The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-10
The Country Now Pays $i00,000,000
Every Year and the Amount
Increases.
There are Now More than Half a
Million Pensioners on the
Rolls.
The High Water Mark In Expenditures ls
Not Yet Reached Facts and
Figures.

f'"lii iioti'h hlli Whltn ~ 10 ut lldhscu bN tnO
house within few days calls for $gs, ,i97, ,i6I.
This sum is an increase OF $l6G6S, 76l over
last years appropriation, yet not dollar of
II can ultimately bo eyaded. On the con-
trary, il will fail 30 meet the expenditures
of tho coming year, which will SO above
Sl00,00,o00
The proof of this assertion is TO be found.
first in the urgent deficiency bill, report
ed few days ago, where pension item of
S.l,G'S,Sl appears. Add that 10 the APP
preparation of the last session
and the amount resulting is Sl0S a57, ,a3i.
Secretary Window, il is true, SAYS that
about *sOOO,0O of this deficiency belongs
further back, and that "the amount actually
required for pensions for the fiscal wear
winch ended June 30. 1859, was S95. .62i.-
'p, while "the amount appropriated and
estimated Z the year ending June 81, 1880,
II Sf, ,llS,700." But ON the other hand.
expenditures which are not IN the annual
estimates continue 10 20 on and to appear
only IN deficiency bills. The high-water
mark IN expenditures is not yet reached.
There are now more than half n million
pensioners on the rolls. The number there
ON July |. 1859, was isD, 725 and although
1851 names had been dropped during the
twelve months preceding, from death and
other causes, n net increase of 81 les had
been made. This increase still goes on,
although IL IL now a quarter of a
century after the end of the civil war.
aided by the vigorous exertions of Cor
poral Tanner and his successor, and by an
unprecedented combination of the clerks
of Secretary Proctor and Secretary Noble.
Besides. the average nnnual value OF each
pension at the end of the last fiscal wear
was Sl3l.lH, which was an increase of S.. ~
during the twelve months, due 20 the lepis-
lntion of congress for increases in value;
and the present congress has been busy al the
same business during this winter. There
were allowed no fewer than Ig,.OOO claims
for increase during the last fiscal year
alone, besides 5l.92l claims for original
pensions AZ recent count there were
still t60,5li pending claims in the pension
Office, including original applications aud
those Tor increase. Tho tide is not high
yet.
Another point TO note il ihnt all these ap-
prOrriatinns. rouiino aud deficiency are
bnsod ON past legislation of congress.
/ Whatever the Fifty-first congress NAV do
IN granting individual pensions. increasing
single pensions and classes Of pensions,
and passing new general laws, is not pro-
vidcd for IN the appropriation. Yet meas
uros passed at this session will take effect
during the coming fiscal year. and tho re-
suit Will appear IN another deficiency bill
next year.
| The fifiy-iirst congress will be chilled ON.
also, 10 pass nt lenst one sweeping pension
measure. whose ultimate expenditure must
be reckoned in hundreds of millions. Mr.
tleytlnnd's 's administration SET nn example
IN this respect which Mr.. Harrison feels
bound TO surpass. Why is II that the tre-
Inendous increase Of more than S30,000.0oO
n year WIS added 10 our pension burdens
during the former administration, the ex-
pcnditures of SGt.9l2.siS for the year lss,
having been swelled 10 those of $A5,G2i, 40
for the year lSs9I II IL enough 10 answer
that one hill signed by President Cleveland
gave pensions 90 soldiers and sailors of the
Mexican war for service only, without
wounds or disability: another added 20 per
cent. 10 the long-established rate of pay-
ment ON more than a hundred thousand
pensions.
How is the Hnrrison administration 10
snrpass this record. adding not only S30,-
OD,OOO, but SOOO0,00O or 800, ,000.001 10
our present uXpengesf Perhaps Il will re-
peal tho arrears limit. which might cost
from SiOOtOO,UO Ia S5OOWO,0O0 III round
sum. Or II might pass n service pension
bill for all Union veterans which would
cost perhaps from Sl00OOOOo0 to S150D0,-
600 more year. But il ls likely TO content
itself at the present session with tho de
pendent pension bill. which may cost from
S35,0J000O TO $t0.0000O0 n year, and has
tho express sanction of Mr.. Harrison's sec
retnry Of the interior.
The people of the Unite States have al
ready expended Sl,0O0,0OO0O0 in pensions
since the beginning OF the civil war. They
will have TO eXpend Sl,W0.0O00O0 more be-
fore the end of the year 1890, and if this nd
ditiouul amount does not reach 5000, ,0O0,-
90 they will be fortunate.