Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-10-07
SPIKED.
GUNS OF GENERAL BLACKS ENE-
MIES.
A Broadside ofPension Figures Docs
the Business
An Array ofFacts Most Reassuring to
Sufferers of the War.
"A Years Record That May Be Re-
ferred to With Pride.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. %, 1886.
The annual report of the Commits.
sioner of Pensions is good Democratic
reading. 1t explodes all the lies as to
the policy of the Democracy toward the
pensioners which have been circulated
from the stump by Republican orators
The Pension Office, as now conducted
is engaged solely in the interest of the
pensioners, and is not q political ma.
| chine.
From the report, it appears that on
June Both last there were 365, 1888 pen.
sioners on the rolls, composed of 265, 1854
army invalids; SO,I62 army widows,
minor children and dependent rela.
tives; 1858 navy invalids, 1877 navy
widows, minor children, &C.; 1889 sur.
vivors of the war of 1910, showing a loss
during the year of !, ,406 of this class.
There were 13, ,397 widows of soldiers oi
the war of 1872, showing a loss during
the year in this class of 1915. Twenty
four original claims were filed in this
class during the year; the names of 304
additional widows appeared on therolls,
O,S56 new pensioners were added to the
roll during the year, 2,229 were restored
to the rolls, 22,089 pensioners names
were dropped from the rolls on account
of death, remarrariage, frauds, &c.,
leaving net increase in the roll of 90
6S5 names. The annual average value
of each pension was ..$122,23, a gain of
l1.SS over the average value of the pre-
ceding year. The aggregate annual val
ue was $44, 708, ,027 "A, being an increase
in annual value of $6,6l7 .041, 81. The
amount paid for pensions during the
year was 1858, ,797, ,831 81, the difference
in the amount paid and the annual val
ue representing the accrued and arrear-
age pensions paid during the year.
Since 1861, 591 ,lO2 invalid claims have
been filed; 348,799 claims of widows
and dependents; 1874 for pension on
account of service. During the same
period there have been allowed of the
first class 332, l41 claims, and of the
second class 229, ,435, and of all other
classes &C, ,l79, making total of claims
allowed since 1851 621, ,754. 1t will thus
be seen that nearly one-half of all the
pensioners whose names have been
placed upon the rolls have died, or
their pensions have ceased by reason of
arrival at age, remarriage, &c.
One hundred and sixty-one thousand
four hundred and sixteen certificates
of all kinds, including 1889 in
crease certificates issued to widows
and dependents under act of March 10,
1886, were issued during the past year,
which the report says, shows vast in
crease in the work of the office. This
is especially true of Special Examina-
ton Division, which, the Commission
er says, has saved the Government over
So, 100000. An attached table shows
that there are in the United States I'M
the po6r-houses about 1900 soldiers,
of whom 13 per cent. are pensioners; So
per cent. non-pensioners; the oldest
soldier receiving public support is 103
years of age; the mean is 81 years; 48per
cent. of all the soldiers receiving sup
port were native born; 81 per cent. for
eign born; 45 per cent. were married
men; 81 per cent. unmarried men; 10
per cent. blind or insane. The act in
creasing the pensions of widows and
from So to $12 was approved
on the 10Th of March, 1886. On the
4th of June total payments had been
made to this class without expense to
the beneficiaries. Some six thousand
of the cases of increase under the ampu-
tation act of August 4, 1886, have had
certificates issued, and the remainder
are being disposed of with great rapid
ity.
From January 1, 1861, until Decem-
ber 81, 1885, 1877 private pension acts
have been approved. Since that date
GA such acts have been approved and
certificates issued in nearly every case.
The Commissioner renews his sugges-'
tions as to legislation contained in his
report of the previous year. Concern
ing the Mexican war pensions, he says
that the subject of pensions to the sol
diers of that war is before Congress
and the people, and that he need not
add one word in the way of argument.
During the year more than two mill
lion letters and packages were received
in the office, and it Is believed that
nearly all of that number have been
properly replied to. The amount of ex-
penditures for stationary, printing and
binding has been diminished by $13,-
6S3 for the past year. Ofthe appropria-
tions provided for the expenses of the
office $304, ,962 has been covered back
into the Treasury. The clerical force
during the year was diminished by one
hundred. A statement of the Chief
Clerk is added to the report of the Com
which, shows that during
the year of 1994-85 54,313 days annual
and sick leaves were taken by the en-
ployes of the Bureau, while for the year
1SS5-S6 38,662 days only were taken,
showing a net saving ofthe time for one
man of forty-two years, eleven months
and four days. -.