Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-09-07
THE GREATEST PENSION RECORD.

THE GREATEST PENSION RECORD.
United States Pension Commissioner
Johns g. Black, has issued his annual
report. The facts and figures it disoloses
are unusually interesting st this time.
They are especially interesting, because
they are official and utterly refute
manv faIsehoods and willful misre presen-
tations circulated against the present
administration. 1t is a common and
everyday charge of the republican press
that the administration is hostile to pen
sion legislation, and hat President Cleve-
and has used the powers of his high of
flee against pensions. The official report
of the pension bureau shows this state
ment to be malicious fslsehood. There
were during the fiscal year ended June 80,
1888, add.d TO the pension rolls 60,252 new
names, the largest annual increase in the
history Of The bureau, making total of
452, ,557 ps4siopers on the rolls ar the
close of the year as follow: 326 $50 in
valids, g2,92S widows, minor children and
dependent relatives, u Revolutionary
vIdows, SOC survivors of the war OF 1912,
IO,787 widows Of those VINO served IN that
war, 1G eco survivors of the war with Mex
leo, and 5,1O4 widows OF those who served
in that war. The names of 2 2G6 previously
dropped were restored to the rolls, max
ing an aggregate of 81 ,280 added during
tho year. During the same period b.
73O were dropped from the rolls
on account Of death and vari-
Gus other causes leaving net
increase to the rolls of 4G $50 names;
1,IGG,92G pension claims have been filed
since 1861, and 1920 claims of all
classes nave been allowed since that date.
The amount pad for pensi0Gs -ince 1861 |
has been 1868 O3G 4l4. Increase of pen !
sIons Was granted in d5,7lG cases. The |
aggregate annual value Of pensions Is |
$5G,7O7 ,22l, an increase Of S3s92r579. |
The amount of pensions paid during the |
year was $78, ,775, sG2, an increase oyer the |
previous year OF IS, ,3O8, 2S0. The total
amount disbnrsed by pension agents for
ell purposes was $79,GiG, ,l46. The cost
attending such disbursements was in the
aggre, ate $3,2G2 ,52i, it being a fraction
less than 4 per cent Of the total cxpendl-
tnres of the bzreau. The total amount
expended for all purposes was S82,O38,-
1856, being 21l per cent. of the total es-
timated gross income OF the United States
government for the period. The lstai |
expenditures OF the government for the |
fiscal year 1888 were $2G7,92i, ,80l, 20 that |
tho amount expended for aud on Roc0uuU |
of pensions was nearly 81 per cent. of |
the entire ouliay Of the government. !
Thore were fled duri1g the year 478i0 |
applications for original pension5, ll,7s9
widows, 244G dependant mother7 and
1888 dependent fathers, making .o.aI
Of ,7O4. The highest numb.r of claims
on account Cf the .ate war was received !
from Ohio, Indiana followed next, then
Now York and Pennsylvania, and from
Montana, Utah aud South Carolina none
wore received, Up TO June 30 last, 60
Es1 claims were fled under the Mexican
pension act 1898 being survivors and
G793 widows All completed cases
of this cInfs- -1G so survivors
and J,l95 widow cescs, have
been allowed The rejectjons were
2,32I survivors and COL widow elaine,
mainly because tho applicant had not
arrived at the required age of sixty
years. or these Mexican claims but
800 were uuaettlcd ON The 3oth of June,
tho evidence Gied beiug insufficient. The
spirit of the law division of the bureau,
says the report, ID 'no compromise with
those who wilfulIy violate the pension
law, and no prosecution Of those who
sinred through ignorance and who are
willing to mike Fstitution when the
same is demanded of them" Over So
per cent of all pensioners are paid by
the pension agents within ten days after
tho quarterly payment is due, and pay
ments cannot bo made moro rap
idly without multiplying tho agencies
100, 600 cnses of increases OF pen
sious under recent Legislation have been
settled without expense or delay to the
pensioners. The commissioners states
thnt he sent copies of hia annual report
to the commanders of the various mill
tnry departments OF the United States
with request that, after examioa'ion,
they would submit suggestions locking 10
improvements in existing laws, which aU
tion was earnestly approved by the presi
dent. A majority of these officers OK
pressed the opinion that the present
pension laws are amply sufficient for
every emergency, and nearly all were of
the opinion that rigid physical exam
ination should be conducted at discharge, |
which should be certified to by council !
convened for tbs purpose and made a
part Of the military history OF each
soldier