Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-09-25
We Beat the World in Bounties.


In letter recently written by Pension
commissioner Raum to an Ohio Congress
man, it is stated that the pension bureau
will. during the present fiscal year, issue
350,0OO pension certificates, emitting the
holders to the governments bounty. The
number is portentous, and calls attention
TO the magnitude of our pension operations.
On the first Of July, 1891, according to the
commissioner, there were before the bureau
523,7 ,737 claims of persons who had never
drawn pensions, and 395689 claims of per-
sons asking an increase Of pension under
various laws. The number of names now
on the pension roll is about 100000, and the
current appropriation is $133, ,1730S5 BY
the close of the present fiscal year, on June
30, 1899, Mr.. Raum will have on his list, if
he is not disappointed, about $50 900 names
and the expenditure will be at the rate of
over $3.50 100000 year. These figures take
the breath. There was never anything like
them in the history of the world. They
show the gratitude of the politicians and
pension attorneys to the two millions of men
who were engaged at various times during
four years in fighting 100000. They largely
exceed the aggregate of all the pensions
paid to ex-sodiers and sailors by all the
other governments in the world France,
Germany Italy, Austria, Russia and Eng
land, for example, are fighting nations that
maintain large standing armies, and have
had wars on their hands since 1866, as well
as before, but all put together their expendi
ture for pensions is hardly more than half
of ours.
The proportion of the ex soldiers found to
want pensions is remarkable, considering
the fact that so many are dead. 1t greatly
exceeds the proportion found to be in need
in the Southern States. But few ex-Con-
federates, it is believed, are in actual want,
whether from disabilities or other cause.
BY hard work they have managed, as rule,
to make ends meet When they have been
unable to do so, relatives or friends have
Clipped in and put them above want.
Where there were no relatives or friends to
perform this natural and kindly office, the
State has provided modest "home" for the
really disabled, or has given them small,
but adequate sum out Of the treasury Of the
Commonwealth OF course, the ex Con
iederate has had to "huste" tor a living.
His State and himself emerged from
the war impoverished, stripped of capital.
Billions OF value were lost. Even now after
thirty years, the South's assessed valuation
is but four billions, as against five billions
in 1860. Naturally there was need of help
in that section, il anywhere, but it was not
to be had. The impoverished ex Confed
crates, as already said, had to "huste,' and
it did them good. 1t improved their health,
stimulated their common sense, strengthen
ed thrift and moral fibre, and made the
whole Southern people sturdily self reliant.
Accordingly the pension list of ex Confed-
crates is in every State very brief, and self
respect will probably prevent It's ever con-
tanning the names of persons really able to
support themselves. 1t is, so far as it goes,
an honest list, not the composition of the
pension attorney.
The Federal pension list was of this char.
acter substantially till 1879 In 1867 the list
had 1853, 1888 names and cost $lS,6l9956. In
1878 it had 238, All names and cost 500, 1885,
2S9. About all ex soldiers really entitled
to pensions for disability incurred in the
service Were then on the list. Their mum
Der accordingly decreased steadily after 1873
till 1878, when there were but 1893 ,998, cost
ing annually but $26 ,844 .415. But on the
theory that pension expenditure might be
increased as interest ON the public debt
decreased, the politicians, in order TO win
votes, began in 1879 to crowd the list with
undeserving names, Till now some 10000
are on the roll at a cost of $l33 600 900 a
year The New York Herald estimates the
annual payments to frauds" of one kind or
another at $40 900, 900, or 25 per cent. OF the
whole Next years expenditure will be, as
has been stated, over $4,000 ,000--a monu-
ment to the folly, moral turpitude and ex-
travagance of the national legislature. Bal
thi0Fe Sun