The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-30
PENSIONERS OF WAR.
Their Number in Washington
Rapidly Increasing.
KING COUNTY TAKES THE LEAD.
In -Four Years the Number Increased
From Forty Seven to Two Humid
red and Fifty-Six.

Three millions of the 100000 of men
who have served in the armies of the
United States have laid down their guns
forever, ceased their guards and marches
and gone into camp on the other shore.
One million gray and grizzled. worn. fee
BILE, totterihg old men remain, their holds
upon life shortening visibly as the years
roll by. A mere handful of these old men,
each now nearly hundred years OF age,
are relics of the war of 1872; few thou
sands, who have completed the allotted
three score and ten, are survivors of the
Mexican war, and the remainder are veter-
ans of the civil war of twenty-iy or thirty
years since. Their numbers, though still
comparatively great, are lessening with
painful rapidity, assuring US that the pass
age of q few more years will witness their
reinforcement of the larger hosts that have
gone on before.
1t has been the growing belief OF the
national government to recognize the value
of the services OF its brave soldiers, and to
keep them from need when overtaken by
infirmity and old age as far as possible. Its
pension system has always been the most
general and generous of all governments,
and from year to year 1t has been opened
wider and wider, so as to take in more and
more. Not only that, but its aunuities
have been steadily increased until they
have gone far beyond the most urgent de-
mands of decade ago, now exceeding in
every respect the most liberal allowance OF
any and all other governments. There
seems to be no limit to the flow OF money
when the wants Of the old soldier are made
known. Ninety million dollars were spent
in that way last year, and 500, 900 900 will
be spent this year. Nearly $l,200,0 DOC, 600
have been spent in this way during the past
thirty years on 100000 pensioners, and
81 zoo, 900 900 more will be spent during the
next twenty years on those who remain.
THESE vast sums of money are expended
throughout the entire country, every state
and territory having within their borders
many of these worthy recipients of the
national bounty. Of course the larger
numbers are in the populous states of New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indiana and
Illinois, and the largest proportion OF PEN
sioners to population is still in the old,
densely-settled Northern States. The old
soldiers, however, are OF migratory nature,
and they are spreading themselves quite
uniformly over the entire country. Forci-
BILE illustration of the truth of this asser-
ton is found in this state, where the PEN
sioners of 1889 exceeded by nearly 80 per
cent. those of 1888, exceeded by nearly 100
per cent. those of 1887, and exceeded by
nearly 200 per cent. those of 1856. Still,
Washington seems to have had strong at
traction to them, for there are now more
pensioners here than in any three of the
territories combined and more than in any
one of the states of Oregon. Nevada, Della
ware, Montana. North Carolina, Alabama
or Georgia.
The premiums in this state have num-
bered and increased during the past four
years as stated in the following table: