Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-30

The amount of money paid upon pensions
issued under this law to September 80, 1892 Is
the sum OF s76.4 .4435s.
This law has brought relief to a host of
needy and deserving persons-many Who were
living upon charity. and thousands OF others
who were upon the verge of that condition
were relieved. Many claimants who were Sc
riously disabled from earning a living by
manual labor. and who had endured the hard
ships and dangers of military life, could not
establish the fact that their disabilities were of
service origin and they were therefore. unable
to obtain pensions under the OLD laws. This
disability bill gave pensions to thousands of
claimants of this description. From every
thing that have learned in connection with the
enforcement of this law ! am satisfied Of its
wisdom and Justice
NO DANGER OF BANKRCrTCy.
Gen. Raum combats the idea that the couu-
try is in danger of being bankrupted by pen
sion legislation. He states that ..since 1865
more than g. coo. 600. 600 have been paid to the
public creditor in interest and premiums
and more than $1,000. 100000 upon the
principal of the public debt. The in
terest on the public debt in August. 1865. was
over Sl5l .000. 900. At that time many intelii-
gent persons throughout the country doubted
the ability of the government ever to pay that
debt; but during the past twenty-seven years
1t has almost all been paid and now the credit
of the government is such that it can place a
loan at Per cent per annum.
1t is prepOsterous to say that the remainder
OF the public debt is now a burden upon the
people. The debt is now less than 50 per capita
and the interest less than IS cents per capita of
the population. The remaining great obliga-
ton of the war is to the old soldiers who saved
the republic. No one can question the ability
of the country to pay the pensions now author
lied by law.
THE ADJUDICATION OF CLAIMS.
1t has been the policy of the Office during
the past three years to put a larger part of the
official force upon original claims than upon
increase claims. and a result of this plan
224 047 certificates we're issued in original cases
and 80 ISL certificates issued in increase claims
under various laws during the past fiscal year
l am Of the opinion that il this policy is
pursued drricS the fiscal years 1898 and 1894
the adjudication Of original claims Will be sub
stantially completed and made current and
highest number Of pensioners ever to be on the
rolls will have been placed there.
When it is seen that at this time there are
449,S76 original claims pending. and that more
than 100000 of these are apparently complete,
il would seem that if the business of this Office
could be pushed during the present and next
fiscal years with as much energy "a was brought
to the work during the fiscal year just closed
this great mass of original cases can be disposed
of.
1t would be a great relief to the Office il the
testimony in all just claims in and the work
of adjudicating claims was current. 1t is OBJ
vious, however, that inasmuch as there are now
over $4,000 claims apparently complete and
about 500, 900 claims requiring additional evil
dence, claimants well as the Office will be
deeply engrossed with the business Of the bu-
reau for some time to come.
CERTIFICATES ISSUED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
The total number Of pension certificates
were added to the rolls during the gear 222 sS7
new pensioners, and 2,471 pensioners who had
been previously dropped from the rolls we're
restored, making an aggregate of 225,2 lA per-
sons added to the rolls during the year. The
total number Of pensioners dropped from the
rolls during the fiscal year for all causes was
%, BOG, the aggregate annual value OF whose
pensions was S3, 91S, 1856. Sc.
During the fiscal year first payments were
made upon $50. 232 original claims, amounting
TO So 1884, 1885, l6. There were first payments
made in s. $40 increase claims allowed under
the old laws, and additional claims allowed
under act of June "a, 1880, amounting to
So. 49,. 5l5.o5. There were first payments made
in $40 reissue cases to correct rates and dates
OF commencement Of pensions, amounting TO
90. 7ls, 744.87. There we're first payments made
in 2 1851 restoration and renewal cases. amount
ments. SOC, 1913. requiring an expenditure Of
S45. 14i. l67.6a
The average value Of the original payments
was $l64.65. The average value Of original
payments under the acts Of June q, 1890. was
7.l9. and the average value Of original pay
ments In old law cases WAS S44Ll4.
The aggregr' annual value of the 676. O6s
pensions on Z .oils June &c. 1892, was e1l6,-
879, s67. "a and the average annual value Of each
pension on the rolls at the close Of the fiscal year
was elS3&L.
The average annual value of each pension on
fba Ynil a NJ y,,na