Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-19
some staggering Flgures.

Congressman Henderson OF Iowa, 8
Republican, in speaking on the confer
ence report on the Urgent Deficiency
Appropriation bill yesterday made the
following statement of tire appropriR.
tione for the benefit Of the soldier made
by the present house Regular pension
bill, SOS, 427, 46l; urgent dedciency, S21,-
6lS,009; soldiers homes (dshciency)
$8l 500; artificial limbs tiefieisncy)
10000; pay and bounty claims, $1123,-
82s; soldiers homes, 81, G0l, 100; aid for
state homes, $500, 900; artificial limbs,
&402, 900; pay and bounty claims,
@6S0, 900; expenses pension Office, So.
l38, 100; war department, records and
pension division, 1887, 270; act for total
helpiessness, GAS, 0Oo; general pension
ACT (passed Wednesday, S35, 900, 00a;
urgent deficiency, S3, 70S,s38: total,
$1N, 419 73l. In this statement Mr. Hen
derson puts the requirements of the disa-
bllssy pension bill at the minimum estima'e
Of as5, 600, 600 Nobody knows within a few
millions how much this bill will take ont
of the treasury, but conservative men,
bers Of Congress put the figures IS high
as $50 900, QUO; so that it is certain our
pension expenditures will foot mp at .he
very least SITS 200, 900 and quite posi-.
bly, $200,000,OO0 per year. This alone
imposes a tax of SO per capita upon every
man, woman and child in the United
States. Counting i've persons to
family, the annual tax on esch family
for pensions alone will average $15 per
year. Under the bill just agreed 70
every man who served three mouths IN
the army or navy during the war
Of the rebellion and who now is
o. may hereafter become physicaliy
or mentally disabled, without vicious
fault on his own part, in such degree as
10 be unable to earn his living, shall be
entitled to pension of from SO to Sla
per month. This applies siike to all VINO
served three months, whether they saw
the battle field or not, whether they want
TO the front through motives OF patriot
Ism or the inducement of big bo1nties,
whether as volunteers or 81 500 substi-
tutes, whether fighters or skulkers. In
the second place, any one now drawing
pension less than this bill provides,
may surrender that and take the
new pension In the third place, the
dependent widow of any 9)-dsys soldier
is to receive pension Of $s per month
md an allowance of So per month for
children under l6 years. The pensions
to the children are to be continued. in
case OF the death or remarriage Of the
widow, until they reach the age OF l6, or
in the case Of helpless insane or idiotc
children, until death or relief from dis
ability. There is provision restricting
the fee to pension agents for prosecuting
claims under this bill to $40, which will
cause those familiar with the practice of
many OF these agents to smile derisiyely.
The minimum estimate OF the cost OF
this bill is, as We have said 1886 000, 900.
What the maximum cost will be. no one
can conjecture. The pension Office tried
to figure out the probable cost, but had
to drop the problem. But it is not easy
" h5d INV " Will Do LnuCn 1883 IlAl
S60,000,00O the Grst year, with q ten.
dency to keep on growing for some years
to come. One Washington correspondent,
says there are about 400 900 pensioners
now on the rolls, about 100000 applics.
tons pending or rejected AMI a6oui
100000 old soldiers who are not L,
communication with the office. Most ot
these 500, 900 have probably suffered SON,
disability from the wear and tear Of
lime, which will suffice to place them
gradually in line as pensioners. Tber
there are probably 100 900 among exist
ing pensioners who are getting lesg thai
&C month. Many others who IN
drawing between 81 aud sl2 mont
stand a chance Of peing advanced ID Ill,
$12 class. There are about ID ,OU
widows and an unknown number o
minor children likewise eliIpis, aoy
much further vii, this business 70 i.
spairingly asks the Philadelphia E9sHia
Telegraph.