Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-07-06
Consider the Pensions, How They Grow.

To obtain some idea of the enormity
of the tax upon the people of this coun-
try under our pension extravaganza, 1t
is only necessary to glance over the
following synopsis of a statement Just
published from documents laid before
the House of Representatives in sup
port of the Urgency Deficiency bill;
Three weeks remain of fiscal year
which, as has been repeatedly predict
ed, will break all records in the adding
of new names to the roll. The debate
in the House gives very clear forecast
of what we are to expect.
Two years ago, on June 30th, lS9O,
there were on the rolls 537, 944 pension
ers. One year later this number had
been increased by nearly lac, 900, max
ING SIG, 100. Since then the speed in
turning out new pensions has been aug
mented. On the 31st of January, 1892,
the total number of pensioners had
reached 1888, 1872. At the end of Feb
ruary it was S07,039; at the end of
March, S27,367; at the end of April,
S401S5. Thus the average monthly In
crease since the beginning of 1892 has
been $4,000. Adding IS, 900 for May and
June, we shall have the enormous fig
ure of 97S, 900 to represent the number
of pensioners at the close of this month.
Again, the addition by the House OF
81, 642, 332 to the sums already appro-
priated for the present year makes the
total amount $40, S47, 417i and this is
exclusively of the large expenses OF the
pension machinery, including agencies,
examining surgeons, and so on.
Furthermore, Mr.. Dingley admitted
that during the year beginning July LIST
the actual pension expenditures wlll'be
in the neighborhood of $780, 900,
with like sum for the year following,
or $500, 900, 600 for the two years. To
the $3.50, 900, 900 should be added $15,-
OOO, 900 for soldiers homes and back pay
and bounties, thus making $165, 900
year in expenses of this general char
acter
Mr.. Dingley expresses the belief that
after the next two years the pension
expenditures will decrease. But he
has no solid ground for this belief. The
expenditures were, as his own figures
show, only $75, 200, 600 in 1887, and they
are double that amount now. The
same causes may operate to make them
$4,000 600 1t is admitted that Gen.
Raum's mill is grinding away as indus
triously as ever, and that it has mater
ial enough ahead in applications for
pensions to carry the roll above 1,O00,
900 names. And while five years ago,
the expenditures were $75,000,O00, fiji
teen years ago they wereless than $780,
600, 1000 1t was then as confidently pre-
dicted as it is now, that the cost would
increase. So, in fact, it did. The an
nual expenses dropped steadily for sew
eral years, and also the number of
names. But then Congress passed laws
which turned the tide to where we see
it now.
There is no guarantee whatever that
the same kind of legislation will not go
on. There is no need of a general SER
vice pension to carry the cost to $780,,
100000, although such a pension is like
ly enough to come. There is no need
of another Arrears act to add an enor-
nous amount to the cost. 1t can all be
done simply by increasing the amount
payable on each pension, as Congress
is constantly doing.
There are also constant additions to
the pension roll by Congress, SO COM
mon as to attract no public attention.
How many people, for example, know
that at this session the House has pass
ed bill under which the survivors of
the Seminole war have been made
pensionable? There is an addition of
$3.50, 900 year at the lowest estimate.
The fact is that the reduction of pen
sions is still at the foot of the rainbow.