The National tribune., 1884-11-27

pendent Relatives ...................... 19SS
Survivors of the of 1872 3,s9S
Total 3D. 756
The report states:
There were added to the roll during the year
the names of 3, 1872 new pensioners, and the
names of ], 221 whose pensions had been pre-
viouSy dropped were restored to the roll, max
ing aggregate of 81, Alb pensions added dur
ing the year. During the year the names OF
1915 were dropped from the rolls by death
and for various other causes, leaving net in
crease to the number on the roll of 1908.
The average annual value of each pension at
the close of the year is $106.75 and the aggre-
gate annual value of all pensions is $34, 49,
600.35 an increase over like value for the pre-
ious year of 1921, 1912
The amount paid for pensions during the
year is 500 90S, $3.50 exceeding as will be OBJ
served, the annual of pensions several millions
OF dollars, which represents the first payments
generally in new claims, and known as arrears
of pensions. The amount paid during the year
to 31,207 new pensioners was S23, Abs l5.lO.
and there remained in the hands of several
Pension Agents 1908 cases of this class unpaid,
i'll which there was due $4949,09O.05.
Since 1861 there have been 526, 1854 claims
filed for pensions on account of disability,
and 800, 462 on account of deaths resulting
from service during the rebellion. Added
to this are rs, LOG claims on account of the
war of 1912, making grand total Of 927, 922
claims filed, of which $3.50 have been al
lowed. Since 1861 S67s,346, s34.34 have been
paid on account Of pensions
Nearly page of the report is devoted to
the burning question of delays. We say
there is nothing to suggest this in the cool
way in which the Commissioner treats the
matter. There are now 239, 500 claims on
file awaiting settlement, and he Classics the
responsibility for the delay as follows:
Delay of Adjutant- Generals Ofice........... 1864
Delay in Surgeon-Generars Ollioe............ 55i
Delay of Applicants to answer office letters. 3426
Delay In Pension 1888
Total 49, $50
1t is shown here that SIS per cent. of the
whole number pending await the action of the
claimants or their witnesses, upon unanswered
calls from this Office.
The only criticism necessary upon this is
to say that the ex. Commissioner, after greatly
multiplying the difficulties in the way of
claimants furnishingadequate evidence, now
endeavors to place all the blame of the lack
of such evidence upon them.
A labored defense aof his pet Special Ex-
aminer Corps occupies much space in the
report, but it contains nothing that has not
been thoroughly examined and refuted in
preceding numbers of The NATIONAL TRIB
uNE tits sufficient to repeat here that where
he promised to dispose of 63, 900 cases year,
with corps of $50 Special Examiners, he
only disposed of 67s8 in 1883, and 1852 in
1884. Instead of fastening the disposition
of cases by going out into the field, the Spec
ial Examiners are not settling as many cases
now per man in year as they formerly did
in month, when at work at their desks in
the Bureau. His pretense of having saved
S2,0s6,55254 last year through the Special
Examiners is preposterous. He makes the
oAoN'HE Ny SiNuiiihS w thO SpSSt"i LA
aminers every claim that they failed to al
low. AS nearly ali of these were on the
ground of insufficient evidence-where the
applicant was unable to find his officers or
comrades to substantiate his claim-and
would consequently have been rejected any
how, it is absurd to making showing by
crediting the corps with having saved the
amount that would have been paid the claim
ant had he been able to establish his claim.
But it is useless to multiply words, or to
go into an extended dissection of the report.
The crushing facts which Col Dudley can
not gloss over or explain away are that he
took the Office of Commissioner of Pensions
with distinct and solemn promise to &C
complish certain reforms, and secure GER
tain results. He was given the time, the
money and the clerical assistance that he
asked for, but he failed to do what he
promised, and has left the Office with almost
nothing accomplished that he pledged him
self to accomplish. 1t is now out of his
power to change this verdict. He has sinned
his day of grace away.