New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-01
PENSION BUREAUS WORK.
RAUM GIVES THE FIGURES
FOR LAST YEAR.
WEAKLY A MILLION CLAIMS UNDER THE NEW

NEARLY MILLION CLAIMS UNDER THE NEW
LAW ACTED oN-THE BUSINESS OF THE
OFFICE NOW Up TO DATE
Washington, Nov. 3o.-The annual report ol "reeh d.
Raum, Commissioner Of Pensions mace pu'o 80 "o
shows that there the pension roiis june ''
1892 $40 SOS pensioners. increase oulihs 'ne S
Of zoos There added to the rolls curing u'e
wear 900 O37 new pensioners and 34'' pc''s'o''' p
vionslv dropped were restored to the pension hStS
Durng the year % SOC persons were dropped from he
rolls. =.
The total amount expended for pensions during 'he
sscal wear WAS Sl39,O35,6l2 For the present "N'"i
year 81 IA 1885, 600 Is appropriated and aMhg c oo'
NJ the pension allowances during the first iou' o'
OF this fiscal year basis OF caicuIauoh' u I'm
missioner estimates that deficiency approp'iuo" Vi
siobos COL Will lie necessary supp ement thS S'"r
appropriation. An estimate Of Sl6o'oooooo Is SUI
mitted for the next fiscal year. but commissioner
saws that II as many allowances OF peiNio's ' :"
made during the fiscal year to come as o'"S 'e N'i
wear ended June 80 last this amount VIII not oe a'se
enough. ,. ,,,o ~,
I.nd.r tho Dependen. and Disability Pension act
soo,7 claims have been filed. Of which number
4O3s5e have been allowed Tile pension pay menus
under the law, up TO september d. a"V''''u "
s-54ea443 The Commissioner In heartily oo"'ne"e
Ing this Disability law. says
deserving who were living upon charity
and thousands OF others who were upon te Sr'Sg %
that condition were relieved Macy cain as VINO
We're seriously disabled from earning Il h h,, o!
manual labor and TsS hfe eod not csta6isn the
fact that their disabilities were OF serVce 2Isn ana
tth hes olH isws This Disability bill gave pensions to
thousands OF claimants OF tns descnpuon' ,. frV ON
sn nS Ssse While the act Of June a. 1850 did not
receive the sppSy' ut q n ss n's esSa@
Congress. the experience which has been gained by
se opposIiion TO IT, As far as nv ntomahon goes,
there is bu, opinion among the great majority
immcasursble service and that the good ha. done
has fully justified the expectations Of those who
enacted 1t. u.
The commissioner admits that since me passage
NJ ,hst law there has great deal of unfavorabe
comment upon the pension system IN general ana mat
n has been that the country Is In danger OF beng
bankrupted by extravagant ana uhoefrVhg pension
legislation. But. he says:
A casual consideration of the great GLANCE In the
mode the live; of these men aud tn eonelions 10
must suggest that the strain upon the If powers OF the
solder was so great as 70 make ptrnHnent inroaGs
mon the vital forces which would necessarily result
in the development Of a multitude of ailments and
disabilities beyond the reach Of medicnS 1t Is TINS
those who are on the pension rolls gooo health and
the ability TO perform labor were their canital; when
these were gone they were In great Measure de-
prved of their means OF support A very large pro
portion Of the men whom SaTsG tns h W
claims OF these persons for assistance rom he Gov
ernment rest upon the broadcast foundation OF Justice
The Commissioner says that the policy OF Tic oicC
for three years has the larger part Of the
Or1cial force upon original claims. believing just
and proper that those who have never received
pension should have their considered In advance
of those persons seeking increase Of pension Con
missioner Raum is Of opinion that If this policy be pu
sued until the close Of the fiscal year 1904 the al
Indication of original claims will be substantially con
Melted and that At the close Of 1894 the higher
number Of pensioners ever 10 be on the rolls Will hav
been placed there. There are 449e76 original claim
pendipg OF which 900 apparently complete.
The rolls of the Revolutionary and War OF 1872 or
rapidly dwfndllng. Only twenty widows and wv
daughters Of Revolutionary veterans are on the forIn'
ROLL The survivors, OF the War OF 1912 on the roll
now number only 1885, against 2s4 year ago. NJ
Eaum closes With a comparative statement Of the vor
done under the Cleveland and Harrison Admni1is
lions He says:
The total number Of original certificates Issued fpn
nsrch 4, 1889, TO October 81, 1eb2 was o2O56o, an
the ota number OF pension cernhcates OF an ciase
issued during said period S3SO4e, while during Ia
period from March 4. 1885. to october 81. 1ess, n
humber OF original certificates issued was $50 90. an
the total number certificates issued during that pe
was 2,395, being an excess OF original cerIhcas'
issued during the period Of your administration o
334 796 and aggregate excess OF oil classes
certificates Of 432 ,663.
The average TO the Government OF eao Ger
tihcae granted during the Cleveland Administration
the Commissioner says was 1875 and durin. II
present Administration II $1O4l He adds Tn
work of the Office was very far In arrears when TIL
Administration took charge OF the Bureau OF PersAns
while today the business is nearly current
ho do