The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-09-06
A GRATEFUL REPUBLIC.

A GRATEFUL REPUBLIC.
What Uncle Sam IL Doing for Those WhW
Came to HIS Aid in the Time Of Need.
Report Of Pension Commissioners Black.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3O-The annual 70
port OF Pension Commissioner Black shows
that during the fiscal year ending June 80,
1888, there were added to the pension rolls
10, O,325 new names (the largest annual in
crease in the history OF the bureau). max
ing total Of 452 557 pensioners on the
rolls at the close Of the year, classified -
follOws
Invalids. 3.G. S35; widows, minor children and
dependent relatives, 81, ,9.s; revolutionary wild.
ows, 81; survivors Of the war OF 1912. 8O6; wid.
Ows OF those who served in that war, 10, 787:
survivors OF the war with Mexico, $1,000; wid-
Ows OF those who served in that war. 5,lOL
The names Of 2OoS previously dropped
were restored to the rolls, making an ag-
gregate of 62, $50 pensioners added during
the year. During the same period, Is, ,73O
were dropped from the rolls on account OF
death and various other causes, leaving
net increase TO the rolls OF 46,5J names.
One million, ono hundred and sixty y-six
thousand, nine hundred and TWEEN
ty-six pension claims have been
hlcd since 1861, and 731, 200 claims
Of all classes have been allowed since
that date. The amount paid for pensions
since 1851 has been $685., ,OS6, ~ Increase
Of pension was granted in 45,7l6 cases.
The average annual value Of a pension at
the close OF the year was $125. 80, a de-
crease of a. 80. The decrease in average
annual value is due to the
fact that large number Of
Mexican war pensioners at the
rate of eight dollars per month, which is
below the average rate, was added to the
rolls during the year, and furthermore
that the death rate among the high
grade pensioners was greater than
among pensioners of lower rate The ag-
grcgate annual value of pensions is $50
sO7, 20, an increase of $3,SS2, ,579
The amount of pensions paid
during the year was SIS, ia, Sol, an
increase over the previous year Of $53Os,-
$50. The total amount disbursed by PEN
sion agents for all purposes Was &7y. 646,
146 The cost attending such disburse-
mcnts were in the aggregate e, a6S, ,525, it
being fraction less than per cent. of the
total expenditures Of the bureau. The to
tai amount expended for all purposes was
SS2, ,U3S, 3S6 So, being 2l per cent of the total
estimated gross income Of the United
States Government for the period. The
total expenditures of the Government for
the fiscal year 1883 were $267, 824, sol, SO
that the amount expended for and on &C
count of pensions was nearly 81 per cent.
of the entire outlay of the Government.
There were filed during the year 47,S4O
applications for original pensions; IL, ,7S9
sAnVa vvpsv -
mothers, and /, ,SS3 dependent fathers, max
ing total of Is, 704. The highest number
of claims on account Of the late war was
received from Ohio; Indiana followed next; !;
then New York and Pennsylvania; and
from Montana, Utah and South Carolina
none were received.
The average duration of the lives or PEN
sioners is e. years: the average length OF
time served in the army by those who are
receiving pensions on account Of the late
war is more than two years.
The report continues:
Up TO June 30 last, II, 5S1 claims were filed
under the Mexican PENSION act, 10 .SS being
survivors, and q .93 widows. All completed
cases Of tn class lG529 Survivors and 5. 1876
widow cases, have been allowed. The reflections
were J, a2l survivors and 63l widows claims.
mainly because the applicants had not arrived
It the required age Of q! years; 43 OF these ap-
plications were consolidated with claims al-
ready filed under other laws. OF these Mexi-
can claims, but 1,S9s were unsettled on the
$1fh OF June, the evidence filed being insuf-
Rcient.
The law division has submitted 10 cases to
the Department OF Justice for prosecution
20 for ofenses by attorneys and 40 for Offenses
by other persons. OF this number six have
been acquitted and four ignored by grand
juries, leaving 100 ava ting trial. The spirit OF
the bureau Is no compromise with those who
wilfully violate the Pension law, and no prose-
cution OF those who sinned through ignorance
and who are willing to make restitution when
the same is demanded Of them.'
Fifteen thousand three hundred and thirty
dollars Of illegal fees have been recovered and
refunded to the pensioners interested.
BY the operations Of the medical division
the number Of rates has been decreased from
15i 10 lO3. The highest rate paid under tho
general law was &.2 per month: the lowest was
az per month Allowances by special acts OF
Congress range from so to Hl6.66 per month.
Over s5per cent OF all pensioners are aid BY
the pension agents within ten days after tho
quarterly payment is due, and payments can
not be made more rapidly without multiplying
the agencies. One hundred thousand cases OF
increase OF pension under recent legislation
have been settled without expense or delay to
the pensioners.
sent to the commanders OF the various mill
tary departments Of the United States with Q
request that after examination they would sub
init suggestions looking to improvements in
existing laws, which action was approved by
the President. The majority OF those officers
-Brigadier-GeneralsC Crook. Ruger, Gibbon and
Merritt, and Colonels Anderson, Swain and
Brackett-in their responses expressed the
opinion that the present pension laws are
amply sufficient for every emergency, and
nearly all were OF the opinion that o rigid
physical examination should be conducted at
discharge, which should be certified to by
council convened for the purpose, and m ade .
part OF the military history of each soldier, the
Government being thereby protected from
fraudulent claims.
"A new feature Of the report is the discus sion
Of special pension acts and their relation to tho
administration OF the general pension laws.
Is shows the various stages through which q
special act passes from its receipt at the Ex-
ecutive Mansion to the issue OF certificates. In
addition, q table is furnished showing the total
numDer OF special pension acts which have be-
come laws as follows:
1861 TO 1855, II Lincoln).
1865 to 1864 43l tJohnson).
1869 to 1887, 400 lGranr.
1877 to 1881, 3QH Hayes.
1881 to 1855, 7s6 Garfield and Arthur.
1855 TO 1888, 1859 (Ceveland).
Total, 3,37O.
Of the 1859 special acts passed during the
Cleveland Administration 19l were vetoed for
reasons fully set forth in the Presidents mes
sages made public from time to time. In the
fiscal years from July ], 1882, to June 30. 1885,
there were issued 19l,2sl certificates OF all
classes, and during the three following fiscal
years from July l. 1856, to June 30, lSsS 3sO 5s7,
making an increase for the last three years OF
196, ,3l6 certificates.
Millions Disposed or
SAN Francisco, Aug. 30. - Charles
Crocker's will appoints tho widow as exec
utrix and disposes Of an estate worth
something over s25, $780, 600, as follows
Real estate, $2,sOO. 600; stocks and bonds,
81, 600, 600; accounts, 81, 500, 600; promissory
notes, s., 100000; cash, $5OO,OOO, half of
which goes to the widow, including the
residences in San Francisco and Sacra-
mcnto, and the other half is divided among
the three sons and one daughter, with pro-
vision for other relatives and for family
servants.
Eight business Houses Burned.
LANCASTER, Wis. Aug. W.-Fire in this
city destroyed eight business houses. The
loss is $40, 900. partly insured.