Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-09-05
A GRATEFUL REPueLIc.1

A GRATEFUL. REPUBLIC.
What Uncle Sam Is Doing for Those who
Came to HIS Aid In the Time Of Need
Report Of Pension Commissions RIacs.
u WASHINGTON, Aug. 80-The annual re-
port OF Pension Commissioner Black show.
that during the fiscal year ending June 80.
+ lSSS, there were added to the pension rolls
u, S25 new names (the largest annual in.
crease In the history Of the bureau), max
ing q total Of 452, 557 pensioners on the
rolls at the close of the year, classified az
follows: I1~.s~>,-..
mvalids 326,Ss5; widows, minor children and
dependent relatives, q, 82S; revolutionary Wild
owA 81; survivors of the war OF 1872 sos; w,d.
ows OF those who served tn that war, 1O, 7s7:
survivors OF the war with Mexico, 16 1850; wid.
ous Of those who served in that war, a104.
The names Of 2,02S previously dropped
were restored to the rolls, making an az.
gregate Of e., $50 pensioners added during
the year. During the same period, 1870
were dropped from the rolls on account Of
death and various other causes. leaving q
net increase to the rolls of 46, $50 names.
One million, one hundred and sixty-six
thousand, nine hundred and TWEEN
ty-six pension claims have been
fled since 1851, and 1920 claims
OF all classes have been allowed since
that date. The amount paid for pensions
since 1861 has been $9G3, 086, ~. Increase
OF pension was granted in $40 cases.
Inc average annual value OF a pension at
the close OF the year was 1925 80, de-
crease OF $3.50 The decrease in average
annual value is due to tho
hot
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 az.
gregate annual value of pensions is S56.-
10,22O, an increase of $3.50, $40.
The amount of pensions paid
during the year was $7s,75,s61, an
increase over the previous year Of S. 30S,-
$50. The total amount disbursed by pen
sion agents for all purposes was $40. &c.
LAG The cost attending such disburse-
ments were in the aggregate $2,26S, 525, it
being fraction less than per cent Of the
total expenditures of the bureau. The to
tai amount expended for all purposes was
$s2,osS, 1856 &c. being 2111z 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 1888 were s267, 9A, sol, 50
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 1850
applications for original pensions; II, 76o
widows, ass minors, z, 446 dependent
mothers, and 1883 dependent fathers, max
ing total of e., 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 of pen
sioners is 81 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, g 581 claims were fled
under the Mexican pension act l9,7sS Being
survivors, and 6793 widows All completed
cases of this class. 1889 Survivors and 5.195
widow cases, have been allowed. The 1elect:ous
were 9, 81 survivors and gu widows claims
mainly because the applicants had not arrived
at the required age of 6. years; 43 OF these ap-
ready filed under other laws. OF these Nexi-
can claims, but 1882 were unsettled on the
3oth OF June, the evidence fled being insult
dcent.
The law division has submitted 10 cases to
the Department OF Justice for prosecution
GO for offenses by attorneys and ITO for o1enses
by other persons. OF this number six have
been acquitted and four ignored by grand
jures, leaving 100 ava ting TT. al. The spirit OF
hNr01n uith wh o
fully violate the Pension law, and no prose-
cution OF those who s,nned 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 Gates has been decreased from
151 to 1oa The highest rate paid under the
general law was S72 per month: the lowest was
e per month. Allowances by special acts OF
Congress range from $40 to S416.66 per month.
Over s. per cent OF all pensioners are aid by
the pension agents within ten days after the
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
'Copies of the annual report for 1857 were
sent to the commanders of the various mill
tary departments of the United States with
request that after examination they would sub
mt suggestions looking to improvements in
existing laws which action was approved by
the President The majority OF those officers
--Brigadier-G Generals Crook, Ruger, Gibbon and
Merritt, and Colonies 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 rigid
physical examination should be conducted at
discharge, which should be certified to by q
council convened for the purpose, and m ade
part Of the military history of each soldier, the
Government beng thereby protected from
fraudulent claims
"A new feature of the report is the discussion
Of special pension acts and their relation to the
administration Of the general pension laws.
Is shows the various stages through which .
spec al act passes from its receipt at the Ex-
ecuttve Mansion to the issue of certificates In
addition, a table is furnished showing the total
NUMBER Of special pension acts which have be-
come laws as follows:
1861 to 1875 41 uincolu)
1865 to 1858 431 (Johnson).
1869 to 1887, $50 (Grant).
1877 to 1881, 303 Hayes).
1881 to 1885, 7S6 Garfield and Arthur).
1885 to 1885, 1889 (Cleveland).
Total g. 37O