The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-03
PENSIONS.
Representative O'NeiII. of MassaehH-
SETS makes Some Pertinent
Observations.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 90. - The enormous
pension bills that the country is now paying
and will have to continue to pay in the future,
If the present laws remain in force, are re-
cognized by men of both parties as being at
the bottom of the present financial difficulty,
and there is u growing feeling that before
long something must be done to stop the con
slant increase in the pension appropriations
or perhaps to reduce them below their present
figure. Representative D Neil, OF Massachu-
sets who is member of the sub committee
of the appropriations committee charged with
the preparation of the pension bill, has made
thorough study of the subjact, and he said
TODAY: ''Something will have to be done to
put stop to the continued growth Of the pen
sion expenditures. We have not been able
to do anything toward putting the bill IN
shane vet because have not had Mr.
Raum's final figures. He sent us a state
ment today, but it was accompanied by an
explanation that there were some errors IN
it. and of cours we are not doing anything
with it. Since July, however, the pension
office has been paying out money at the rate
of Sl4 ,000 900 per month, and at this rate the
annual expenditures would be Sl68,00O,O 900.
The period covered is always the lightest IN
the year, for the reason that 1t covers the
time when the clerks in the pension office are
taking their annual leaves and there are
fewer cases disposed of than at other seasons.
There is, then, no reason to believe the ex-
penditures will fall below the present rates.
but rather that they will increase.
COMMISSIONER RAINS FIGURES.
Mr. O'Neil referred to the figures submit
ted by Mr. Raum and showed that there are
now more than SOC, 900 applications for pen
sion on file awaiting the action of the bureau.
and he said it would be impossible with all
these cases awaiting action for the limit OF the
pension expenditure to he reached III the next
fiscal year, as had been said by General taum
would he the case. The increase would con
tinue until there was some radical and decided
legislation by Congress to stopit. He SAID lie
did not want to be understood rs being OPP.
posed to paving pensions to deserving soldiers,
and the Democratic party was III favor OF
liberal pensions to all such persons. but there
were on the rolls thousands OF names that did
not properly belong there. There were mil
lionaires drawing pensions, and there were
large numbers of government employees re
ceiving liberal wages from the government
and at the same time drawing large pensions.
He would have every such pension stop as
long as the salary continued, and this would
strike from the pension rolls every one other
wise supported by the government, from the
retired army officer to the messenger IN the
departments at Washington.
WIDOWS As PENSIONERS.
Another class OF pensioners deserving the
attention of the economists was the large
number of soldiers widows. 1t was all right
to pay pensions to the widows of soldiers
when they were women who married them
before their enlistments, and the children OF
all such marriages ought to be pensloned
when left orphans under the age of sixteen
years, but the line ought to be drawn on the
payment of pensions to young women who
had married the old soldiers simply on
account of the pensions or because they
knew that in the event of the death OF their
aged husbands they would receive the pen
sions As illustrating the indefinite period to
which the pensions will be extended under
this system, Mr. O'Neill called attention to
the fact that there is still on the pension rolls
the name of widow of soldier Of the revo-
luton.
BOTH PARTIES TO BLAME.
He said both parties had been to blame for
the present state of affairs for the reason that
in those States that are close both Democrats
and Republicans had Wed with each other in
their efforts to secure the largest possible
number of pensions for their constituents.
Now there were men in the Republican party
in Congress who privately and individually
were as much in favor of reform in the pen
sion laws rs any one, but few of them dared
to say SO publicly. He said he felt sure some
legislation looking to the revision OF the pen
sion roll would be introduced at the coming
session. but there was no hope OF its passage
at this time, and even if it should MIR. Harri-
son would doubtless veto it.