Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-30

sPeoches 70 the rejection of the Senate
amendments providing fox the ccnstrrc.
ton OF heavy ordnance, while the mem
bers displaced have favored She amend
ments IN the conference report rejected
by the House.
Comptroller Trenholm has accented an
invitation TO address the Reform Club OF
New York on "The Present Prospects
Of the Tariff Question Friday evening.
The Commissioner 81 Pensions has
completed and sent to the Public Printer
his report Of the operations of the PEN
sion Bureau for the year ending June
30. 1883. II shows that there was du-
ring the fiscal year ending June 80. 1883,
added to the pension-rolls 60, 252 new
naunes--thc largest annual increase in
the history OF the bureau--making to-
tai OF 4J2, 557 pensioners on the rolls at
the close OF the year, classified as fol-
lows 326, $50 inyalids; 92,g2S widows,
minor children, and dependent rela-
tives 37 Revolutionary widows 806 sur
vivors Of the War OF 1872 /; 10, 1877 widows
OF those who served in that war 1900
survivors OF the war with Mexico, and
b, lOf widows OF those who served in that
war. The names of 2,028 previously
dropped we're restored to the rolls,
making an aggregate OF 62. $50 pension
crs added during the year. During
tho same period Is, were dropped
from the rolls on account OF death and
various other causes. leaving net in
crease TO the rolls of 46, $50 names. One
million one hundred and sixty-six thou
sand nine hundred and twenty-six pen
sion claims have been filed gince 1861,
and 737, 200 claims OF oil classes have
been allowed since that date. The
amount paid for pensions since 1861 has
been 1868, 086, 444. An increase OF pen
sions was granted in 1910 cases. The
average annual value of pensions at the
close Of the year was Sl25. Boa decrease
Of $3.50. The decrease in the average
annual value is due 10 the fact that
large number of Mexican War pensioners
at the rate OF eight dollars per month
(Which is below the average rate) was
added TO the rolls during the year, and
furthermore, that the death rate among
the high-grsde pensioners was greater
than among the pensioners OF the lower
rate. The aggregate annual value of pen
sionsis$ $50, 707. 221-an increase offs $780,
579 The amount of pensionspaid during
the year was s78, IT'S, s62-an increase
over the previous year of 1905, $50. The
total amount disbursed by the pension
agents for all purposes was $40, GAG, LAG.
The cost attending such disbursements
was, in the aggregate, SO, 262, 624-it be-
ing a fraction less than per cent of
the total expenditures of the bureau.
The total amount expended for all pur-
poses was S82, OBS, 1856, being 2l1 per
cent. OF the total estimated gross income
of the United States Government for
that period. The total expenditures OF
the Government for the fiscal year 1888
were S267, 924, 80l so that the amount
expended for aud on account of pen
sions was nearly 81 per cent. OF the en-
tire outlay OF the Government. The
average duration of the lives Of pension
ersissixty-seyeny years the average length
oftime servedin the army by those who are
receiving pensions on account OF the
late war is more than two years. There
we're received 2, sos, 900 letters during the
year-an enormous increase over the
previous years an average OF 324, S33
letters per month, or 1898 per working
day. Ninety-four thousand four hun
dred and ninety-eight letters were re-
ceived from members of Congress alone.
The total number of letters sent out was
1886, 1872. Many inquiries were an
swered by the issuance OF pension GER
titicates or by printed circulars. and FREE
quently single letter was found to be
sufficient to answer several inquiries In
the same claim. There were filed during
the year AZ, $40 applications for original
pensions--1l, 7S9 widows, 2,446 de-
pendent mothers, and 1883 dependent
fathers, making total of 60, 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 work OF the boards OF review and
and the re-review is practically up TO
date. The law division has submitted
40 cases 10 the Department OF Justice
for prosecution, GO for offences by at
torneys, and 40 for offences by other
persons. OF this number 6 have been
acquitted aud ignored by the grand
lures, leaving 100 awaiting trial. The
spirit OF the bureau is "no compromise
with those who wilfully violate the pen
sion law, and no prosecution OF those
who have sinned through ignorance, and
who are willing to make restitution
when the same is demanded of them"
NJ
thirty dollars of illegal fees have been
recovered and refunded to the pension
ers interested.
A new feature Of the report is the dis
cussion OF special pension acts and their
relation to the administration OF general
laws. 1t shows the various stages through
which the special act passes from Its re-
ceipt at the Executive Mansion to the
issue of the certificate. In addition a
table is furnished showing the total num-
Der of special pension acts which have
become laws since 1861, as follows:
From 1861 to 1865, II Oincoln) ; from
1865 to 1869, 43l johnson from 1869
TO 1877, 400 Grant from 1877 to 1881,
303 (Hayes); from 1881 to 1885, 736 Gar
field and Arthur)-total, 2,00l. From
1886 to 1883, 1869 (Cleveland)-grand
total, 1870.
1t appears that while during Cleve-
lands Administration 1869 special acts
became laws 191 were vetoed. OF
this number II were vetoed in the in
terests of the claimants, because they
would be entitled to greater amounts un-
der the general law. These IL cases
were afterwards allowed by the Pension
Bureau and saved the benefciaries ST.
249 more than they would have received