Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1892-01-10
rng SArloN.s BunpEN.

raam.a"-N -
Tho, most importan,'>brre,u a.
ta,hel TO the department OF the in
terror is the pcosiun bureau which
expSnds nearly half The {:
the government. and for three years
has boon the cause Of yexation To the
ADMINISTRATION aud discrcdit to the
p.,ple. It's imporian.e jnstihei the
expectation thu, ia his annual report
tbp Secretary OF the Interior would
discuss its aifairs with great frank.
pess and thoroughuess. The report
disappoints that expocta:ion, Tor out
OF a volume OF ITO pages barely ten
nre devoted TO the pensioa depart
mont and thssr arS 80 colorless that
conclusions from them can ba Cx-
trac,ci only " the aid OF other ,e-
pots.
The one simple TACT, however. that
stands ou;a9ove al Others, ia the
s,s;oins1t that aii5,022,OcO sin DO re-
qnired 10 pay pnsions dnr.n= The
next tscal yeer, and that thereafter
M anuuai appropriation Of 5iG0,G0,-
OoO WI be required for several yeare.
until death shall reduce these drafts
on hrtrensur%- The Sccretary's re-
port is.thc fullest confirmation Of Che
fears EXPRESSED by the Democratic
newspapers nud, Democratic Congress.
mon that the pauper pen hA.
the R~cp"blcan B"lfHio Erprcss &...:
termed it, wOG..i Involve the c%oOntry
in nu on,Iay ct SlJG,GJo,C00 for pen.
sions annually. Tue Secretary of the
Interior ia oYiGstN! ai:a.d u the
consequences of his y confession.
for va notice that 10 the neat aGd
convenient summary he has caused &c
be- prep red Tor the press this most
Important fact ia the entire report
has been omitted. .! course it can
not be suppressed.
The anchccked growth OF pension
appropriations cannot much longer
DO tolerated unless the people axe
prepared 10 mcrtgnge the country
which was saved t. the pensioners.
Jast ai;eTtAr close Of the war IN 1885
the pension appropriations amounted
10 Sl5,CC9,C00. In 1876, ten years
later, they amounted to S.S.OD0.00O; ia
1885 they had risen TO 5G3yCo0,o0u; IA
1883 Il. had mounted again 10 $50.
100000, and three years irum that
time tho department cetimn:es re,
quira double tint oaormou amount
TIE amount we are asked 10 spend on
pensions is 20 he more next year, nc,
corlJn. 10 Secretary Mobiles report.
than tho entire Ost OF government los
nay two years buFore the war. The
appropriation asked for IS nearly half
the expense OF maintaining III the
iil,l during the trying :oIr OF 1852
nil the union nTmics. Aud according
to the report, furthermore. tia facts
contradict tho hopes expressed 10y the
Secretary. There are already over
GJl,OO pensioners, and 50O,OOO others
ARE wnit;us to have their claims
passed upon, While 100000 Of those
wiroidro rdy drd" pensions are scck,
ia.f increases.
The ratent truth is that, as now nd.
ministrrcd, tao pension sys;om is the
o~ppoItunity for claim agents to de
base patriotism by calling upon every
nIua who served in tho war, il only
FIR n few days, TO make a demand on
tho treasury Tor n gratuiLy. The
Ssc.e;ary's cstimate ought no; to sur
prise tho American people. President
Cleveiund's course toward pensioners.
o.ie or tho most courageous and pu-
triolic steps in his administration, wGs
madD the object OF Il successful par
iiEnn attack by public plundCrers at
Washington, and they hnve awaited
Themselves OF the chance their victory
gGvS item. The claim agents, under
HHrrison's administration, have in
C easrd from 5~3O,CUU,C00 to SlC0,OOO,-
0J0 the anoual approx ration for
peustons, md Corporal Tanner has
D. cn gp!endidly viHdieatGd. -lAloany
argus.