The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-23
PENSION BUREAUS WORK.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER TANNER.
During the Past Year 37,16s Names Have
Been Added to the Rolls And the
Amount Paid For Pensions Was $751;
275,113.2S-Recommen

WASHINGTON, Oct. lS.-lne annual re-
port for the fiscal year 1889 of the COM
missioner of pensions has been submitted
to the secretary of the interior and is now
in the hands of the public printer. The
following summary of the report will show
the more important details of the work of
the bureau of pensions during the said
fiscal year:
There were at the close of the year 49,,
729 pensioners. There were added TO the
rolls during the year the names Of 81, 92l
new pensioners and the names of 1, 754,
whose pensions have been previously drop
ped, were restored to the rolls, making an
aggregate of SO, $50 pensioners added dur
ing the year. Sixteen thousand five hun
dred and seven pensioners were dropped
from the rolls for various causes, leaving
net increase to the rolls of 37,16S names.
The average annual value of each pension
at the close of the year is shown to have
been S131.1S. The aggregate annual value
of pensions is S64, 246, 552. SO.
The amount paid for pensions during
the year was $SS,275, 1928. The total
amount disbursed by the agents for all
purposes was $50, 13l. 96S.44. Amountpai
as fees to attorneys, 81, 36S, 5S3.47. There
was DISBURSEMENT OF CltsOlO.fI lOI TIC
payment of arrears of pensions in cases
where the original pension was granted
prior to Jan. %, 1879, and the date OF COM
mencement of pension was subsequent TO
discharge or death. In the aggregate,
l.24S.146 pension claims have been filed
since 1851, and in the same period
7S9, l2l have been allowed.
The amount disbursed on account of
pensions since 1881 has been 81, 052, 21S,-
- 6rrRfr
the year shows a grand total Of l45, 298.
OF this number 81. 921 were original GER
tificates-
The report shows that at the close of the
year there were pending and unallowed
$4,000 claims of all classes.
Commissioner Tanner recommends the
establishment Of two additional pension
agencies, to relieve the overworked officers
at Columbus, o.; Chicago, ILL.,; Indianap-
oils, and Topeka, Kan. He recommends
that congress be asked to amend the
act of June 6, 1874, so as to extend
the benefit of all pension laws, as
to rates, to all pensioners whose pensions
have been granted by special acts subse-
ouent to said date, and that the benefit of
pensio1 be granted to the widows of sol
diers who died from causes originating in
theservice prior to March 4, 1861, during the
time of peace. He further recommends,
as did his predecessor, that the act OF
March 8, 1887 be amended so as to grant
pensions to those who. having participated
in the rebellion against the United States,
subsequently enlisted in the navy and
were disabled therein. The act referred to
confines It's operations to those only who,
under the same conditions, enlisted In the
army of the United States.
The commissioner calls attention TO
many Irregularities in the rates of pen
sions; SIS per month, it appears, is the
highest rate of pension, which may be
proportionately divided for differ
ent degrees of disability ii
not equivalent to the loss of
a hand or foot. If, however, pensioner
has lost hand, for which existing law
now provides the rate of $50 per month,
and has also received in the service and
line of duty an injury of the back, for ex-
ample, which would alone entitle him to
pension of S24 per month, he can receive
no rate in excess of $50 a month for the
combined disability resulting from the loss
of his hand and his said injury, unless by
reason of them, he is totally helpless or
so nearly so as to require the con-
slant aid and attendance of another
person, for which degree of disa-
bility the rate OF $50 per month
can now be granted. 1t will be seen, he
SAYS, that the pensioner in such case ac-
tually receives nothing for his said injury,
as the loss of his hand alone entitled him
to the rate $500 which is the highest al
lowable rate under the law for
both disabilities. Numerous other in
stances, he says, could be cited to
show the unfairness in rates now provided
by law, and he thinks this statute should
be amended so as to permit the rate of
So per month to be proportionately di-
vided for all disabilities which are shown
10 have been incident to the service and
line of duty.
The injustice and unfairness caused BY
the act of congress approved June Is,
1880, the repor. says should be cor
OF pensioners to receive S72 per
month to those who were receiving
$50 per month at the date OF said act No
provision is made therein for granting
said rate to those who were totally help
less on said date, but were not receiving
$50 at said time. and none for those who
have become totally helpless since that
date.
The commissioner asks attention to the
fact that the act of Aug z, 1882, which
terminates the pension of a widow on &C
count of her immortality, makes no pro-
vision for continuing the pension to the
minor children of the soldier when the
widows pension is terminated. He asks
that congress be requested to correct this
palpable injustice.
He further recommends that the act OF
Aug 4, 1886, so far as it provides the rate
of $50 for the loss of hand or foot, and for
total disability of either, be amended so as
TO include the cases of those who are
pensioned, not for disabilities to the ex-
tremeties but for diseases in other parts
of the body, and for causes which
this bureau has already conceived
to be equal to the loss of a hand
or a foot for purposes of manual labor.
The commissioner is also of the opinion
that the act of congress, approved Feb.
u, 1889, providing a rate of 500 for the
loss of both hands, unjustly discriminates
against those pensioners who have lost
both feet or the sight Of both eyes.
The commissioner further recommends
that the pension due to a dependent
father should be made to commence from
the date of the soldiers death. either if the
mother survive the soldier but died with
out receiving pension, in the same
manner as the law now provides that
minor children shall be pensioned from
the date of the soldiers death, provided
the widow dies without receiving pension