Griggs courier., 1888-09-07
A GRATEFUL REpusLIc.
What Uncle Sam Is Doing for Those Who
Came to HIS Aid in the Time of Need

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3O.-The annual re-
port OF Pension Commissioner Black shows
that during the fiscal year ending June 80,
1883, there were added to the pension rolls
6o,325 new names cthe 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 as
follows:
| Invalds. 32G,S widows. minor children and
| dependent relatives, 9s,9!S; revolutionary wild.
o"s, 81; Survivors Of the war of 1912. S6; wld.
| oWs OF those who served in that war, 1O7s7:
| Survivors Of the war with Mexico, II, 1850; wild.
ows OF those who served in that war, 5 lOi.
The names of 2,02S previously dropped
were restored to the rolls, making an ag-
gregate OF 2,2S0 pensioners added during
the year. During the same period, Is, 78O
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 twen-
ty-six pension claims have been
filed since 1861, and 1920 claims
OF all classes have been allowed since
that date. The amount paid for pensions
since 1861 has been 1868, ,0S6 ~ Increase
| OF pension was granted in 1916 cases.
The average annual value of a pension at
the close of the year was Sl25 30, de-
crease of $3.50. The decrease in average
annual value is due to the
fact that a 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
chat the death rate among the high
grade pensioners was greater than
among pensioners of lower rate The as.
gregatc annual value of pensions is $50,
7O7,22O, an increase of 50, $50 SO
The amount of pension, paid
during the year was s7s7 sol, an
increase over the previous year of So, sOo,-
$50. The total amount disbursed by pen
sion agents for all purposes was SO. .646, :
l46 The cost attending such disburse-
ments were in the aggregate s., ,26s ,525 it
being fraction less than i per cent. of the
total expenditures of the bureau. The to
tai amount expended for all purposes was
sS2, OBS, 3S6 SO, being 81 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 lSSS We're so67, 9234 Sol, SO
that the amount expended for and on ac-
| count of pensions was nearly 81 per cent.
OF the entire outlay of the Government.
There were filed during the year IL, $40
applications for original PENSIONS; 1l.7o9
widows, 2,1S5 minors, 2,446 dependent
mothers, and l,SS3 dependent fathers, max
ing a 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 of pen
sioners is 67 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 81 last, 2G53l claims we're filed
under the Mexican tension act l9,7SS beng
survivors. and 6793 widows. All completed
cases of this class, 1889 Survivors and > 1876
widow cases, have been allowed. The reflections
were 2,321 Survivors and Col widows claims,
manly because the applicants had not arrived
at the required age Of 81 years; AZ Of these ap.
plications We're consolidated with claims al
ready filed under other laws. OF these Mexl-
can claims but 1882 were unsettled on the
3oth of June, the evidence filed being lnsut-
fcent.
=" The law division has submitted 10 cases to
the Department OF Justice for prosecution
w AVA oAtSASSs W dtloIuSSS anu 1lU lOf UHGilSeS
ny other persons. OF this number sx have
been acquitted and four ignored by grand
Jures, leaving ltiO ava ting tr al The spirit OF
the bureau is no comprom.se Sc with those who
W fully violate the Pension law. and no prose
cution OF those who s!ined 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 tie pensioners interested
' BY the operations OF the medical division
the numUer of Gates has been decreased from
l5l to lob. The highest rate paid under the
general law was S72 per month; the lowest was
az per month. Allowances 10y special acts o.
Congress range from SO to s4I6.66 per month
over 81 per cent OF all pensioners are paid by
the pens on agents within ton days after the
quarterly payment is due, and payments can
not be made more rapidly without multi plying
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 1887 were
een3 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
--B"gadler-Generals Crook, Ruger Glbbou and
Merritt, and Colonies Anderson SWAIN and
Brackett-ln their responses expressed the
opinion that the present pension laws are
amply sufficient for every emergency, and
nearly all Were Of the opinion that a rigid
physical examination should be conducted at
discharge, which should be certified TO BY a
council convened for the purpose and ma de a
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 pensloA acts and their relation to the
administration of the general pension laws.
Is shows the various stages through which a
spec al act passes from its receipt at the Ey.
ecutive Mansion to the issue of certificates In
addition, u table is furnished showing the total
NUMBER of SPECIAL pension acts which have be-
come laws as tollows
1861 to is 3, II I.incolnl.
1865 to 1868 43l Johnson).
1869 to 1887, 3EN Grant
1877 to 1881, BOB Hayesl.
1881 to 1Ss5 736 Garfield and Arthur.
1883 10 1855 1863 (C.evelaud).
Total. 3,3,o.
or the 1869 special acts passed during the
Cleveland Administration l9l 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 20 1885
there We're issued 1921 certificates OF all
classes, and during the three following fiscal
years from July l. lss5, to June 20. lSSs $50.