
there were, ut the close Of the year, 3a2,7j6
pensioners, classified ~ follows. 2ls,Dd army
inyallds, 5j,s3G army widows, minor children,
and dependent relatives; 2,GlG navy invalids
1878 navy widows, minor ehildfcn, ana de;
puudcnt relatives 5,S9s survivors OF tho war OF
1872, and 1902 widows oft those who served in
that war There were added to tho roll
during the year the names ul III W. new pen
sioupri. and the names OF ,22l whose pensions
had hccn previously dropped were restored to
the roll. mlkiug aggregate ul 3jlld pensions
added during the year. During the year the
names Of lG&lj wore dropped rom the rolls
for various causes, leaving net Increase TO
the number Oh the roll of l9,OS Tho average
annual value Of each pension Nt the close OF
The year was SllG.il,. nnd the aggregate M
nuUl value OF all pensions sjllhbl an lnr
crease over like value for the previous year OF
S24ll lDGg2
III, amoun, pril for pensions during the
year YVES t1G,TNIgf, exceeding the uununl
value Of pensions several millions OF dollars,
which 3Cprnsvu., tnc iirst payments, generally
in new claims and known as arrears oI pen
Sous The amount paid during the year TO
'il,2I ncw pensioners was - ll5Nl1, anu
there remained IN the hdlds OF the several
pension nsput3 LEi cases Of this class unpaid,
IN which III re- was due SiNlyUO.
Since the year 1871 pension claims to the
number ut 5lt,,- have been fled on account
uldislh,nty, aul 8lj. TO- on account of deaths
alleged tJ ~ due 10 the service, claims for the
later cluA, bgvinE been ilrd by widows and
dependent rlutycs. or The invalid claims
g19,6-i, and the widows aud dependent rclu-
tiycs 2Ij.O1l ofutbul Of ,1O6 claims have
heru allowed. Besides comparatively small
number pcuNiOued Tor disnhi ~ or death from
causes originating in the srv,co prior 10
March t. lSGi, and those ol the ,cEulur army
since 1855 thi, number rcprcs ne NC pensions
g"untsd Oh account of the war Of the rebel
lion The Cc,s of 1871 ana lsIN PROVIDED
pension on account Of service durng the war
ul iSl2. Since the former date IS,lOi claims OF
this class have | con lied, 3l,6i6 hy the survlv-
lux soldiers and sailors, and i3,iJO by tho
widows OF those who served In that war. OF
tlls uumDtr 5D.j2i have been allowed, 2),G0S
10 the survivors. and 30, 100 10 the widows
In the aggregate, since 1861, H4iJ22 claims
have been Med and 90, l$l have been allowed.
The commissioner says thut ut the rate clnims
have been He'd for the pas! few years the close
OF the year lSS6 will undoubtedly show l,lp,-
UJO claims filed for pensions since 1851. since
that year the total amount disbursed Is sOIe,-
3ii,SH.
Orthe whole number OF army invalid claims
filed from 1861 to 1855, both inclusive repre-
scnting the first period (three years of which
was while the rebellion was yet IN progreSs),
100 per cent. nave DGtU NllbWCui lOT lllt llcNl
i've years, to 1870, 10.0 per cent. have been hl-
lowed; the next five. years, to 1850, which ter
inmates the arrears period, AIS per cent. have
been allowed and for the next period. To 1881,
lO.l per cent have been allowed; or OF all
claims of this class, army inyalids, filed
within the arrears period (prior to July l. 1850,
G2.a pCr cent. have been allowed, and there are
III, or 81 per cent. Of the numnBGfF Iiicd.
The report states that SIS per cent. of the
whole number OF claims pending await the
uptipn pT the claimants nr tlplr witnesses unOn
unanswered calls from this office.
But little over per cent. await the action
Of the war department, the same being as near
up to date as practicable.
OF the whole number standing II per cent.
stand Chargcable TO delay In this Office, li,TlD
uf which awaited special examination, lisp
awaited the action of the board OF review.
ana 90 the action Of the medical branch Of
the Office, thus leaving 1850 claims which
awaited the examination OF evidence which
had been filed.
Upward Of 80 per cent of the whole number
of claims which have been filed, carrying
with them arrears of pensions, have been al
| lowed. The claims pending of this class con
atitu.e the class which present the greater diff
hCUttiC5 III way of settlement. with the very
large percentage Of this number which await
the action OF the claimants, II is evident that
| they meet with great obstacles IN procuring
such testimony rs shall, under the law, de
cisiOn Of the secretary Of the interior and at
tOrney general, aud practice OF the otlice, JUS
t!iy favorable action,
The commissioner advocates the adoption of
rgmediGl legislation by congress which shall
take from lhe claimant some of the burdens
which in their operation amount to Il practical
| denial oi his claim.
Tho commissioner adds: "Unlcss legislation
applicable to them be considered the same
10 specify the classes to be AFFECTED, aud the
character of proof which shall DO deemed
sufficient TO cutitC 10 pension, the result will
| ue to practically deny the pension 10 many
! thousands oil brave ana disabled soldiers whose
| suffering aud unfortunate social condition ap.
| peal 10 the gratitude, the sympathy, and
UcrclWl consideration of congress. Perhaps
| IL would be more to tho purpose 10 say that
| tho plea tor aud in behult OF the veterans was
| tor justice and Justice alone"
| OF thc system Ol special examinations he
| says: ~ cannot fail to he gratifying to show
| Mat the service has been more than sclfsus-
! tanning, vain ii balance OF Sl,SO2lU2.32 US the
| !gt saving tor one year. This saving ~ made
| up ui the amount OF pension computed as due
| IN cases Investigated which were atterward
| rejected; the accrued pension due In cases OF
| lhUsu NAO were receiving pensions which,
| upon Investigation, were made to terminate;
| rriyed by pensioners, Nc., nom when are dc.
| Quoted the per diem and travelling expenses of
the special examiners, showing the balance as
| ret saving"
In conclusion the commissioner says "The
| clerical force which has been provided, and
| which has during the past year performed tho
| work of this office. has no superior, and but
few equals, IN the service of the government
for fidelity to their duty and conscientious
discharge thereof In point of industry and
amount OF work accomplished thuy can safely
any department OF the government"