Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-08
TIE PENSION ARMY
Almost "a Million Pensioners on The Gov.
crnment Rolls

eminent Rolls
The annual report of Green b.
Raum, commissioner of pensions.
made public recently shows that there
were on the pension rolls June 30.
1892, SIG,06S pensioners, an increase
during the year of l99.90s. There
were added to the rolls during the
year 2222, 973 new pensioners. and "a
pensioners previously dropped, were
restored to the pension list. During
the year 25.30G pensioners were
dropped from the rolls. The total
amount expended for pensions during
fiscal year was Sl39. 035, Gla. For the
present fiscal year sl44,9lG, 600 is
approx rated, and taking the cost OF
the pension allowances during the
first four months of this fiscal year as
Il basis of calculation. the commits
appropriation Of Sl0.5oS, 62l will be
necessary to supplement This years
appropriations.
An estimate of slG:i.000, 900 is sub
mittcd for the next fiscal year, but
Commissioner Raum says that if as
many allowances of pensions shall be
made during the fiscal year ended
June 80 last, this amount will not be
large enough. He says. however.
that it is difficult to forecast pension
payments so far in advance. and that
mas much as congress will be in
session, no embarrassment will arise
il his successor, in the light Of actual
cost of the work for the first six
months of the next fiscal year finds
that further appropriation will be
needed.
Under the dependent and disability
pension act 920,9511 claims have been
filed, Of which number 403,s59 have
been allowed. The pension payments
under the law up to Sept. 30, 1899.
amounted to SIC, 494, 443. The com
missioner heartily ecommcnds this
disability act.
Commissioner Raum's estimate
that SIG, 100000 will be necessary to
pay pensions during the next fiscal
year. and the estimate OF the house
committee on appropriations that it
will take between $50, 100000 and
500. 100000 TO meet the pension
ri, Ln ~
year. have had the effect Of renewing
talk about revising the pension roll
in such a manneras to cut down the
total expenditures as much as is
possible and not do any violence to
pensioners who are actually in need.
Representative ONcill. of Massa-
chusctts. who is member of the
subcommittee OF the appropriations
committee charged with the
preparation of the pension bill, says
he has been making study of the
subject with a view to sharp
revision Of the pension list and
collating opinion in congress, from
which to make Il proposition to 90
into a law, and it is his idea that the
pension list should be pruned down
SO as to stop the pensions of all
soldiers, widows and orphans who do
not actually need them in order to
live. This would take away the
pensions which such menas ex-Con-
missioner Of Pensions Black and
W. w. Dudley. Gen. Dan Sicklcs
and Mrs. John a. Logan and tens of
thousands of Others are receiving.
Second Stop the pensions OF
soldiers widows who married with d
view to finally drawing pensions,
having married since the war.
Third-Makc the pensions uniform
for really uniform claims.
Mr. O'Ncil believes both political
parties are responsible for failure tc
correct pension errors, but lie thinks
the time has come when the brave
and honest men in all parties will
vie with each other in taking hold
of pension revision vigorously.