Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-12-19

year by great diligence The total mum
Der of pensioners upon the roll on the SOth
day Of January. 1882 was 676, 100 There
were allowed. during the fiscal year end
ing at that time, 250,565 cases. OF this
number l02,SS7 were allowed under the
law of June "a, $780, The issuing OF
certificates has been proceeding ut the
rate of about $4,000 per month, about
75 per cent. of these being cash under the
new law. The commissioner expresses
the opinion that he will be able to care
fully adjudieate and allow 350,OOO claims
during the present fiscal year. The ap-
preparation for the payment OF pensions
for the fiscal year loy0-9l, was Sl21,6eo,.
793.S9, and the amount expended Sll9.55O,-
64020, leaving an unexpended surplus OF
~. l55, 144 "a
The commissioner is quite confident that
there will be no call this year for def
cheney appropriation, notwithstanding the
rapidity with which the work Is being
pushed. The mistake which was made by
many I'm their estimates of the cost OF pen
sions is In not taking account of the di-
minished value of first payments under
the recent legislation These payments
under the laws, have been for many years
very large, as the pensions, when allowed,
dated from the time of filing the claim.
and most of these claims had been pend
ing for years. The first payments under
the law of June, 1899, are relatively small,
and as the per cent of those eases in
creases and that of the old cases diminish,
the annual aggregate of first payments is
largely reduced The commissioner,
under date of November IL, furnishes me
with the statement, that during the last
four months, l1},l75 certificates were is
sued, 21,S93 under the act of June u, 1889.
The average first payment during the four
months was Sl3l.S5. while the average first
payment upon cases allowed during the
year ending June 80 1891, was $3.50 33,
being reduction in the average first pay
ments during these four months of SlO1 4S
Pension Estimates.
The estimates for pension expenditures
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1893, is
$l44 ,9jS, 900, which, after n careful exam
ination of the subject, the commissioners
is of the opinion will be sufficient While
these disbursements TO the disabled sol
diers of the great civil war are large, they
do II realize the exaggerated estimates
Of those who oppose this beneficent legis-
lation.
The secretary of the interior shows with
great fullness the care that has been take
TO exclude fraudulent claims and also the
gratifying fact that the persons to whom
these pensions are going are men who
rendered, not slight, but substantial war
service.
Report of the Commissioner of Railroads
The report of the commissioner of rail.
roads shows that the total debt of the sub.
sidised railroads in the United States was
on December 81, 1890, sll2 25l2. 0l306. A
large part of the debt Is now approa hing
maturity, with no adequate provision for
its payment Some policy for dealing
with this debt, with a view to it's ultimate
collection, should be at once adopted. 1t
Is very difficult, well nigh impossible, for
so large body as congress To conduct
necessary negotiations and Investigations.
| therefore recommend that provision be
made for the appointment of n commission
TO agree upon and report a plan for deal
ing with this debt.