The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1888-07-04
CIeYeIandl ana Pensions.

/ Chicago Herald.
First, as to the personal official
record of President Cleveland on
this subject. What has he done for
the Union soldiers2 Let us see
Private pension acts Gen. Grant,
from 1870 to 1877, inclusive, a pc
riod of eight years, approved 4s5
private pension acts. President
Hayes, from 1887 to 1881, inclusive,
a period of four years, approved BOB
private pension acts. Presidents
Garfield and Arthur, from 1882 to
1885, inclusive, a period of four
years, approved 736 private pen
sion acts, while President Cleveland,
from 1ss6to 1887, inclusive, period
of but two years, has approved s53
private pension acts. This is II
more than President Grant and
Hayes approved in II years, and
I ~ more than Presidents Garfield
and Arthur approved in four years.
What else has President
Cleveland done for Union soldiers
and their widows, orphans and de-
pendent relatives2
General pension acts: He ap-
proved the act March 19, 1886, which
increased to s12 the pension of 49,
987 widows, minors and dependent
relstives of Union soldiers.
He approved the act of August A,
1886, which increased the pension
of 10000 crippled and MANNED I'm
ion soldiers of the late war from s24
to $50, from s2s to s36. and from
$50 and $3.50 to s45 per month.
He approved the act of January
20, 1887, which has already placed
upon the pension rolls s,455 surviv-
ors and widows of the war with
Mexico, and this number will be in
creased to $4,000 within the pres
ent fiscal year.
So much for the personal official
record of President Cleveland on
the subject of pensions.
Now let us see what has been
done by the Bureau of Pensions un-
der the administration of General
John c. Black, Commissioner. Let
us compare the last two years of
Republican rule with the first two
years of Democratic rule, and see
what the records disclose on this
subject.
Pension certificates issued: From
July 1, 1888, to June 80, 1885, in.
elusive, period of two years under
Republican administration, 1857
certificates of all classes were issued
by the Bureau of Pensions, while
from July l, 1885, to june 80, 1887,
inclusive, period of two years, un-
der Democratic administration, $685.
697 certificates of all classes were is
sued.
Here is clear gain of 1s9,1so
certificates in the first two years
under Democratic over the last two
years under Republican rule.
Funds disbursed on account of
pensions: From July j, J, 1883, to
July l, 1856, inclusive, a period of
two years, under Republican rule,
there was disbursed on account of
pensions s122, ,967, ,243 46.
From July 1, 1885, to June 80,
1887, inclusive, a period of two
years, under Democratic rule, there
was disbursed on account of pen
sions S126,584,27O 45.
Here is a clear gain of s16,617,-
O26 80 disbursed on account OF pen
sions during the first two years of
Democratic rule over the last two
years of Republican rule.
Net gains to pension rolls: On
July L, 1883, there were upon the
pension rolls sO3,658 pensioners of
all classes. On July i, 1885, there
were upon the pension rolls 345, ,125
pensioners of all classes, or a net
gain under the last two years of Re-
publican rule (assisted by two and
one-half months of General Blacks
splendid worlO of Al ,467 pensioners.
On tho 1st day of July, 1887, at
the close of the first two years of
Democratic rule, there was upon
the pension rolls 1000 pensioners
unofficial, but a low estimate), of
all classes.
Here is net gain to the rolls in
two years under Democratic rule of
56,875 pensioners. as against net
gain of Al ,467 pensioners during the
last two years of Republican rule,
or 15,4Os to the advantage of the
Democratic administrations this
too, in the face of the fact that the
clerical force of the Bureau of PEN
sions has haan ,.ad,,ce1 i0d .y;+t,;,