The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-10-20

and it will be a sad blow to the
leaders of the Republican machine.
One of the fayorite and most relia.
bic campaign arguments of the
6. o. p, has been its undying love
for the boys in blue, and The terri.
bic things that would happen to
them when the "rebel brigadiers"
captured the administration. Pen
sions were to be reduced, if not al
together abolished, and the Grip
pied veteran was warned that the
hand organ industry or the poor
house were the only alternatives
left for him in the event of that
dread consummation.
Here are some figures for the de-
tenders Of the Union to study and
compare with the predictions Of
these for Office only patriots, From
the report il appears that on June
Olast, there were 8G5,7S3 pension
ers on the rolls, composed of 265,,
S54 army inyalids, SO,lG2 army
widows, minor children and de
pendent relatives; 1888 nayyin
lids, 1866 navy widows, minor
children, etc; 1889 survivors of
The war Of 1872, showing a loss
during the year of l,4O6 Of this
class, There are 1887 widows Of
soldiers of the war Of 1912, showing
a loss during the year in this class
Of 8,Sl5. Twenty four original
claims in this class were filed dur,
ing The year; the names oil 6U4 au.
di!ional widows appeared on the
rolls; 4O,S57 new pensioners we're
added to the roll during the year,
2,O29 were restored to the rolls, 90.
0S9 pensioners names were drop,
ped from the rolls on account Of
death, ro.marriagc, frauds, etc,
leaving a net increase in the rolls
of 20,6S5 names. The annual av.
erage value of each pension was
s1222S, a gain Of sll.SS over The
average value of the preceding
year, The aggregate annual value
was s44, 7OS,O27.44, being an in.
crease in annual value of s6,6l7,.
04l.51. The amount paid for pen.
sions during the year was s63, 797,
S3l.61; the difference in the amount
paid and the annual value repre-.
senting the accrued aud arrearagc
pensions paid during the year.
Since 1861, 59l, 1O2 invalid claims.
have been filed; 34S,7O0 claims Of
widows and dependents; 1854 for
pension on account of service.
During the same period there have
been allowed of the first class 1892.
al claims and Of the second class
929,495 and Of all other classes,
COLTS, making a total Of claims
allowed since 1851, 62l,75l. It
will thus be seen that nearly one
half of all the pensioners whose
names have been placed upgn the
rolls have died, or their pensions
have ceased by reason Of arrival at
age, re marriage, etc.
One hundred and sixty.one thou.
sand four hundred and sixteen Ger.
tifcates Of all kinds, including TO-.
$50 increase certificates issued 70
widows and dependents under act
Of March 10, 1886, were issued dur.
ing the past year, which, the re.
port says, shows a gross increase in
the work Of the office. This is es.
pecially true of the special exanin.
alton division, which, the commits.
sioner says, has saved the govern
ment over 100000. An attached
table shows that there are are in
the United States in the poor
houses about9, 900 soldiers, Of whom
10 per cent. are pensioners, SO per
cent. non.pcnsionars; the oldest sol.
dier receiving public support is 1903
years of age the mean age is 81
years, 4S per cent. Of all the soldiers
receiving support were native born,
81 per cent foreign born, 45 per
cent. were married men, 81 per
cent. unmarried men, 10 per cent.
blind or insane. The act increas.
ing the pensions Of widows and do
pendonts from IS to $40 was ap.
proved on the 10Th Of March, 1885;
Ion the 4Lh Of Juno total payments