Telegram-herald., 1889-10-20
UNCLE SANS BOYS.
It Taxes HATS OF Money 70 Pay
the Union Veterans
ASUArlRY OF TIE PENSION REPORT.
II Ma Made - Corporal Tanner Before
He Retired froas otaos he Makes
several suggestions - tL.e
New SonErcss.


wAsHaNaroS. Oet ~ -The annual report
fer the hsesl year ls.S of the Commits
sioner of Pensions nas been submitted 80
the Secretary Of the Interior and is noW in
TIE hands ~ TIE Publlc Printer The tol-
lowing summary ~ the report viii show
the more important details 0f the work of
tle bureau of Pensions during said hscai
year
There were at tne close ~ TIE year ss- ~.
peEsioners There we're et1od 40 TIE rCils cur-
iEg re wear The lzulss q 81 ~ Dcv pensioners.
aLa tAs names q 10. whose DvI.slans have
been rres iolslN ouopped were restored 20 Tie
rolls making al aggregate ~ a3.tfo peuslQuers
aoded during ne year. Thore we're 1851 pea
siouers dropped tiom he rchs foT various
causes leaving . net Increase ~ the Rolls q 81.
ioo Htnes
The average annual value of each pension ~
the close Il tie year is shown 10 have been
tISl j. The aggregate annual value u pen
sions il So e46 5o&-S5.
The amount pala for pensions ouriug the
year VS. sss e7t. ll62s. The total amount dis
oursed by The agents i0r Al purposes was ~.
isl .9oS ~
Amount paid g fees 20 attorneys. 2. .Sss SIS. a..
There was a disbursement q sl4.5lA7s FOR the
payment q arrears " pensions IN cases where
the orginal pension vas granted prioT to Janu-
airy - 1872 aDd the cate of commencement Of
pension was subsequent 10 discharge OF death.
In the aggre gate LAS. is6 pension claims have
been nled since 1871. and In tho same period
7s9 l2l have been allowed
The amount disbnrsed on account Of pensions
since 1861 has been q, ,O5e.2ls sl3l7.
The issue a. certificates during the year
shows grand total Of l45.2gs OF this number
81 s2l were original certificates.
The report shows that at the close OF the
year there were pending and unAllow ed
419, 900 claims OF al classes
Commissioner Tanner recommends that
Congress be asked 10 amend the act sf
June o. lS74, so as 10 extend the ben
eft of all pension laws as To rates
10 all pensioners whose pensions have
been granted by special acts passed
subsequent 10 said date, and that
the benefit OF pensions be granted 10
the widows OF soldiers who died from
causes originating IN the service prior 20
March 4, 1861, during the time OF peace.
He further recommends as did his prede-
cessOr, that the act OF March 3. 1871
be amended so as TO grant pensions
to those who, having psrtici-
pated in the rebellion against the
United States, subsequently enlisted in the
navy and were disabled therein. The act
referred to confines its operations 20 those
only who under the same conditions, en-
listed In the army OF the United States
The Commissioner asks attention TO the
fact that the act OF August Z, 1882. which
terminates the pension OF a widow be-
cause Of immortality, makes no provision
for continuing the pension TO the minor
children of the soldier when the widows
pension is terminated He asks that Con-
gress be requested to correct this palpable
injustice
The Commissioner is also Of the opinion
that the act of Congress approved Feb
ruary l2, 1889. providing a rate OF 500 for
the loss OF both hands uniustly 6iscrim-
mates against those pensioners who have
lost both feet or the sight OF both eyes
The Commissioner earnestly recomme DIS
that whenever an invalid pensioner dies
the usual pension be granted to his widow,
or, if he leaves no widow, then to his minor
children, without regard TO whe or not
his death was due TO any cause Incident to
the service and line OF duty
TIE Commissioner favors granting pen
sions 10 all soldiers who are disabled He
says:
As the war period recedes from rs and age
and it's attendant infirmities affiict the veteran
who served his country faithfully and well a
quarter Of a century ago il is a serious question
whether the Government does him jus
tice IN limiting tho application Of the
pension laws to those disabilities only
which wero contracted in the service and
line of duty. l earnestly recommend that q
pension be granted 10 every honorably dis
charged soldier and sailor who is now or who
may hereafter become disabled, without re
gard to whether such disability is chargeable
to the service OF the United states or has been
contracted since discharge therefrom-
The Commissioner also fayors a pension
for army nurses and makes an earnest ap-
peal in their behalf