The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-01
The lmm ense Sums of Money Re-
CURED Annually for Paymen.
OF Pensions.
Raum Admits That Estimates of
$1e5,ooo,ooo Will Be Too
Small
The Number of Pensioners on tho Rolls Is
Over Eight Hundred Thousand
More Applicants.

port OF Commissioner of Pensions Green Il.
hnum shows that there were on the pension
rolls June 10 last, S76. 0G9 pensioners an in
creahe during the year of 199.908. There
were added to tho rolls during the year
222, ,937 new pensioners and 2,477 previously
dropped wers restored to the pension lists.
During the year 2530G pensioners were
dropped from the rolls. The total amount
expended for pensions during the year was
Sl39.o3b, 622. For the present fiscal year
$l44, ,95G. 600 is appropriated and, taking the
cost of pension allowances during the first
four months Of this fiscal year as basis of
calculation, the commissioner estimates u
deficiency in the appropriation of $40 508,-
GIL, and it will be necessary to supply the
needed funds. An estimate of S165, 1000, 900
is submitted for the next fiscal year. The
commissioner says, however, if as many
pension allowances are made this year as
last this will not be enough.
Under the dependent and disability acts
920,958 claims have been filed, of which
403,S have been allowed. Pension pay
ments under this law. to Sept. 30, amounted
to SIG. 494.443. The commissioner heartily
commends the disability act.
passage of the law there has been great
deal of unfavorable comment upon the
pension system in general, and that it has
been said the country is in danger of being
bankrupted by extravagant and undeserv-
ing pension legislation. But" he COM
ments ''casnal consideration of the great
change in the mode of the lives of these
men. and the conditions to which military
life in timesof war subjected them, must
suggest that the strain upon these life
powers of these soldiers was 30 great as to
make permanent intoads upon the vital
forces, which would necessarily result in the
development of n multitude of ailments
and disabilities beyond the reach of medi-
cine. 1t is this class of citizens who now
constitute the great body who are on the
pension rolls Good health and ability to
perform labor were their capital; when
these were gone they were in great meas
ure deprived Of means of support. A large
proportion of the men who carried mus
kets have been unable to keep up with their
neighbors who remained at home in the
great struggle of life, and the claims of
these persons for assistance from the gov
ernment rest upon the broadest foundation
of justiOe."
The commissioner says the policy of the
Office for three years has been to use the
larger part of the force upon original
claims. believing it just and proper that
those who never received pension should
have their cases considered in advance of
those seeking increase of pension.
During the past fiscal year 224,047 certifi-
Gates we're issued in original cases and 49,
791 in increase claims The commissioner
is of the opinion that if this policy is pur-
sued until the close of the fiscal year 1894,
the adjudication of original claims will be
substantially completed, and at the close of
1894 the highest number of pensioners ever
to be placed on the rolls will have been
placed there. There are 449,S76 original
claims pending.
The revolutionary and 1872 war rolls are
rapidly dwindling, only twenty widows and
two daughters of revolutionary veterans be-
ing on the former roll. Survivors of the
war of 1912 on the rolls number only 1885,
against 2S4 the year before.
Raum closes with a comparative state
ment of the work done under the Cleveland
and Harrison administrations. He says
The total number of original certificates
| issued from March d. 1889, to Oct. 81, 1892,
was $50, 565 and total number of pension
certificates of all classes issued during said
period was S35,04S, while during the period
from March 4, 1885, to Oct. 81, 1883, the
number of original certificates issued was
| 1856 769, and total number of certificates is
sued during that period 400, 3S5 The cost
to the government of each certificate issued
during the Cleveland administration was
S2l.35 and during President Harrison's ad-
ministration $1041.