The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-11-21
PENSIONS AND CROPS.

Reports of Commissioner OF Pensions
Dudiey and Agricultural Department
Ffxurex-The Number and Cost of the
Nati,n,s Persioners-The Cotton, Corn
and Potato Crops.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., November Il.
Commissioner of Pensions Dudley, In
his annual report for the last fiscal
years. says that at the close of the
rear there were s22,75e pensioners on
the rolls classified as follows: 2Is,956
army invalids; 1886 army widows.
minor children and dependent relatives;
a,6le navy invalids; 1888 navy widows,
minor children and dependent rela-
lives; 3,s9s survivors of the war OF
1912, and 1882 widows of those who
served in that war. During the year
the names of 35,4l3 pensioners were
added to the roll and 16,3l5 were
dropped for various causes, leaving a
net increase to the number on the roll
of ls,0as. The amount paid for PEN
sions during the year was S56,90s, 591.
Since 1861 526, 1924 disability claims and
323,i62 death claims have been fled
OF the invalid claims 272, 624, and of the
death claims 2I3, ps2 have been allowed.
At the rate claims have been filed for the
past few wears the close of the year 1886
win undoubtedly show l 200, 900 claims
fled for pensions since 1861. The total
amount which has been disbursed to PEN
sioners since 1861 is s67s, SAC 1874.
So general had been the complaint
from applicants for pension of inability
to ascertain the whereabouts of company,
officers and comrades, often defeating the
allowance of claim for want of testi-
mony from these witnesses, and the con-
paTative limited resources of the special
examination service to supply the want in
the large number of cases of this chirac-
ter that the Commissioner deemed it nee
esssry TO inaugurate some method where
By the Post-office addresses of as large a
number as possible of the surviving
soldiers of the late war be procured and
compiled into a permanent record con-
venient for reference. With this object
in view. suitably prepared printed slips
for name, rank, company, regiment and
Post-ofice address were accordingly
sent out to Grand Army Republic
Posts, and as early as April last sufficient
number had been completed and received
SO that their arrangement, according to
military service, could be commenced.
In addition to this the examiners in the
Pension Office were required to note the
names of all witnesses who had been in
the service which they met with in the
examination of claims, so that from this
source alone some I50, 200 names were Sc
cured. 1t is expected that by January
next there will be arranged and ready for
immediate reference record of
between 100000 and 100000 names.
The practical use of this rec
ord became Immediately apparent
as soon as reference could be made 10 it,
and the information furnished BIZ it has
proved of material service in the adjudi-
cation of claims, both as to expediting
the work and the ascertainment of the
necessary facts. Many instances arise
which could be cited, if necessary, show
ing the inability of claimants to procure
material testimony for want of knowledge |
of their comrades whereabouts, which |
the Information afforded by this record |
relieves, and often is the means of not !
only establishing the right to a pension, |
but of opening the way to defeat an Gn-
Just claim.
The Commissioner observes that the |
system of settlement of pension claims |
has properly claimed the serious consid- !
Grafton of Congress for the past two ses- |
sions. 1t has not thus far been deemed |
wise to change this system, imperfect as |
1t may seem in its operations in some |
cases, and remedial legislation has been |
proposed which should take from the !
claimant some of the burdens which il |
their operations amount to a practical |
denial of his claim. On the subject of |
remedial leriSIatioo thu ComrnjS.ionar |
contents himself by briefly referring to |
and recommending the passage of the bill |
embracing his recommendations reported |
to the Senate, and placed on the calendar |
in May last, where it still remains.